IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


// 


if.. 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


"-IM    1125 


6 


1.4 


2.2 


2.0 


1.8 


PhotDgraphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


Q.r 


% 


CiHIV!/ICMH 
Microfiche 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bioliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  altar  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  utJudI  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couieur 


r~~\    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couieur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couieur  (i.e.  autre  que  blaue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couieur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


n 


n 


D 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serrse  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  da  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lors  dune  rastauration  apparaissent  dans  ie  texte, 
.Tiais,  lorsque  ceia  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m*thode  normals  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couieur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul^es 


D 
P 

n 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


r~l    Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure. 
etc.,  cnt  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 
Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 
10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


/ 


20X 


24X 


28X 


] 


32X 


re 

letails 
)s  du 
nodifier 
sr  une 
ilmage 


)S 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Douglas  Library 
Queen's  University 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  thn  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
ether  orij^inal  copies  aro  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  bo  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  griee  d  la 
g6n6rosit«  de: 

Douglas  Library 
Queen's  University 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  ia  nettet J  de  l'exemplaire  fiimd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  ies  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fiimage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sor>*  filmte  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniere  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich«,  11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrsnt  la  mithode. 


trrata 
to 


pelure. 
n  a 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

i4 
o 

M 

M 

X 


a 

H 

I) 

ti 
o 


From  Among  The  Books  of 
RALPH  WlLLiAM  MACKIE 


THE    JEANNETTE: 


COMPLETE    AND    AUTHENTIC 


NARRATIVE    ENCYCLOPEDIA 


OK    AM,   VOYAGES    AND    EXPEDITIONS  TO 


THE  NORTH    POLAR   REGIONS, 


CONTAININO    A 


COMPLETE  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  MOST  REMARKABLE  EXAMPLES  OF  HEROISM, 
ENDURANCE  AND  SUFFERING  ON  RECORD. 


KMBRACINO    THE    PIOGRAPHV     AND    VO''     .    .     S 


FFjANKLIN,  KANE,  HAYEp,  HALL,  AND   DE  LOJvIQ, 


WITH    AN   ACCOUNT  OF  Tl.E  DEVELOPMENT    JF   ARCIJC  NAVIGATION   THROUGH   THE  VOYAGES  OF  THE 

NORSEMEN,   THE  CABOTS,   GILBERT,  DA\aS,   DARENTZ,   HUDSON,  BAFFIN,    BEHRING,   MACKENZIE, 

COOK,  SCORESBV,  PARRY,  WRANGELL,  ROSS,  NARES,   NORDENSKIOLD,  SCHWATKA,   SMITH, 

YOUNG,   AND   MANY  OTHERS;  AN  ACCUR-VTE   DESCRIPTION  OF  ALL  IMPORTANT 

SCIENTIFIC    AND   GEOGRAPHICAL   DISCOVERIES   EVER    MADE   IN   THE 

FROZEN  NORTH. 


CAPT.  RICHARD  PERRY. 


ELEGANTLY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  TWO  HUNDRED  ENGRAVINGS. 


SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. : 

.    1883. 


Hi 


If 


5^^^o  % 


COPYRIOHTED   BY 

'JTHK  COBURN  &  COOK  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

•  iSSa. 


Press  and  Types  oi  Blakely,  Marsh  &  Co.,  Electrotypes  of  A.  Zeese  &  Co., 
Donohue  &  Henneberry,  Binders. 


PREXKAQEi. 


The  universal  interest  in  Arctic  exploration  which  has  been  aroused 
by  the  melancholy  fate  of  the  Jeannette,  her  commander,  and  so  large  a 
portion  of  her  crew,  has  suggested  the  writing  of  this  work.  While  this 
has  been  its  direct  and  immediate  inspiration  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
enlarge  its  scope  so  as  to  include  similar  and  correlated  voyages  from  the 
earliest  period. 

It  has  been  written  in  sympathy  with  the  heroic  efforts  of  the 
explorers  who  in  every  age  have  labored  in  this  field  for  the  enlarge- 
ment  of  human  knowledge. 

The  general  interest  in  literature  of  this  kind  is  legitimate  and  even 
commendable.  A  wholesome  and  bracing  intellectual  tonic,  it  energizes 
the  mind.  The  reading  of  such  works  cannot  produce  other  than  good 
results.  Free  from  the  tedium  of  minute  chronology  and  burdensome 
detail,  they  possess  all  the  most  attractive  elements  of  history,  biography 
and  travel— a  triple  combination  unsurpassed  even  by  poetry,  fiction 
or  romance. 

The  taste  of  the  artist  and  the  skill  of  the  engraver  have  been 
brought  into  requisition  to  enforce  and  illustrate  the  information  con- 
veyed, adding  a  charm  and  value  that  will  be  readily  appreciated  by 
every  reader. 

In  the  hope  that  this  work  will  contribute  its  share  toward  driving 
out  of  general  circulation  the  mass  of  poisonous  trash  that  is  suffered  to 
represent,  or  misrepresent,  our  current  literature  among  such  multitudes 
of  the  youth  of  our  land,  it  is  herewith  respectfully  submitted  to  the  kind 
consideration  and  patronage  of  the  public. 


iNiin^'i 


LIST  OF  AUTHORITIES. 


The  Foil 


owin^  Works  have  been  used  i„  the  P 


reparation  of  this  Volu 


me; 


Encyclopedia  nritannica. 

Applcton's  American  Cyclopadia. 
Chambers'  Encyclopedia. 
ZcH's  Hncyclop.xdia. 
Johnson's  EncycIopa;dia. 
Newman's  America 

f'"""^''^"'«f-yof  the  United  States 

tion""v:     '^T"""""^     Biosrraphical      Die 

Bates'  Countries  of  the  Worl<I 

IHustrn.ed  Travels.     (Six  vols.) 

Whymper's  Se.-..     (Four  vols.) 

iieeren's  Works. 

Whealon's  Explorations. 
Irvin^"s  Columbus.     (Three  vols.) 
Frobisher's  Three  Voyages 
Voyages  to  Cathay  and  India. 
R"  e.gh,  Discovery  of  Guiana. 
Hakluyt's  Voyage  to  America. 

Sawr'''.T!'""''''-"'''^^^»"C''i"«- 
Hawkins*  Voy.ag-es. 

Maynarde's  Drake's  Voy.-iges 
-'  ^'^  y*^"'-^  Voyages  of  Wm.  ijarentz   ^'"V^  ''''" 
Cooleys^  Maritime  inland   Discoveries.     (Three 
■   Life  of  Frobisher. 
■     Phipp's  Voyage  to  the  North  Pole 
L>fe  of  Sir  John  Franklin 
Franklin's  First  Voyage. 
Franklin's  Second  Voyage 
Wrangeir.  Arctic  Voyages. 
Parry's  Three  Voyages. 


Voyages  of  S.ibine  and  Clavering. 
Back's  Arctic  Land  Expedition.  *- 

>'""f'*  "'«'°"«  des  Grands  Voyage, 
In^iefie  d's  Summer  Search  for  F  tTklin 
R.chardson'sSe.,rrh  for  Franklin. 
Mayne's  Voy..iges  to  Arctic  Regions. 

Kane's  First  Grinnell  Expedition. 
Kane  s  Second  Grinnell  Expedition. 
Hall's  Arctic  Researches. 

^JSn'"'^^"^''^-''"- Arctic  Seas. 
Tytkrs  Discoveries  in  the  Polar  Seas 

Leslie's  Discoveries  ,n  the  Polar  Seas 

Adventures  of  British  Seamen. 

Hayes'  Open  Polar  Sea. 

Hayes'  Pictures  of  Arctic  Travel. 

Markham's  Arctic  Works 

Sonntag  in  Search  of  Franklin. 

Tyson's  Arctic  Experienc.  s. 

Koldewey's  German  ExpediUon.     (Two  voK  > 

Weyprecht  and  Payer's  Voyages.  ^^ 

Narcs'  Polar  Voyage. 

Nordenskiold's  Voy.-ige  of  the  Veg-. 

History  of  Shipwrecks. 

The  New  York  Herald. 

Harper's  Magazine. 

Scribner's  Monthly 

'^'paptT^'Lr'"^'   -''    --temporaneou., 
•--pcrs  and  Magazines  generally. 


CONTENTS. 


ura  neons 


orscinan    - 
Discovery 


PAJir  I. 

ICaki.v    I:m'I.()iiei:s 17-(."i 

CHAPTKll  I. 

'';onceptions  of  the  Ancients— Voyajjc  of  Pytheas— Discovers  Tliule— Origin  of  tlie  Nors 
Political  Development— A  Career  of  Piracy— Greenland  and  Iceland  Colonized— Incidentjil  Di 
of  North  America. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Portuffuese  and  Spanish  Discoveries— Portui<-uese  Voyajjes  to  North  America— Voracity  of  the 
Spanish— Results  of  Columbus'  Discovery— Voyu^fe  of  the  Cabots— First  Voyatjc  Around  the  World 
—Voyage  to  Lu  Plata— French  Voyages. 

CILA.PTER  III. 

Search  for  Noiilicast  Passa),'e— Voyage  of  Chancellor — Enterprise  of  Muscovy  Company. 

CHAPTKIl  IV. 

Search  for  Northwest  Passage  Resumed- Frohisher's  I^oad  of  (Jold— Two  Voyages  of  Gilbert— 
rt  Shipwrecked— Hawkins,  the  Slave-Trader— Drake  Sails  around  Cai)e  Horn. 


tJllliert  Ship 


CHAPTER  V. 


Davis  Sent  Out— Trades  with  Natives  of  Greenland— Great  Danger  in  the  Ice— Passes  Hudson's 
H:iy— Raleigh  in  Search  of  Gold— Disappointment— Confined  in  the  Tower. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Voyages   of  the   Dutch— Northeast  Passage   Again— Barent/.   Reaches  Orange  Islands Gerrit 

Pe  Veer — Sickness  and  Death— Surrounded  by  Bears  and  F'oxes— Reappearance  of  tlie  Sun— Burial  of 
Barentz— Voyag-e  of  Van  Noort— Fight  with  Patagonians— Defeat  the  Spanish. 

PART  II. 

Eahi.v  Akctic  Voyaoes 6n-ijS 

CHAPTER  \il. 

First  Arctic  Voyiige  under  Bennet— Kill  Many  Walruses— Walruses  Brought  to  England- 
Voyage  of  Knight  in  the  Hoiiewell— Attacked  by  Savages— Voyages  of  Hudson— Fourth  and  Liisl 
Voyage  of  Hudson. 

CHAPTER  VIU. 

Voyage  of  Poole---Bisi.ayan  Whale  Fishers— Button  in  Search  of  Hudson— Ha'l's  Voyagi'  to 
CJreenland— Commercial  Voyage  Under  Baffin— Fotherby—Bylot— Discovery  of  Baffin's  Bay. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Voyages  of  Dutch  Resumed— ManhatUin  Island  Occupied— First  Voyage  Around  the  Horn— 
Voyage  of  Munk — Casks  Burst  by  Frost — Voyage  of  the  May  Flower. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Voyages  of  Fox  and  James— Enterprise  of  Bristol  Mercliants— Marvelous  Escape  from  Icebergs- 
Reach  Open  Water— Land  on  Charlton  Island— The  Ship  Sunk— Building  a  Boat— Suffering  and  Death 
— The  Boat  Launched — Poem  of  James — The  Return  Voyage. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

An  Interval  between  Arctic  Voyages— Wintering  in  the  Arctic  Region— Death  of  Ma  yen- 
Other  Dutch  Voyages— Captain  Raevn  Loses  his  Shin— Brutulitv  of  a  Dutch  Cantain—Whirh  i«  tl„. 
Way  to  India? 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Northwest  Voyage  of  Gillam— Alleged  Discovery  of  a  Northwest  Passage— Hudson's  Bay 
Company  Chartered— A  Pilot's  Story  of  the  North  Pole-^Voyage  of  Wood— Wreck  of  Wood's  Shin- 
James  Knight — Report  of  Indians  Concerning  Mines.  '  * 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Arctic  Voyages  of  the  Russians  —Voyage  of  the  Cossack  Deshniev— Conquest  of  Kamchatka 
—Attempted  Reduction  o*  the  Tchuktchis. 

VU. 


virr. 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  XIV. 


„  -..11  j\.iy . 

'  CHAPTIiU   KV.  '*^' 

S|..tzbc.rffon.  ■         ^  Win.!-Maltreat...u.,t  of  Ks.|„i,„a,.x  " XWt  c   Vm.^'''''7'','.V'."  ''r  "««' 

VOJ.l^U    of     l'lu|)|,s_Ue;| 

CIIAl'TEIl  XVI 


[farne — 
:tctiei 


Canton.  ^   ^"y-"  '""-'«ty-Capt.   Clerke  tikes   Char«-e   of  .1,7    .•''"'?•  *r""''    MiirdL-re.l-Ap 

•^^c   ot   the    lixpcditioa-Markft   Furs  ?n 
CHAPTKU   XVII 


■urates  the  Use  of  Boats  ami  SlJd^c^.'-'-"'"'"^  "•*-■  '^"""■•'-  "^  InventVo"-DisLv  "r'sT'    '"  r^-^'^'-^''' 


CHAPTKR  XVIir. 


•  '59-170 


jj      ,  .  -...V.    iiiiv   .Will. 

K-    .   ,r  CHAPTER  XIX. 


CHAPTER  XX 


^"■^SSSei^yS^^St^^ 


struggle 
rs  FulfRal 


CHAPTER  XXI 
g  CHAPTER  XXII 

CHAPTER  XXni.  ^' 


sources  

the  Coppe: 


^ss^^!^s^^m=^^^^^s^tsx. 


Journey  to 


FUch. 


CHAPTER  XXV 


■w^wwi 


From  Among  The  Books   of 
RALPH  WILLIAM   fvlACKlE 


t— Reucli  Liind  on 
indy— Rudiicfil  l>T 
•iitfi  of  Jlcliriii^. 


Uion  Uy  Hcarne— 
1  lupps— Ue;ichc» 


n»i  V(!  Uiirter  with 

Murdereil— An 

•Market  Furs  in 


tenzie'.t  River  — 

»corfsl)y,Jr.,  Ixj. 

Life— Scorc'sliy 

ipc  Hope— Iiiau- 


•  'S9-170 


■'ind  Alexander 
w— Enter  Liin- 


-t  i'-  tlic   lit 


ewspaper— An 
Scurvy— Mock 


•anjrcr— I'arry 
iJescription  of 


CONTENTS. 


CHAFFER  XXVII. 


/A'. 


Wran(?cll'«  Second  Sledjre.Jonrncy— Encounter  with  a   Bi>ii-_A  «!^i»  iw„„      c       ■      ..       .  . 
l)cp..sile,l-Att:icked  hy  Hears-lleturn  to  L,.wer   KoTv msliJsummer  f^r,,^,^'"'^"*'','""  P''"^'!?'""'' 
dciit-Wintcr  at  Nishni  Koiymsk.  •^°'y"""'-^"">'"'-'r  Occupations- Almct  an  Acci- 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

-MeSll^l|ll!;S:^:lS-/=;^  the  Tundra. 

CHAPTER  XXLX. 

Wrancfcll's  Fourth  Slcdy-c-Iouriiev— St  irf  fur  r:r,..i(  n..„    ■  i        i. 
„.nt-AHoat-Wra..j,ell  Sees  L  r:i^i^l-\^^^J-^^"^(\J^^^^^^  <;f  a  Northern  Contl- 

,s,rfdoni-Close  of  \V-rangcll's  Efforts.  **  Matmschkin-A   Native  Speculator- 

CHAPTERXXX. 

coveri^::r£^,Si;^'i^:i,^L!{^  ^l:;?'^;?^^:iL?^'r::P''"-  Oiscovercd-Numerou.  Dis- 
lluts-lntclli^cnce  Amons  Nativcs-A  NorthcTrGe4:;ap'],^^^^^^^  Hastime-Esquimaux  Snow 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Polar  Sl^^nC!^  '^r^^^^;^^^:^^^!^^^^  "--ery  of  the 

Successful  Anglins-Still  ^eset-DeaUx  uJr.  Scurvyllwi'l^co;;;r:t°Sh";:tUnd"{l  Explored- 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

vr.J!^^:^::m^'^^^!^tx^^L  '^it^j^^^^r''i''''rf''"'^y  -dP'— -Death  of 

kenzie-Sep:.r;.tion  of   the  Two    PartiL..*?S  "rio"s  A  Iven U  ?.^  wi^h°' ,-^  ^^''^ 

aered...i.>u'nklm's  Return-. Success  of  Richardsr..1laurn\o  C^nd!''"'™''"'^ 

CHAPTER  XXXUI. 


•The  Boats  Plun- 


Parry's Third  Expedition-'-Slo 
Winter  at  Port   Howen---OI).servati&..,     -,» 
-specting  the  Ships--Thc  Fury  Abandoned ■•  ■.Re'pSrt  to  t/.e  Admiralty? 


Slow  Progress- --New  Ice  Encountered -.-The  Fury  Swent  Aw.v 
ations-.-jluntmif-Canture   of  a    V^hale--The    /ury    X  cak^  ''i"" 
)andoned---ReDort  to  tfii!  A,l.nlr,.it„  "^   •'Ui.ali---in- 


lum 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

isl);;^^:.^^?^'?^  ^^^^U!^^^.:^^^r^'^^---''^'^-^^         of  Pcdu. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 


Engla'X"'^    ^"'"'    ^°--S— Il--'«   Welconie-Lyon's   Prayer  for  Help-Safety-Return   ,., 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Return  K^l^f^:^^^^^)^^"'  '^'""  ^pithead-Kot^ebue  Sound- Remarkable  Phenomena- 

CilAPTER  XXXVII. 

at  Hecla  cive-Relief-Thc  Character  of  'poUr  Ice         '^"'''=''-<"-— Reindeer   Abanaoned-- -Arrive 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Voya£s!!;i^i,^;^SZ!^S^r^  Kil^^K:;"^  ^-  I^-^T?'"'  .^^  °^  ^t-m  i..  Arctic 
hausted  Teams-Provisions  RedliL'l-M  ig\,et"cl>o,e  Discov^  '""'=''    ''^   E«quimaux-Ex' 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

aencJ^^|j;ttd;;^'!!l°^:!r:fe^Kn^^  FishRiver-A„  Ar:tic  Uesi- 

.  he  Terror  Nipped  in  the  ^i'^^^-^^^o^:^^^!;^^^^^  feili!""'- 

CHAPTER  XL. 

^^^^X^^^^^^^^^P^^^^^'^^  Escape  Rapid- 

U.nese.-^.„oyeds-Hunti„,Butterrties-Arcti:fA;:!;;!^;^^Z/'i^^ 


CON  J  EN  TH. 


i 


PnANKLIN   and  SkaHCII    VoYAflKs. 


PART  fV. 


..»7<-S'J6 


CHAI'TiiU  \I,I. 

CUAPrEK  XLII. 

.n.l  IUe-7,^!;^cU:ms''l!?^^Ad,;^rJr^  Kxpc.lit.ons   l-lunnc.I-KxpeUi,l„„   „„.,er  Uichard,„„ 

UKc-ACad.«^S>;lasK.H«i^^^^^^^  ...  AnuTu.-A    "roublc-.o.nc  ^onKstcr-Mothy  I'or- 

CH^  PTEU  XI  til. 

CHAPTEIl  XI.IV. 

navik-lT.i'l.tk-MuiTvdin^v'^^^^ 


■A  Forced 


CIIAPTEK  XI.V. 


Sou 


CHAPTEil  XI. VI. 

CII.\PTER  XLVII. 

-Su,n,nt.^A,^.'SA7"Tu~n^^^^^  for  O,  wintering,  in  the  Arctic-Polar  HuntinR  Ciro.u.ds 

A  Second  Wm  "r  in    he  Arct  cikTiT-L^h    Th?n-"~'^"''''^>/'''^«'^"J-"^^^        Kxpedifions- 
Ab.tndonrnentof  th2  Investigator.  ^""^^-^^'^  U.scovery-liim's   Kcception-A  Hoppy  Ccw- 

CIIAITEK  XL  VIII. 


A   Hri 

Story. 


n< 


'^^^^A^^^^;^^::,^^^^^  Cou.  M.rtia,- 


CHAPTER  XI  IX. 


of    Kac's  Discoveries— A  Thriliing^ 


CHAPTER  L. 

CH.\PrER  LI. 

-Thrc^L^^c!  b?!^nJ7,^2'Tt"suTR^^^^  Influence-Insenious  Re„,edies- ri>e  Histrionic  Art 

land  Coast-A  Short  Respite.         '^^•'PP^-"'''-^  ^e  Ico-saw-fhe  Grand  Break-up-Toward  fhe  Green - 

CHAPTER  LIl. 

North\S»^^;;Srl^a^^-n^-SllJ:^^^  ^-   'He 

CHAPTER  LIII. 

CHAPTER  LIV. 
«Ufe^c:f°«^°L^i1^t;?rL^if2:iS^^^^^^  Education-mWretched   HeaV'. -Decides  „po. 


CON'JEJVrs. 


xr 


-Hound   for   the 


—Derides  uporx 


ClIAITUn  I,V. 

Theory  of  Kfiiic—Tne  Pole  ol  GreuteiitCo.d —I lis  Annrjlntm«nt  an.l  l»..,.„.i^_.     ifi     n. 
Mdvllle  H..y-Smith'H  S„,.nd-Or«at  Purll-K,    ,  t,.,  I.a.t.X- 1^,1"  vllnce  „,  A^^^^^  """'" 

CUAIMHR  I,VI. 

Knne  Leild.i  a  noat  itml  a  Slodffi!  Ejtnedition— Acirocnliind  Hivi.r_-rti..  wi™i..i«.u  M      ^- 

Same  I.o  S,irro,.nds   ICer  Stiir'-?'rc,,:,;atioi,s  f,)r  Winte?-A  cYX^^ 

IJifficultics  of  Arctic  Ohservation-Uans.  the   IIm,ter-"iJturn  n#  «r.  A  k     ^^Ti^"^'''?"  "'?,  ""■'»?- 

Survcy-An  Unexpected  Uctvirn-Kuno  Saves  the  Purty  '^'""■"'  """"''-'^  i'rellmltwry 

CHAITKIl  f,VII. 

Visit  from     lifiouimiiiix— Native    DishoncHtv— A    Taurnvv  tn    ii...«i,„i  i.    l'^     ,        ^ 
Monutnent-ICm.s  slren^th    Kails-Moral  IVivvor  ,>f    K'^ne    ft„„l.  i        ? !  '    <'l«cier-Tcnnyson'» 
ail  Alie^.;d  Polar  Sea.  K-ane-Hayc.'  Hxpedition-Moi  ton   Discover. 

CHAPTEIl  I-VIII. 


CIIAITKK  MX. 


Kane  Determines  to  Aliandon  the  Uriij-. Removal  of  Rriii*.  an,l  <!i..  I  .„■    -i>    ••     „r 
Partinw:  from  Friends- -I Cans  Proves  S»s,,  ptii^c-Iim, ark  nir:  A  Ppw''^A*a  ^'^^^■■■ 

Oil  Poat- Arrival  ut  Upernuvik.-lIartstenJs  Search!^l<ane"s*^i:Hst  Days  '"'  '^"'"'''••T^he  Annual 

CHAm-KIl  LX. 

MrClintock  in   Command  of  the   r-^r— His  Chnin-  nt  nm^,...    o       i.^  ■     .•      „ 
Ray-A  Winter  in  the  Ice-Arriv.  on  Kin..  'V   liam's  Is    nd      ..wUnT?,"'*"  '"  "\5  ^"""i"  "'  ""ffi"'" 
ful  Inference-Two  Skeletons-A  Curious   Mod  e^--!"  W? mTm'i  o^^^  >  vers  a  Record- A  Mourn - 

tinceof  McClintock's  InvcstiKations.  ^"^uiey-i^^timony  of  the  Esquimaux  Woman-Impor- 

ClIAPTER  LXI. 


Tonffiie. 


CHAPTER  I.XII. 


.c«?-'^h^c?'^Sirn^a  Ellfci-c'?r.V^?,:'cfi^TU^^^^^  of  the 

Str^^e  Customiln  a  Starving  ionditio^Rli^^^^rliri^^J^-T^^f^'J^^ift^^;;,^^ 


Rcscu-  . 
A  Strange 
Innuits. 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 


A  Deer  Killed  by  Dog's — Frozen  to  Death Thc>   \ii>irn.i»t.  „<  o     •  r» 

Native  Historian-Th/ Breeding-  Place  of  tl^^.-   Deer^W.r"  D^.m,!..  l''V"*^7"''?='*'',l'  ^^''>''"^   P'^'"'-^ 
Rexions-An  Unsafe  Boat-  Anlmpoitant  Journey  Postponed  ^"'^  "-Subsistence  in  ArcUc 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 


sS'''-'-'-^^^^^^^ 


Recent  Polak  Expeditions. 


PART  V. 


CHAPTER  LXV. 


•587-736 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 

Glaci.^S^nS^^'^^Siit^f!";'  ^^f  ^qilSt;:;^"  ^\  ^i"1.  ^xplored-..  Brother  John's 
Unu^a.  WeatherU  SerLus  C^^^-^^^^^^^t^^^A^^^^ 

CHAPTER  LXVII. 

Haves'  Sled(»e-Joumey— Humboldt  Glacier  Sighted— The  Hnn.>_T'--  n  .    „ 

House-Off  for  Grinnell   L:ind-A  Picture-Slow  iWressHliJPrt"         .^''"^J'^^^^  Snow 

LaUtud^A    Prudent    Rcturn-The    ^Ki^  \^?Za     t^,^,^t7^t^^xS^^^^ 
S..und-The  Return  Home-Startling  Nefvs_lieath~otS^^    ''   ^'"'»»«-C»pe   Isabella-Whale 


XII 


coNTEi^rrs. 


CIIAI'TKII  KXVIII. 


Oormim  ICxni'ilition  under  Koldpwcy-- I'lic   i'l  in 
Oopartiiri'  fr.nii    llr>-in,'rli;ivi;ii— Scpiir.itiori  from  i\u-     I 
I  l;ins;i  -  I'hr  Cii.il    U,>,isc-- riu:   Drift  on  llu!  I,:r-  An  .Vhir 
V roiluriili.sliilil— At  Uoiue. 


't    t)r.   I'otormiinn— Ruloj^y   on   Koldiiwey-- 
l;insi--A   Si'rii'H  of    Dimtrers— Wrcik  of    \\\a 


■  --Danger 


from  Sliirvalioii- 


Irriviii^  lit 


CIIAI'TKII  I. XIX. 


Uii.'slmn--A^lcdjf.'Jounnov    -I'liirdv  iMor.l-K.ilin  Island      Tl..'  liiTinimia  Moored  for  Winter -Uflics 

wi.M\V.r.?i.!r'''lT''T-''*'"''^' %'''''' ''y  """•"■-  W"'"  lixiuTi.M.r..  with  Animal  Lifo-An  iCna.imtfi 
witli  Walpjucs— I  ho  Ocrmaiua  Uccuiuuh  I'ruc— llcturii  to  (icriiiaiiy. 

c:iIAl'TKU  I,XX. 

Vov.,I,'''"m,^;^!l'"'  V'n;:i,vr«;-ni^<-.7vr"  llr|i,-s  of  Kranklin-Tl,.-  I'olari.-Om.-i-rH  S.-loctod  for  Third 
Vova^rj^  l!.|,,,,rh,„,r  a,,,|  l..oko,.iit.)-A  D.d.^rrm-.^  of  ()|>ini.)n  -IMu-  llijrhrst  I'oint-Last  Words 
1  .ined  by  Uall--hlo(W.j,,nrmvv  to  tlin  North  Sl.kncMs  and  l),Mtli  of  Ilall-ComnuMits  on  lluU-Thc 
I'ohiris  in  Daiijfcr-NinLtcou  I'orsons  Loft  on  the  Ii:,.— A  Drift  of  Noarly  Ton  Di;^r,-,:,.s. 

CHAPTICU  I, XXI. 

Advontiirt^s  of  Tyson  an,l  l>artv  on  tlio  U-c-  M.'v.'r  S  v|)l  Away-An  Airony  of  Siism-nsn-Th.- 
I.u>vitahlo  t.alo  Va,n-/v  S.u^ht  of  th.  .Slars-..lt..s....  •,!  at  I.  istV -ICvp.Mi.M,™  ,.f  th/l'olaris  Crew-TI.o 
Ship  Ahatidofiod— On  tho  Ocean  ill  IJoats-l'iilud  lip- Ai  ■        • 


at  Diindou. 


C'UAl'TER  LXXII. 


Anstro-IIiinK-ariaii   Kx^iuditi  >n 
Arctic  Sirnes— Hosct—  1" 
Kail  of  I  .SIod)fe— Kranz 
sian  Whaler. 


1  Kxpediti  >n-A  I'lonocr  ICxp  diiion— The  Ishjorn— Inferences— T'  ■'Ctthoff— 
he  I<l()el  ra>ks--A  IVrnhle  Watch— A  IIouso  on  the  Ice— (Jreat  Uiscoverien- 
•Josef  s  I,in,l— .\  .Necessary  ConchiHion— March  to  the  Sea— Saved  by  a  Uiu- 


ClIAPTKK   I.XXIIl. 


.  "'"ffl'sh   livpo,  ition  nndor  Xin-s-Tlic    Alert  and   Ois.-overy  norinij  Thronirli  the  Puck— The 

Klysniniof  the    Arctic   lt,.y:mns -Maxim  of    lloss-ni-   Discovery'l.'inds  \Vintcr  tj.iarters -The  Sea 

vi  ,T.','',     J%T  y'"'i''   '^"'>'^'';"'"''f«-'>'''i<'»  .f';'"i    Kvposnrc      liKcmntiim  of  OOicers  from   Disease 

—yiMMv.xm  s  Sledire  Joiirnev-Ueaclies  the  lli-hest   I'oint    liver  Atlained-I'alaeocrvstic   Ice-Narcs 

Concludes  to  Return  to  lin.iiflutid— lipit.iph  on  the  (travc  of  Hall. 

CHAI'TKU   I, XXIV. 

t  »    *','"'';j"'"?''  "-tpedition-I-he  Kothen-Olficers  and  (;rc^v-In  Kinif  William's  r.and-C'ontirin   lion 
of  llaes  lestiniony— Uraveof  Lieut.  Irvin,'— llo  n a,',-  fm  m  .\merica  and  (Jreat  IJritain. 

CHAPrivU   I, XXV, 

Sweden  in  .\rctic  Kxplorations— Vor.lenskiold's  ^fllmer.)llfl  Polar  Voyairos  —The  Sofia  in  Kinu-'s 
Hay— Voyas-e  to  the  Mouth  of  the  Ohi— Sainoved  Tents-.\  Problem  in  IVaviiralbm  Solved— Nor- 
denskiold  s  Preparation -His  SledK-e-Journeys— Kunds  Provided-The  Ve>,'a  Purchased. 

CUAPTIiR  I. XXVI. 

Kurnishiri:  and  Macifrinaf  of  the  Vepa— The  I,ena--The  Fra/.er-  The  Kxpn-ss-  The  Voirt 
Leaves  (.otlienburi,'-  •  1'  irsi  Scientific  Notes-  ■  Dwarfe.l  IVecs  -  Harent/,'  I  louse  Discovered  ■  -Cliabarova  ■ 
bamoyed  Life-  I  heir  DealinK-s  with  the  Russians- -riie  Household  (lods  oL  the   Samoveds-- A  Tadibe. 

CIIAPTICR  LXXVII. 

..    1  ,  '"'"^^X"-''''",  '^.'?,?''"",^"'^  '''■■■  ^'"y'lWc  to  the   Northeast--C  ipo  Polandcr-Kinir  Oscar  Hay--Tho  CM 
1  rohlem  Solved-Ihe  Northernmost  Point  of  Asia--.\nim.il    Life-- The  Voifa  and   Lena  Part  Com 
pany--New  Ice  Boxms  to  Form  Around  the   Vei,'a-- rchuktchis-Life   Arumif  the   Natives- -Reach 
tape  Onman. 

CHAPTKR  LXXVIII. 

The  Voffa  in  Winter  Quarters- --The    Usual    Preparations-    I'hc   AveraL'e  Cold--The   Home  of 
Honesiv-Nordenskiold's    ICxcursion    to    Pidlin-Cclehrallon  of  Christmas-- Visitors    at   the    Veira- 
Auroral  Displays- -Comuient.s  on  the  Animal   Life  of  the   Ueifioii-A  Tchuktchi  Gravev:-rd-  The  Ai> 
proach  of  Release.  ' 

CII.VPTKR  LXXIX. 

Freed  from  Her  Moorin(rs--Diomede  Island--St.  Lawrence  Island --Nordenskiold  Reaches  a 
Telejfraph  Station--At  Vokohama--A  Series  of  Festivals-- At  Honir  Koni,'--Ceyl(m-  Christmas  at 
^ea--!he  Sue/.  Cat<.a!--.\  !t-.-ceptioi,  it  Houlognu-.The  Oi  iiul  Celebration- •Comments  on  th> 
UiXpeuition. 


CONTENTS. 


xrrr. 


PART  VI. 


rm-  .Ikannkttr. 


of  Siisi)('nsi!--Thc 
'i)l:iris  Crow — The 


nces — T'  'retfhoff— 
real  Discoveries— 
-Saved  by  a  Kiu- 


rli  the  Park— The 
darters— The  Sea 
ers  from  Disease 
rvstie   lee — Narcs 


nd— C'imlirin   linn 
aiii. 


he  Sofia  in  Kinif's 
on  Solved — Nor- 
led. 


press- -The   Vofft 
red-Chabarovn 
oyeds-- A  TaJibe. 


ar  Bay -The  OM 
Lena  Part  Com 

Natives-  -Heai  li 


d-The  Home  of 
i  at  the  Vcf^a-- 
vey:-.rd--rhe  A|i 


kiold  Reaches  a 
)n- -Christmas  at 
luiucntii    on    th^: 


tUAPTKK  LXXX. 


•737-8.15 


Some  Comments  on   Arctic   NaviLfation-'fts   Retroxnerf   n-in.^.-c  ..» i  n  »      ^.       _ 

.lames  (iordon   llennett--The  IMn.lora  -Her  Voya/ro   3  /Llk'nT?;,;      aV  ?f-P"^^  ''"''''•'=  °* 

Discovery  of  Sir  John  Ros.s'  Vacht.  Mary-. Nor^h^;nl,eHand  -Arrive  iu^iw^  Upcrnavik- 

CIIAI'TKR  LXXXI. 

Mr.  Ilenm^tt  Purchases  the  Pandora- -ICxnense  of  thi'   li'vn..,iit;^„    -in,    <-.  t.          ^  . 

U-tter  to  the  Secretary  of  th.  .Vavy-ller    Deplrt   re  fr,   n  Sm'^  W^  DcI.onjEr's 

lion- At  Ounalaska-DeLonj;  Comn.unicates  Varied  Infornm'on  to  thrSecr^ry  '"'"'  ""''"''• 


ClIAPTKR  LXXXII. 


".\  V'Y     ■:•■•'"'"".>>'«• -'tclief  \Vat--hcs.. Off  Stuart's  lshind--The 

A  Volcanic   Re^r,on--A   Hunting'  Party   from  the  Iciinette     A 

eaty  with  the  Canines- Visited  b/  Tch^,^'.?M    'n.'^ 


hu 
id 


From  Ounala.ska  to  St.   I^iwrencc   IJay.SoundinLrs 

ClIAPTKR  I-XXXIII. 

The  .Jeannctte  Knters  the  Arctic-- Arrives  at  Kolviitchin  H-.v    ifi-^f  n  i  o     .   .,..     . 

.leannelte  l.'ir.nly  I-Vozcn  h,--Danenlunver\  Sta tonen  -  T       W)  ,V.^  "ear  and  Seal   Killod-Thc 

Si;rht  -:-he   .Ic.onelte    Helpless   and   Crh.pred    Seclur^^  '«'""'•  '" 

ApiireheiuiiM..  "  ^""JiU'ircs  as  to  the  Jeannctte's   Kivtc-.Continuea 

ClIAPTKR  LXXXIV. 

.Jeannctte  Relief  Kxpedition  in   iSSn--The  Corwin-.r-mf    ir^r.n«.     a./-.        ■     . 
trable  Wall- A   I.-ri^hlfMl' Scene  of    Oes.da  i    ,-   A  Ship  AiMi^X^'Th  PV"^  ^r'P'^"'=- 

Corwm  Si.Hils  Wranijell   Land-The  Kntflisl,   l^lief  Y     lit     Fir  ^  K  MW^^^ 

A.nerican  lielief  lixpedition-- The  ':a..mre.-..\n   Adverse   Rem.rV^^         »         "'V  ';-7l"--<litio»-S»--eond 
trous  Uclay-Furthcr  Hindered  by  the  lilen.e.Us.-An  Af.ortive'lXVt       '       '  ^*''»"'-'J"A  t)isas. 

(  IIAPTICR   I.XXXV. 

A  Thick  KoK'--The  I..,st  ICntry  in  the  I.o^.      "  ""red- A  Party  of  Kxplorcrs-Discovcne.s-- 

CIIAPTKR  I.XXXVI. 
..md-'j^;^ynrR;ti:!;:r^T^^;;J,!:i:^l^;:;^^'J':!^::/'7.  A-t^  t»   Reach  Wran^cn 

Kod^crs-.-l-he  Rodders  .'arty  Hoard  the  Norlh  ;::u;.^"^Kira  ^ain- 'n^e"  AlUa^l--"^  "^  ''^'^ 

CHAPTJCR  LXXXVII. 

^^^'i^''^l^:^VL^^V^^rJ:^  ^:^^^  Ootailed-Hardships- 

Ch.ppandKuehne..ADee^Uunt--ia,I^;;b;::;rU!:.^^^Xl:i.!S;;-^^^ 

CHAPTKR  I.XXXVIII. 

MonnrirD.n"!:^^s!J;;;;::!:^!\^S^!:S\'^;:;,f^-V'.f  MJsfortm,es.^,exai  Sees  a  Hut-Onlv  a 
,.arti„.,'  ..f    Nindcunan  a.'uf    No  os-  T  a'    Ko  t  u  e       f     lVj^\^^^^  ^.'^-'^/^'^^^t  "'V>'1  Tea-De- 

kx..e..Loss  of  Chipp-DeLon^-s  Diary  C.os^riDeathy'lClosril^'lhi'pllr^'.^::;;.^!;^^^^."" 

CHAPTKR  LXXXIX. 

vme  '^^'^tXlT^l^'::^^^^^^.^^^.^^  DcLon^-His  Plan-Mel- 
Chlpp-.TIu- Survivors  Return  Ho  nc-  Ciske  s  Forlv-Vrl  ^'"7- "^  ^eir  Common  Crave-.No  Traces  of 
.Melville-Schemes  .0  Reach  the  pCle-.Polar  ScicuUfi^^^^^^  K.xanunation  of  Danenhower  and 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


I  i 


TheJeannettb  Crushed  in  the  Ice.    rFrontisoier*.  \                                         '*"«*• 
Norse  Viking ^^rontl8p^ece.> 

NorseShips.    (Full  Page.*)* "  *. • aa 

SroNE  Tower  AT  Newport 25 

Columbus'  First  Sight  of  Land.*  "(Full ' Pase  \ ^^ 

Christopher  Columbus  ....  ^^""i'age.) ^^ 

Columbus  Under  Arrest.    (FunPaffe*^ 3-' 

Sebastian  Cabot.    (Full  Page.)  "^ 33 

Jacques  Cartier...,  ^ 36 

Srv^TLTrL^EiG^H^^^^'  °^'  Newfoundland:*  (Fuif  'Pag;:); .  ...•.•.•.;.■.•;.•.■.•;  $ 

Mock  SuNSAii  Seen  BvBARENT*z.*'(Fuiip;e;') 55 

Henry  Hudson ^    ""rage.) ^^ 

View  ON  the  Hudson..."  .' 74 

Cape  Horn .'. 75 

Landing  of  the  May  Flower 90 

Building  A  Boat.    (Full  Page.). 93 

Tchuktchis  Building  A  Hut.    (Full  Pa Je> '°° 

tsQcriMAux  House.    (Full  Page  )  ' 122 

Stranded  Whale.    (Full  Pa|e.).'.* "7 

William  ScoRESBY. . . 1^4 

Sir  John  Ross .V.. 156 

Dorothea  and  Trent.    (Full'  Paee'\* '^^ 

Sir  William  Edward  Parry  '63 

Mock  Suns.    (Full  Page)        '69 

Group  of  Children.    (Full"  Page.')! ! .' 181 

Sir  John  Franklin....  192 

Fort  Enterprise.    (Full' Page.).' .* ! '99 

^R.  Richardson's  Adventure  with'wo'l'ves *  *  'fF'uU  pVo»  \ ^^^ 

Perrault  Dividing  his  Store.    (Full  Pa-e  f  ^  "^ ''^ 

Skeleton  of  Mammoth.    (Full  Paee  )  217 

Baron  Von  Wrangell....,  ,.  224 

Siberian  Dog-Sledge.    (Full'  Paj/'e ) ^3' 

Attacked  by  Bears.    (Full  Page).*.'. ^33 

Sea  Bears  OF  SiBEPiA  ,.  .247 

Dress  of  Native -259 

An  Arctic  Scene.    (Full  Page  *) ' 268 

Esquimaux  Snow  Village.    (FulTpa'-'e") ^70 

Ir.IGLIUK ^  '-oW ^^2 

Esquimaux  Fishing.  '(Full 'Page,').' '. 279 

Esquimaux  Child's  Dress.    ....        2S4 

Sun  at  Midnight,    (Full  Page  *  *. 293 

Arch  in  Arctic  Regions.    (Full  Page  *) ^99 

Sleigh  Drawn  by  Single  Reindeer.  .'.' 3iS 

Mussel  Bay  323 

Plan  of  Arciic  Sledge.'  '  '(Fiiu'Page".)'. *.'.'. 325 

Kitchen  at  Fort  Reliance.  . ...  327 

The  Terror  Nipped  in  the  Ice.  **(Furi*  Page.)'  *"■'.'■ 35° 

XIV.  °  ^^^ 


%3* 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


XV 


Samoyed  Chieftain.    (Full  Page.) ^^^' 

Bust  of  Franklin.     (Full  Page.) 

Esquimaux  of  North  America .......! ^lA 

Bear  Attacked  by  wolves.    (Full  Page.)  ^ 

In  a  Lead.     (Full  Page.) .....'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. '....'. ^^^ 

Perils  of  Sledge  Travel ^°* 

Arctic  Hares ''^'3 

H.  M.  S.  Intrepid  Iced  IN.    (Full  Page.).,..     ... '.'.".,'. ^^i 

Cutting  Ice  Docks.    (Full  Page.) , ^ 

Relics  of  Franklin.    (Full  Page.) "^^i 

Arctic  Tools ^^ 

Arctic  Plant  (actual  .size) ^^^ 

On  Beechey  Island '*'^' 

Shooting  Seals 45^ 

Fiskern^s.     (Full  Page.) '^5«> 

Dr.E.K.KANE.    (FuUPage.) 477 

Smith'sSound  '' '»°3 

Glacier  Seen  by  Kane ^^t 

Kane  IN  Winter  Quarters.    (Full  Page.). ......  ...|! ''^ 

William  Morton .'*.*.  .......'."  J "  "5°* 

Watching  for  A  Seal V.V. ....... ^'o 

Catching  Birds !!!!!!."...! ^ 

Kalutunah,  an  Esquimaux  Chief.    (Full*  Page.)  ...    ^^° 

Hans,  Wife,  and  Relatives. ^^i 

Off  to  the  Open  Sea ^ 

Statue  of  Franklin.    (Full  Page.) ^^° 

Charles  Francis  Hall ...'..'.'.......      ^^' 

Capt.  Sidney  O.  Buddington .". .  " ^47 

Innuit  Woman's  Head  Dress.  . .  i ....-.'.*.*..... ^^^ 

Ophiurid  OF  Northern  Seas.    (Full  Page!).  ..]!.. ^^ 

Ebierbing,  Tookoolito,  and  Child.    CFuU  Paee  ^ ^o' 

Dr.  I.  I.  Hayes .^ °   ';■ ' S83 

Brother  John's  Glacier ^ 

The  Little  Auk ^' 

Point  Isabella ..'. °°4 

Whale  Sound.    (Full  Page.)  . . 9'9 

Devil's  Castle.    (Full  Page) '.'.'.'.'.V.'.'.'.'..'. %^° 

East  Greenland  Village 9^^ 

Encounter  with  Walruses.    (Full  Page.). ... . , ' '    '^33 

Highest  Point  Achieved  BY  the  Polaris ^^ 

Burial  of  Hall '"   ^4^ 

Grave  OF  Hall .*.  p5 

Capt.  George  E.  Tyson .......!............ a'^^ 

Group  of  Survivors  of  Tyson's  Raft!    (Full  Page ) i,^^ 

Perilous  Situaton  of  the  Polaris 7,'. ^^4 

Start  of  Payer's  Sledge  Expediton,     W..ii  tjo^J  \ .59 

Transporting  Wood  for  the  House  ' 
Fall  of  Sledge 

Discovery  Bay 

Grave  of  Lieut.  Irving ^g' 

Prof.  A.  E.  NoRDENSKioLD . .' ^^ 

Samoyed  Encampment.     (Full  Page.). ?^^ 

The  Cloud  Berry .'.".* ^'.'' 

Dwarfed  Trees  IN  Siberia ■'" ?°^ 


(Full  Page.)."  .■■■".■.■.■.■.;  .■.■..■.■.■■;:"-::::^^ 
(F»n Page.) ''■'''.'''..:::::::::.:::::::.:::: -^ 


Barentz'  House,  Exterior  and  Interior. 

Samoyed  Sledge 

Arctic  Hair-Star ...!'. ..... 

Star-Fish  OF  Northern  Water.s  ,, 
Christmas  Eve  on  Board  the 
Auroral  Display  Seen  from 


(Full  Page.) ...:.::::.:.705 

707 

712 

.714 
723 


11  Page.). 


(F"""  P«ge.) !jz^ 


/ 


fcTriiTiii— 


v^fe^-KS;':tfl 


^YV/. 


!j 
j    i 


ILLUSTRATIONS, 


^lll  ! 


I:  f 


H 


ill 


ii    ' 


The  Jeannette  in  Sax  Francisco  Bay.     (Full  Paee  \                                        ""t^^i 
Lieut.  George  W.  DeLo  ,g ^  '' ^42 

The  Jeannette  Passing  Golden  Gate."  'cFuii  PaseS Z?? 

Jerome  J.  Collins ^  ^^ 7Si 

Lieut.  John  W.  Danenhower.  . .    ^^^ 

Lieut.  Charles  W.  Chipp 7x9 

William  M.  Dunuar .■'■ '^°} 

Burning  OF  the  Rogers     (Full  Pa^^e.) 'Z^ 

Parliament  House  at  Reikiavik° 2^ 

Arctic  Sledge • °°' 

Dr.  J.  M.  Ambler '.'..'.  .'.'.■. ■.".■.'.■.'.'.'.■.■. vl 

Departure  of  Ninderman  and  Noros'  "  VfuiY  Paee'i c^ 

Raymond  ju.  Newcomb ^' ^ 

Geo.  W.  Melville V.V.'.V. o' 1 

Exterior  of  Convict  Hut  in  Siberia o. 

Group  of  Survivors  of  Jeannette  Expedition."  "  (FuVl  PaeeS Sac 

Melville  Finding  De  Long  AND  Party.    (Full   Pa^e  )  8,1 

Grave  of  De  Long  and  Party.     (Full  Page  )  o, 

Jeannette  Search  Expedition \ ^^' 

Commander  Cheyne's  Plan  for  Reaching  the  Pole s^^ 

Map  of  Polar  Regions.    (Full  Page.) '.'.'.'.'.".'. 8 


TAIL  PIECES 


Three  Ships , 

Head  of  Native ......!'..!. 

H  BAD  of  Native S' 

Sledge  r   rty !...!... 12 

Native  o.v  Snow  Shoes .'.'".'. o 

Greenland  Pilot ^ 

Gulls ".*.'."".".'.  1. '.".'.". ^'^ 

Iceberg '°'^ 

Sledge  Party ''' 

Dragging  the  Boat ''^ 

Gothic  Iceberg ^~(^ 

Arctic  Dress c^ 

Oomiak '"7 

Camp  Life V.". '.'.."".'.'.!  ".■.'.".".■■;■. ' ^°^ 

Head  of  Tchuktchi ^'^ 

Seal-Skin  Cup ."'.".'..".".'..".'.'..""""." ^\ 

Child's  Sledge ..!!!.!!.... ^1 

EWERAT,  A  SORCEROR i-- 

The  Walnut  Shell .!''............ V' 

Bale  of  Pfmmican .'...*......*.' ?^ 

Esquimaux  Knife f ,° 

A  Great  Auk ...,'. 

Esquimaux  Mother ......"..*.... ,1''' 

Head  of  Walrus ,6? 

Head  of  Esquimaux  Dog ......    ........ ax 

Head  of  Reindeer ' '    ...... .,,... -t 

The  Arctic  Owl .....'..'... 

Esquimaux  Spear .....................'.*.... V^ 

Caught  in  a  Trap Igs 

Arctic  Aquatics ' ' ^ ^ 

Dog  Shoe !!  i !'!.!!!!!!!....!!!!'! ! roc 

Kane's  Favorite  Dog .............'. \-X 

Esquimaux  Woman's  Knife .*..*, \-ix 


Pafire. 
...742 

•••749 
••751 
...756 
...769 
...782 
..78s 
..798 
..801 
...804 
..806 
..808 
..811 
..816 
..821 
..825 
..828 
..831 
..830 

-833 
••835 

. .  28 
••  SI 
■•  57 
..  68 
. .  81 
. .  94 
,  .104 
.III 
.119 
.124 
.167 
.187 
.203 
.219 
,.228 
.256 
.265 
•^77 
•295 
.310 

•330 
•345 
379 
■387 
.414 

•431 
4(9 
459 
488 
496 

505 
512 
533 


PART  I. 


**EflHLY  EXPLnHEHS.^ 


if 

I 

# 


«^IIUib 


lit- 


'I  I 


!  i 


III, 


«  When  sxvords  arc  gleaming  yon  shall  see 
The  Norseman's  face  flash  gloriously, 
With  looks  that  make  the  foeman  reel; 
His  mirror  from  of  old  ivas  steel. 
And  still  he  Tvields  in  battle's  hour 

That  old  Thor's  hammer  oj  Norse  power; 
Strikes  with  a  desperate  arm  of  might. 

And  at  the  last  tug  turns  the  fight. 
For  Jtever yields  t/ie  Norseman.  " 


CHAPTER  I. 


CO.CKPT.O.S     OK     T„K    ..CK.T.-VOV.OK    OK    KVT„K«_.,scOVHKS 
■r„..K-0„,0,.    OK     „„     .o„.,KMKX.--,.„.„„„,     ^^^^J^^J^ 

A   CAREER    OF    PIR  ACY— r-R  u  t- v.   .  ».^'i-niENT 

PIRACY_t,REE,VLAND  AND    ICELANB    COLONIZED 
-iNCDENTA,.    mSCOVERV    OK    noUT,,    AMERICA. 

AI,ho„,h  with  .i,e  dUcovcT,  „„.,  e„l„„i.„.i„„  „,  o,,„„„,„  ^„^ 

'"'"'  '7  ""^  ^■"■'^•=™™'  i'-«-"iy  bo,i„« k,.„„,„,„^  of  thri 

se,-..s  Iho  secrets  of  the  hi.l.le,,   North  hn,1  1  , 

..pce,...tio.,.     The  freitf,,,    inta,':.    „  r"         "  "  "'""'"'  '"""•'  °' 

o.„  features  .„  this  tnysterious  :^  "'"""'^  ""«''="  "■"-'- 

I.  ,v.,s  .he  regio,,  „f  .,„rk„e.s,  1,„.  „s  i„  ,he  succession  of  events  d.v 
sprn,,;;  from  „,5,hl,  so  !„  their  thought  Jkl  li^ht  ,„  I  v  u  '""'="" ''"^ 
froR,  the  North.  Here  the  Hin.loo  locate  °';"  '""""'^ 
.cities,  Where  those  .Vine  hein,s  veiie;  t  .'^  ilT'  .r: ''''' 
RRsty  obscurity.     Here  dwelt   the  god,  of  Scanl'  '" 

they  directed    watchful   eyes  to  guard   ,  7" 7"  '  "'"'  "™"    '"=^' 

"".•^«per.s.     When   uA^^J^X  ,C  i  stft'TT:"  "  ^f 
frosty  earth,  dispelling  with   It,  rrdiant  .|orv     h     ,    o       f-  7"  "' 

■'-"'-P'^ ■''»°f'^^P-P'-l.-vere        -,:*;     7\'''^" 

of  their  gods,  an,l  trembled  and  rejoice.1.  '  "''"P"' 

Thus,  too,  the  father  of  history  relates  l,ow  .h    H         u 

"^^  """  -»^.'h«  n,ost  virtuoi  an  1  ; /^"f  ^''''^"---f  »" 

"".I  delightful  companionship  with  tl,e  .le^  ^     ^      ■"  Perpetual  peace 
fields  clothed  with  peroetnalv  ""•;'="-•'■"''»'■  cloudless  skies,  in 

3'e»Hy  harvests,   i. ':,;::  ;"^-  "-  '■™^"--  -■■'  /.^'*  .wice. 

when  satiated    with    life  fd  ?■'''"'""  °'"'  °S«- •■-' ""«. 

P<"n,e  heatllong  fro,„    .  e  m    1    T"  """'  "="'"  "'"-   «"--.  ""<' 

But  all  this  belotg  '  tol    "     '  *?"  '"'°  "'  "^""^  "^ "''  '"•" 
.  ^     totiadition    and    song  rather  thin  to  bi-t- 

The  happtness  we  crave  is  instinctively  located  in  some  far.^  u,':;::; 

w 


/ 


80 


VOTAGE  OF  Pl'THEAS. 


^ 


t> 


If! 

Ill  III 


ll 


1 1 1 


able  place,  and    the  existence  of  this   tendency    may  explain    the   facts 
above  recorded.     All  the  certain  knowledge   which  nations  of  antiquity 
had  of  northern  territories  may  be  very  briefly  summarized,  for  as  yet 
compass  and   sextant  were   unknown,  and  the   few   intrepid   adventurers 
that  dared  at  all  to   brave  the  fury  of  the  sea,  did  so  almost  blindfolded, 
and  at  the  peril  of  their  lives.     The   Tyrians   and   Phoenicians   had  left 
their  native  shores  to  find  in  other  regions,  the  wealth  which   their  own 
rugged  coasts  yielded  so  scantily.     Carthage  had  been   founded   on  the 
coast  of  Africa  ;  and  the  Greeks,  in   the  traditional  voyage   of  the  Argo, 
had  wreathed   themselves   with  glory   and  given   a  subject  for  many  a 
pleasing  song  ;  but  none  as  yet  had  ventured  to  try  the  dark  regions  of 
the  North,  and    its  secrets    remained  its    own,    to  be    unlocked    by    the 
genius  and  bravery  and  invention  of  more  modern  times. 

Thus,  all  records  by  northern  historians  of  the  events  occurring 
before  the  Christian  era  may  be  set  down  as  mythical  or  uncertain  ;  fo'i^ 
classical  antiquity  exhibits  a  very  obscure  notion  of  the  geography  of 
Europe  beyond  the  German  Ocean.  This  is  illustrated  in  the  fact  that 
the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  considered  Scandinavia  an  island,  or 
cluster  of  islands  in  the  Northern  Seas  ;  and  other  ideas,  equally  erroneous, 
suffice  to  show  the  obscurity  in  classic  tim'es  which  clothed  this  unex- 
plored region. 

The  first,  anc!  for  a  long  time  the  only  voyage  to  northern  regions, 
recorded  by  any  nation  of  letters,  was  made  by  Pylheas  of  Marseilles-a 
Greek  colony    in  France. 

ThedateofPytheas,  who  was  the  most  celebrated  navigator  of  his 
time,  is  approximately  placed  at  330  B.  C,  making  him  about  contem- 
poraneous with  Alexander  the  Greai.  He  is  the  only  explorer  of  the 
pre-Christian  period,  who,  so  far  as.  we  may  judge  from  authentic 
records,  at  all  approached  in  spirit  the  heroes  of  modern  navigation. 
Regarding  his  birth  and  the  circumstances  of  his  private  life  we"  have 
little  or  no  trustworthy  information  ;  but  what  is  more  important  to  us 
in  this  connection,  wo  know  that  he  explored  the  Northern  Seas  of 
Europe.  The  ancient  geographers,  like  conservative  pedants  of  a  more 
recent  period,  professed  to  place  little   reliance  on  his  statements.     Both 


explain    the    facts 
tions  of  antiquity 
luized,  for  as  yet 
•epid   adventurers 
most  blindfolded, 
3enicians   had  left 
which   their  own 
founded   on  the 
ge  of  the  Argo, 
iject  for   many   a 
e  dark  regions  of 
nlocked    by    the 

events  occuninor 

o 

>r  uncertain  ;  for 
e  geography  of 
in  the  fact  that 
^^ia  an  island,  or 
jually  erroneous, 
thed   this  unex- 

orthern  regions, 
)f  Marseilles — a 

navigator  of  his 
about  contem- 
ixplorer  of  the 
from  authentic 
;rn  navigation. 
i  life  we  have 
iTiportant  to  us 
•thern  Seas  of 
lants  of  a  more 
cments.     Both 


n/SCOVEJiS  THULE. 
Polybius  and  Strabo  treat  hi.„  with  the  utmost  severity  and  ridicule 
and  ment,onh,s  accounts  as  absurd  and  i„credible-a  proceeding  quite' 
customanly  o  lown.g  any  in.portant  discovery  on  land  or  sea,  i.?  .  ,ind 
or  matter,  phdosophy  or  art.  ^Absurd  "  has  echoed  through  th.  a^es 
.s  the  response  of  the  ignorant  to  what  has  been  contrary  to  theh-  pre' 
conceived  notions.  ,  ^ 

Modern  writer,  are   inclined  .o   »«  „„re   value   „„   .he  accounts  of 
Py  heas    as  well   a,  on  „„  of  the  best   k„„w„  ancient  writer,,     wj 
gahe,  that  he  saded  through  the  English  Channel,  and,  after  leavil 
Uritain,  a    voyage  of  six  days  to  the  NnrtI,  1„.„     t.  ,  •  " 

which  he  called  Thule,  where  he  Is  ^T  '  \  '°  ""  '*'"' 

.ori.o„  for  a  certain  'period  auhrsulT  Zr^is  Tr '^^ 
would  apply  to  Iceland,  hnt  the  incredulous  are  :;!'  o  i- rer 
h.s  ,s.and  w,th  one  „  the  Orkneys,  because  it  see,ns  Tlikely  that  Py  ^ 
eas  could   have  reached   Iceland   in  six    davs      T.,    n       ,  ^ 

as  in  our  own.  an  error  of  .ranscripti:,?  .ry  .^  a„rr '■""°"" 
rational  to  loolc  for  a  .nistalte  there  than  to  re  eet  Lt  o  '  "  '"" 
which  is  certainly  not  applicable  to  the  Orkn^lslnd  "  ,t::r 
over,  are  several  in  number,  and  arc  so  close  to  ,h.  '  T 
properly  to  fail  under  the  description  of  be  -si  d^s'  Z^  'Z  ""' 
So„,ehave  thought  that  he  had  come  ,,p™  ^  f  Z  "'"'• 
Denmark,  but  the  evidence  of  this  is  not    onclure      H  ,T'  "' 

island  at  least,  and  probably  named  it  from   h  s    a UV^  J  '"'^ 

ffoal  or  the  farthest  point.  '"'"''  '""""'"S  'he 

Pytheas  afterward  entered  the  Baltic,  and  reached  a  river  whiclr  he 
called  Tana,s,wh,ch  critics  believe  to  be  the  Elbe.     Here  he  f7   , 
Foplc  who  made  use  of  amber  instead  of  wood  and  as  th         b  ■ ' 

still  found  in  large  quantities  in  Pr„s,„.  there  ^'l  tel  b   .h^t ;  "'"'  " 
have  visited  that  part  of  Eurone      H„  ""'" 

P    lorcu.ope.     He  gave  an  account  of  bis  vova^es  in 
two  works-"  Description  of  the  Ocou,"     ,„k-  .  ■  "">3"8esm 

Th.,le,  and  "  Perinlus  "  or  ci,  '°""""'  '"'  ""y^"  "> 

.-.^todeterltUti:  Zf^X^^^^ 

.Hearst  to  suspect  that  the  tides  are  inL:::,:  tbeTor":::  ^"^ 
■osaythathehad  more  Of  the  spirit  of  discovery  and  observation   thl: 


89 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  NORTHMBrf 


h.s  UMtruvelecl,  though  scholarly,  critics,  a.u!  with  tl,e   light   of  mo<lcn, 

research  an.l  the  aid  of  .no.iern  appliances,  such  a  spirit  woukl  doubtless 

have  done  much  to  unravel  the  tangled  skein  of  northern  mysteries. 

Thetrne  inception  of  Arctic  discovery  has  already    been  referred   to 

the  Norsemen,  whose  developme.-s  and  achievements  we   may   now  do 
well  to  consider. 

VOYAGES   OF  THE    NORSEMEN. 

The  Norsem  n,  or  Northmen,  were  known  to  the  ancients  as   Scan, 
dinavians,  a  n,o,e  distinctive  and  appropriate  designation   whid^.   again 
bids  fair  to  become  current 
in    our     own    day.      .Some 
words  are  like  fashions   in 
clothing,  they  are  discarded 
for  a  time,  but  in  a  genera- 
tion  or  two  are  once  more 
brought  into  use  because  of 
some    special    appropriate- 
ness or  utility.   Every  town, 
city,   county,   state,   nation, 
or  other   geograpliical    dis- 
trict may   have   its    North- 
men, but  Scandinavians  or 
Norsemen     are    a     special 
class  of  Northmen.    Norse- 
men is  to  be  preferred  for 
its    terseness,    and    because 

Scandinavian  has  an  appearance  of  being  so.netimes'  used  in  a  more 
limited  sense  than  is  here  proposed.  The  original  horde  from  which 
they  sprung  seems  to  have  been  among  the  last  of  the  sw.rn.s 
which  migrated  from  the  highlands  of  Central  Asia,  the  original  home  of 
the  Ind.vEuropean  or  Aryan  family  of  races.  In  those  early  days  when 
they  l,egan  to  look  around  them  for  a  new  home,  they  foun<l  by  their 
migratory  experience,  if  not  otherwise,  that  their  elder  brothers  (he  Per- 


NonsE  vi-Kmo. 


!   i. 


HBA-UFE  OF  THE  NOltSEMEN. 


fht   of  modern 
'ouhl  doubtless 
ny.steries. 
■en  lefened   to 
may    now  do 


M 


cnts  as   Scan- 
which  again 


d  in  a  more 
from  which 
the  swarms 
inal  home  of 
)•  days  when 
id  by  their 
M's,  the  Pcr- 


sia..s,  Greeks,  Latins,  Celts  and  Sclavs,  had  seized  the  southern  and  ccn- 
tral  p<  rtions  of  Asia  and  Europe,  and  there  remained  but  the  lands  of  tiie 
lull.  ..pitable  North.  These  they  overspread,  sulnluing  the  earlier  inhab- 
ita..ts,  the  stunted  and  swarthy  Finns  of  tiie  great  norficm  ix-ninsula 
This  was  an  overland  mi-ration,  and  the  immigrants  had  no  knowledge 
of  ships.  "^ 

In  the  eightli  century  of  our  era  they  had  so  increased  and  multiplied 
that  they  might  be  said  to  have  been  compelled  to   renew   their   favds 
tiiis  time  by  water.     Meanwhile  they  had  learned  to  build  and  u..      ,ips' 
The  cold  hillsides  oftheir  native  land  had  been  brought  into   rude   culti- 
vation to  supplement  the  more  fertile  plains.     Hut  still  they  grew   and 
multiplied  and  necessity  taught  them   to  fnul  in  their  inlets   and    bays  -x 
valuable  addition  to  their  stores  of  food.     Fishing,  the  natural  introduc'- 
t.on  to  seafaring,  is  calculated  to  produce   hardy   and  dexterous  seamen 
And  we  find  that  the  Norse  leaders  and  their  crews,  when  they  sprun- 
n.to  the  foreground  of  mediaeval  iiistory,  were  bold  and  skillful  mariner! 
brave  and  active  fighters,  and  ever  ready   to   face  danger   in   pursuit    of 
spods.     They  were  n.ore  than  a  niatch  for  the  agricultural,   manufactur- 
n)g  and  commercial  nations  round  about  them.     Their  Jg-iculture  was 
scant,  and  of  trade  and  manufacture  they  were  ignorant.     If  to  these  be 
added  the  all-pervading  influence  of  a  religion  which  taught  that  death  in 
hattle  was  but  a  passage  to  the  happy  immortality  of  Valhalla,   we  have 
a  co,„bnKUionofthe  conditions  necessary  to  form    a  conquering  people 
As  ,s  usual  in  the  early  history  of  nations,  they  are  found   divided   into  a 
number  of  tribes  or  clans  under  petty  kings  or  chiefs.     At   the  actual 
pcr.od  oftheir  historic  inroads  they  were  just  passing  into  the  more  pre- 
tenttous  form  of  consolidated  monarchies,  with  the  chiefs  of  the   old  reg- 
.mc  crystalizing  into  the  hereditary  nobles  of  the  new,  a«d  especially  of 
tae  rank  known  in  their  language  as  jarls,  in  ours,  earls.     Though  polit- 
.cally  subordinate  to  the  sovereign,  these  earls  retained   much    of  their 
former  power  ir  their  relations  to  those  beneath  them.     Whether  Vv  the 
term  v.kmgs  we  are  to  understand  these  chieftains-as  if"  vicc-kincs"- 
or,  as  seems  n.orc  probable,  "  fiord-folks,"  it  is  certain  that   leaders  and 
people  alike  were  enterprising  and  brave. 


u 


I'luAcr. 


It  was  soon  found  that  the  relatively  luxurious  and  efleminate  deni- 
zcns  of  southern  lands  could  he  easily  induced  hy  a  little  show  of  violence 
to  purchase  their  lives  by  the  surrender  of  a  portion  of  their  wealth,  or 
hi-  made  easy  victims  to  the  hardihood  and  daring  of  those 

j  "Grim  vikings,   who  found  rapture 

In  the  sea-fight,  and  the  capture, 
And  the  life  of  slavery," 

to  which  they  reduced  such  as  were  not  rich  enough  to  pay  a  ransom. 

The  Norse  vikings,  with  no  wealth  hut  their  ships,  no  hope  but  their 
swords,  swarmed   upon   the   ocean,  phmdcred  every  district  they  could 
approach,  and  for  several  centuries  spread  blood,  rapine  and  misery  over 
the  nations  of  Europe.     All   their  habits,  feelings  and  associations  were 
ferocious.     They  regarded   piracy  aiul   phuider  as   the   most   honorable 
method  of  securing  wealth.     Raw   flesh  was  a  toothsome   delicacy,  pity 
was  weakness,  and   tears   were  unmanly.     They  relieved   flic  monotony 
of  the  regular  occupation  of  killing  and    plundering  adults  by  a  sort  of 
sportive  game  in  which  they  tossed  from    lance  to  lance,  with  wonderful 
dexterity  and  precision,  helpless  infants  wrenched  from  the  arms  of  their 
slaughtered  mothers.     They  knew  no  glory  but   the  destruction  of  their 
"enemies"  or   victims.     When   they  fell    upon  a  district  they  not   only 
robbed  it  of  its  accumulated  wealth,  but  destroyed   the  growing  ciops 
with  ruthless  barbarity.     Peaceful,  prosperous  and  civilized  communities 
had  a  very  special   value  as  a  rich   harvest  to  be  gathered  all   the  more 
easily  because  of  the  refinement  of  the  owners. 

With  the  exception  of  the  warlike  Franks  inured  to  war's  alarms 
and  encouraged  by  a  long  array  of  military  successes  under  t  leir  great 
Karl  (Charlemagne),  Europe  lay  at  the  feet  of  the  freebooters  of  the 
North.  To  do  them  justice,  however,  or  rather  to  enforce  the  law 
which  impels  man  to  postpone  the  hazard  of  his  life  until  all  peaceful 
means  of  support  are  exhausted,  we  call  the  reader's  attention  to  the  fol- 
owing  fact.  Before  entering  on  a  career  of  piracy,  the  Northmen  had 
sought  to  peacefully  colonize  the  cold,  inhospitable  regions  of  Iceland 
and  Greenland,  as  well  i.s  the  more  genial  but  circumscribed  regions  of 


it'. 


iHlt 


reminatc  ilenU 
)w  of  violence 
eir  wealth,  or 


a  ransom, 
ope  but  their 
ct  they  coiilil 
1  misery  i)vcr 
iciations  were 
St  honorable 
ilelicacy,  pity 
he  monotony 

by  a  sort  of 
h  wonderful 
urns  of  their 
:tion  of  their 
ley  not  only 
•owing  ciops 
communities 
ill   the  more 

kvar's  alarms 
■  tneir  great 
oters  of  the 
ce  the  law 
all  peaceful 
n  to  the  fol- 
ithmen  had 
of  Iceland 
:i  regions  of 


ifc\ 


26 


"aritiiim  lUtttmmmumM 


dd 


CkEBNLAND  AND  ICELAND  COLONIZED. 


illr 


the  Faroe,  Shetland,  and  Orkney  Islands,  It  was  an  age  when  the  neces- 
sities of  a  surplus  population  appealed  to  the  law  of  the  strongest.  Our 
more  civilized  methods  of  piracy  do  not  so  harrow  human  sensibilities, 
but  the  law  of  "might  gives  right,"  may  still  be  traced  by  any  one 
given  to  reflection. 

At   first  the   marauders  paiil  only  flying  and  stealthy  visits  to  unpro- 
tected  coasts;  but   afterw.Ttl,  emboldened   bv  success,  and   strengthened 
by  the  accessions   whicii   the   fame  of  their   exploits   and  the  resulting 
harvests  of  booty  brought  to  their  support,  they  made  deeper  inroads; 
and  finally  eflbcteil    permanent  lodgments  in  Russia,  England,  Ireland 
and  France.     In  Russia  they  were  known  as  Varangians,  that  is,  "  sea- 
warriors,"  who  gave  a  king  and  dynasty,  Rurik  and   his  successors,  to 
that  country.     In  England  and  Ireland  they  were  known  as  Danes;  and 
in  France   as  Normans,  where   they   became  possessors   of  Normandy, 
whence  too,  under   their  Duke  William,  their  descendants  invaded  and 
conquered  England  in  1066. 

Their  first  permanent  settlements  in  the  Faroe,  Shetland,  and  Orkney 
Islands  are  supposed  to  have  been  made  about  the   middle  of  the   ninth 
century.     In  Iceland  the  date  is  more  authentic,  being  placed  by  the  best 
authorities  in  A.  D.  S74.      The   accidental  discovery  of  Greenland  fol- 
lowed two   years  later,  but  no  efl'ort   at   colonization  seems  to  have  been 
made  until  985,  two  years  after  its  ro-discovery  by  Eric  the  Red.     Ice- 
land became  self-governing  in  92S,and  remained  independent  until  13S7, 
when  it  submitted   to   the   king  of  Denmark    and  Norway.     Greenland 
"prospered"  for  several  centuries,  receiving  its  first  bishop  in  i  121,  and 
Jts   last  one   in    1406.      The  population  was   decimated   by   the   "  lilack 
death  "—and  that  of  Iceland,  also— and  it   could  no  longer  support  the 
expensive  luxury  of  a  bishop.     With  the  bishop,  in  1409,  doubtless  went 
th.e  annalist  of  the  colony,  as  there  is  no  further  record  of  Greenland  for 
nearly  two  hundred  .years.     The  truth  probably  is  that  as  only  the  pres- 
sure of  over  population  at  home  could   ha'e  reconciled  them  to  an  abode 
ni  dreary  Greenland  and   frozen    Iceland,  so  when  that  was  removed  by 
tne  "black   death,"    which  swept   off  25,000,000  of  the  population   of 
Europe  in  three  years  (1348-51),  there  were  no  new  accessions,  and  the 


f  V  ;tlii. 


en  the  neces- 

mgest.     Our 

sensibilities, 

by  any  one 

its  to  unpro- 
strengthened 
he  resulting 
pQV  inroads; 
and,  Ireland 
lat  is,  "  sea- 
.iccessors,  to 
Danes;  and 
Normandy, 
invaded  and 

and  Orkney 

f  the   ninth 

by  the  best 

jenland  fol- 

0  have  been 
Red.     Ice- 

:  until  13S7, 
Greenland 

1  I  121,  and 
the  "  lilack 
support  the 
btless  went 
eenland  for 
ly  the  pres- 
:o  an  r.bodc 
e moved  by 
pulation  of 
us,  and  the 


1 


TNCIDBNTAL  DISCOVERT  OP  NORTH  AMERICA.  21 

more  enterprising  and  active  of  the  survivors  in  both  colonics  may  have 
found  more  congenial  homes  among  their  kindred  in  Europe. 

Besides  these  authentic  voyages  of  the  Norsemen  to  Greenland  and 
Iceland,  there  are  some  alleged  voyages  to  the  latter  made  by  more 
southern  navigators.  There  is  a  story  of  the  Zeni  brothers,  of  Venice, 
who  are  said  to  have  explored  those  Northern  seas,  and  to  have  discov- 
ered  certain  northern  islands,  one  of  which  is  conjectured  to  have  been 
Iceland.  And  it  is  even  possible  that  Columbus  himself  visited  those 
latitudes  fifteen  years  before  his  great  discovery;  for  in  one  of  his  letters 
is  found  this  statement:  "In  1477  I  navigated  one  hundred  leagues 
beyond  Thule."  A  favorite  identification  of  the  Thule  of  Pytheas  of 
Marseilles  has  been  with  Iceland;  but  it  is  thought  that  medieval 
writers  may  have  rather  inclined  to  identify  it  with  the  largest  of  the 
Shetland  Islands. 

An  incidental  result  of  the  discovery  and  colonization  of  Iceland  and 
(Greenland  referred  to  above,  was  the  discovery  of  the  continent  of  North 
America,  and  some  of  the  smaller  islands  along  the  coast,  although,  as 
is  well  known,  this  f^ct  led  to  no  very  permanent  results.  Biarne 
Herjulfson  u  said,  by  tradition,  to  have  sailed  from  Iceland  for  Green- 
land, in  986  A.  D.,  but  on  account  of  fogs  and  north  winds,  lost  his 
course  and  came  upon  the  coast  of  a  strange  land,  which  he  sighted  at 
different  times  in  a  northern  direction.  It  is  thought  that  he  came  upon 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  North  America,  perhaps  at  Newfoundland  or 
Labrador,  and  sailed  along  it  until  he  arrived  at  the  colony  of  Eric.  He 
did  not  land,  however,  until  Greenland  was  reached. 

In  the  year  1000  this  discovery  was  repeated  by  a  son  of  Eric  the 
Red,  who,  with  thirty-five  men,  explored  the  coast  of  North  America 
for  a  long  dis^.ance  from  nortn  to  south.  After  landing  at  a  spot  sup- 
pose.1  to  have  been  Labrador,  he  sailed  to  the  south,  and  discovered  a 
pleasant  country,  which  was  called  Vinland,  from  the  abundance  of 
grapes  found  upon  it.  Here  they  spent  the  winter,  and  two  years  later 
Thorvvald,  another  son  of  Eric,  visited  the  place  and  discovered  Cape 
Cod.  After  this  Vinland  was  quite  extensively  colonized  from  Green- 
laud  and  was  variously  visited  by   Norse  voyagers.     The  colony  was 


tmm 


•m 


t8 


SUPPOSED  RELICS  OF   THE   NOUS  EM  EN. 


supported  for  a  few  years,  but  owin-  to  the  fierce  attacks  of  the  natives, 
the  enterprise  was  finally  abandoned.  A  son  born  to  Karlscfne,  the  head 
of  the  Vlnland  colony,  was    the  first  child  born  to  European  parents  on 


American  soil;  his 
mother  was  the 
beautiful  and  brave 
Gudrid. 

"  The  boy  was 
named  Snorri,  and 
in  his  noble  man- 
hood founded  one 
of  the  most  distin- 
guished  families  of 


Iceland,  then  the 
aboil i;  of  princely 
Scandinavians,  with 
their  retinues  of 
armed  followers." 
Not  many  relics  of 
those  settlements 
remain,  though  it 
is  claimed  that  the 


STONE  TOWER,    AT  NEWPORT.  old     StOUC     tOWCr     at 

Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and  the  inscription  upon  Dighton  Rock,  which 
lies  upon  the  bank  of  Taunton  River,  are  memorials  of  the  visits  of  these 
Northmen. 

Such  a  heginning,  then,  had  the  series  of  adventures  to  whose  de- 
scription this  volume  is  devoted -adventures  which,  made  in  the  cause 
of  science,  and  requiring  the  Inghest  degree  of  manly  courage,  must 
thrdl  all  with  their  dangerous  and  desperate  character. 


CHAPTER  II. 


I'OKTUGUESE  AND  SPANISH  »ISCOVEKIKS  —  PORTUGUESE  VOYAGES 
TO  NORTH  AMERICA— VORACITY  OF  THE  SPANISH— RESULTS  OF 
COLUMBUS'  DISCOVERY- VOYAGES  OF  THE  CABOTS  —  FIRST 
VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  WORLD—VOYAGE  TO  LA  PLATA— FRENCH 
VOYAGES. 

The  gradual  way  in  which  the  maritime  enterprise  of  the  Portuguese 
led  them  to  the  discovery  of  the  ocean  route  to  the  East  Indies,  marks 
the  distinctive  character  of  their  voyages.  The  final  result  was  the  slow, 
<leliberatc  and  laborious  outcome  of  several  previous  adventures  carried 
on  in  a  .systematic  manner.  To  Prince  Henry,  surnamed  the  navigator, 
because  of  his  patronage  5f  these  enterprises,  Portugal  was  largely  in-' 
debted  for  her  early  naval  supremacy  among  modern  nations. 

Madeira  was  discovered  in    1420;  Cape   Bojador  was  passed  in  1439; 
and  Cape  Verd   in    1446.     The   Azores  were   discovered   in    144S  ;  the 
Cape  Verd  Islands  in  1449,  and  St.  Thomas  in  1471.     I„  ,481  the  Pope 
granted  to  the  crown  of  Portugal  all  the  countries  which  the  Portuguese 
might  discover  beyond    Cape    Bojador.       In    i486   Bartholomew  Diaz, 
while  on  an  expedition  to  explore   the  west  coast  of  Africa,  was  driven 
by  high  winds  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Fish  River,  actually,  but  un- 
consciously, doubling  the  most  southern  point  of  Africa.     On  his  return, 
ill  1487,  he  named  the   headland    Cape   Tarmentoso.     In  1497  Vasco  da 
Gama  doubled  Cape  Tarmentoso,  which    he   named   the   Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  m  1498  arrived  in  India.     By  this  discovery  of  an  ocean  route 
to  India,  the  trade  of   the  East  was  diverted  from  the  old  channel  of  the 
Red  Sea  and   the   Mediterranean,  and  the  commerce   of  the  world  was 
revolutionized. 

Early   in    1500   Pedro   Alvarez  de  Cabral,  on  a  voyage  to  the  East 
Iiulies  by  the  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  fell  in  with  the  land  now 

39 


rf 


Ijj" 


■WHHM 


II 


I  #11; 


80 


CORTERBAL—COL  UMBUS. 


known  as  Brazil,  and  promptly  took  possession  of  the  same  for  the  crown 
of  Portugal.    Two  Portuguese  voyages  to  North  America,  under  Caspar 
Cortereal,  in  1500  and  1501,  left  no  memorable  incidents,  except  his  cruel 
kidnapping  of  natives  on  the  first,  and  his  own  disappearance  on  the 
second.     A  third   voyage,  in   .502,  under  Miguel  Cortereal  in  search  of 
his  brother  Gaspar,  resulted  in  a  similar  disappearance;  and   Portugal 
never  gained  a  foothold  in   North  Amenca.     Tiie  success  of  Da  Gama 
and  Cabral  had  found  a  more  profitable  outlet  for  Portuguese  commerce 
and   colonization,  and  their  various   enterprises  in  South  America,  West 
and  South  Africa,  and  the  adjacent  islands,  as  well  as  in  the  East  Indies, 
afforded  ample  scope  for  all  the   surplus  energies   of  prince  and  people.' 
Before  dismissing  Portugal  from   the  field  of  observation,  we  would  re- 
mind the  reader  of  the  well   known   voyage  of  Magellan,  a  Portuguese 
in  the  service  of  Spain,  in  1530,  and   the  discovery  of  the  straits  called 
by  his  name— a  southwest  passage  to   India,  or  rather  to  the  islands  of 
the  Pacific  and  to  Australia. 

SPANISH   VOYAGES. 

The  greatest  and  most  wide-reaching  in  influence  of  all  the  voyages 
of  discovery,  was  that  of  Columbus,  in  ,492,  in  search  of  a  western  pas- 
sage to  India.  His  great  discovery  was  not  like  so  many  of  the  preced- 
ing ones,  an  accidental  happening  or  a  lucky  hit,  nor  the  direct  conse- 
quence of  other  exjjlorations  immediately  preceding,  as  was  Da  Gama's  ; 
but  the  result  of  an  intellectual  conception  carefully  elaborated  and  founds' 
ed  on  geographical  data.  Any  number  of  discoveries  by  storm-driven 
Norsemen  or  cod-fishing  Bretons,  or  adventurous  Welshmen-were  the 
facts  established  beyond  all  doubt- could  not  rob  Columbus  of  the  pecu- 
liar glory  of  his  great  achievement. 

By  birth  a  Genoese,  but  failing  of  proper  encouragement  at  home 
and  in  other  countries  to  which  he  had  submitted  his  projects.  Columbus, 
thev  in  the  service  of  Spain,  sailed  from  the  port  of  Palos  to  find  a 
western  passage  to  India,  a.id  in  ten  weeks  came  in  sight  of  land. 
The  now  old  and  f.miliar  story  will  not  be  repeated  here,  as  only  its 
inauence  and  bearin-s   upon   later    ^-oyagcs   farti^er    north. 


II 


conae  within 


'  i  1 


'  for  the  crown 
,  under  Gaspar 
except  his  cruel 
arance  on  the 
;al  in  search  of 
and   Portugal 
5  of  Da  Gama 
jese  commerce 
America,  West 
e  East  Indies, 
:e  and  people, 
we  would  re- 
a  Portuguese 
straits  called 
the  islands  of 


1  the  voyages 
western  jias- 
if  the  preced- 
dircct  conse- 
Da  Gama's  ; 
3d  and  found- 
storm-driven 
:i) — were  the 
of  the  pecu- 

ent  at  home 
i,  Columbus, 
3S  to  find  a 
jht  of  land. 
;,  as  only  its 
come  within 


COLUMBUS  FIRST  BIGtJT  OF  LAND, 


(/Ifr^  ' ' 


— i*^-'"™*™*'  '"■*U»'*4si4Sn«:^;,i:;'<;Ji»?^iV)| 


!l 


32 


SPANISH  EXPLORATION  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


the  scope  of  our  work.  He  died  fourteen  years  later,  n,  poverty  and 
neglect,  after  four  voyages  to  the  New  World,  still  under  the  impres- 
sion that  he  had  reached  some  jjortion  of  India  by  a  western  route. 
Within  fifty  years  of  his  discovery,  the  geographical  knowledge  in  the 
possession    of    maidvind 

was    doubled  ;    and  the 

foundations   of    modern 

accuracy  and  fullness  in 

that  regard  were  deeply 

laid. 

PORTUGUESE    AND  j 

SPANISH    EXPLORERS.        I; 


Spanish  navigators  in 
great  numbers  followed 
in  the  wake  of  Colum- 
bus, some  originally  his 
subordinates  and  asso- 
ciates, others  not  spec- 
ially connected.  When 
the  way  is  opened  by 
genius,    talent    is    ever  c„KrsToP„EK  cotuMBus. 

ready  to  step  in  and  gather  results.      Ojeda,  Vespucius,  Pinzon,  Bastides, 
Balboa,  Grijalva,  De  Solis,  De  Leon,  De  Cordova,  Cortes,   De  Ayllon, 
Pizarro,  Almagro,  and  many  others,  increased   the  area   of  Spanish  ex-' 
ploration  and  conquest  in  Am.nc.,  and,  it  might  be  said,  added  to  the 
infamy  of  their  cruel  oppression  and  heartless  enslavement  and  depopu, 
lation  of  the  native   races,  in  Central   and  South  America,  in    Mexicc 
and  the  West   Indies.     The   Spanish  exploration  of  North  America  by 
Gomez,  in  1524,  led  to  important   results,  but  was  signalized  by  the  cus. 
tomary  Spanish  barbarity  to  the  natives,  several   of  whom    were   kid- 
napped   and  sold  into    slavery,   making  the  venture  commercially  profit- 
able,  but  morally  infamous.     And  so  it  hath  ever  been— 

"  Regard  of  worldly  muck  doth  foully  blend 
And  low  abase  the  high,  heroic  spirit. " 


AM! 


U 


"mmmm 


villi':' ■'^"iSjjSiiJjJi 


ill  poverty  and 
iider  the  impres- 
i  western  route, 
iiowledge  in  the 


nzon,  Bastides, 
is,  De  Ayllon, 
of  Spanish  ex- 
I  added  to  the 
it  and  depopU' 
:a,  in  Mexicci 
h  America  by 
ied  by  the  cus» 
im  were  kid- 
ercially  profit- 


88 


I 


"■"•wwMjKWSBttSHB^Saiii; 


84 


HAP  AC  IT  r  OF  SPAIN. 


The  wealth  which  Spahi  wrenched  with  heavy  hand  from  the  luck- 
less natives  who  fell  under  her  sway,  was  lavished  in  wasteful  luxury  and 
expensive  wars.     Like  others,  her  growth  would  have  been  more  solid 
and  her  prosperity  more  enduring  had  she  been  content  with  fair  returns 
from  her  American  possessions.     But  her  voracious  greed  and   atrocious 
cruelty  plucked  out  the  eyes  of  the  New  World— and  her  own.     Mexico 
and  Peru  were  extinguished,  their  civilization  destroyed,  and  their  wealth 
confiscated  by  the  unwise,  as  well   as  cruel,   policy   of   her  con4uerors. 
Liberty  and  justice  are  the  two  pillars  of  national  prosperity  which  no 
violence  of  brute  force  can  pull  down,  and  which  alone    can  defy   the 
assaults  of  internal  and  external  foes.     After  neariy  four  hundred    years 
of  mistaken  policy,  a  new  generation  of  nobler  sons  have  begun  to  guide 
the  ship  of  state  on  wiser  principles. 

After  the  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus,  and  the  recognition  that 
*  the  land  surface  of  the  globe  had  been  considerably  enlarged   by   a  long 
stretch  of  territory,  the  width  of  which,  however,  was  not  ascertained  till 
long  afterward,  the  search  for  a  passage  through  it  to  the  Indies  was  not 
relinquished.     In  15 13  Balboa  had   found   the  "South   Sea,"    now  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  after  having  with  immense  labor,  patience,  and  perse- 
verance, built  some  vessels  on  the  Gulf  of  Panama— "  an  enterprise  no 
leader  save  he  could  have  carried  to  a  successful  issue  "—he  cruised  on  its 
waters  beyond  St.  Michaels.     But  his  premature  death   at   the   hands  of 
his  rival  Davila,  of  Darien,  in   151 7,  deprived  him  of  the  opportunity  of 
further  exploration.     The  reports  sent  by  Balboa  to  Spain  in   relation  to 
the  great  wealth  of  the  regions  south  of  Panama  inflamed  the  zeal  and 
avarice  of  the  Spaniards,  and  many  expeditions  were   organizei'   with  a 
view  to  exploration  and  conquest.     In  their  search  for  gold  they  enlarged 
the  area  of  geographical  knowledge,  but  their  destruction  of  the  civiliza- 
tions  of  Mexico  and  Peru   has  robbed   humanity  of  an   inheritance    for 
which  that  is  no  recompense.     That  would  eventually  have  been  reached 
without  their  aid,  but  the  loss  referred  to  can  never  be  repaired. 

One  of  the  first  results  of  Columbus'  discovery  of  the  New  World 
was  the  re-discovery  of  North  America.  The  English  «  Society  of 
Merchant  Adventurers,"  was  established  in  1358  under  the  name  of  "The 


CABOT  DISCOVERS  NORTH  AMBlilCA 

35 
Thomas  a  Bcckc.  Society,"  and  the  whole  body  o(  E„.Hi,h  „    , 
ea,e,.  to  sha,.  i„  the  e„,„™erce  of  I„dia,  Chhtal,     U  K        ,'      "  T" 

rhc.P,,poha.lea,lyg,.a„ted,ahn„,t„,soo„as  the  discovery    l-.^Z. 
a„.he„t,c;„e,l,  a  „„,  of  monopoly  of,,,,,  advantage,  of  the   F     , 
coverie,  tothe  Portu,„e.,e,  and  of  the  Westen,  t;  L  Sp     i-^:    ^  ""^• 
;;...N.f  .4.3. He  mcHdian  Of  ,«>,„,„_.,  of  the  A  f,    ^d." 

l,«hed  a«  a  ln,e  of  demarcation  between  the  two  powe-,      Rv  Z  T 
of  Tordesillas,  in  ,494,  „nda  conHrmatory  bnll  in  ,^06  \h!^-  ' 

.ended  to  t],e  coast  of  Uracil    „,•   „-    ,„  '  ^     '  ""-  ''""  ""»  "•■"- 

■  razii,  o,   3;^  leagues   from   the   Azores      Th. 
d  „n,n,gco„ntry  ndand,  extent  nnknown,  was  tmderstood  to  f   W  the 
fo.tunes  of  the  coast.     The  method  of  division  was  unscieu  ifll^ 
lortunate,  but  as  far  as  other  nations  were  concerned  ""' 

cut  the,n  offfron,  ail  share  in  the  great  aiscotr  f'  h:";::r "  h'" 
English  were  determined  to  find,  if  nnssihl.   .      i   .• 
;-.  "Ot  formally  antagoui.e  the  ^t^:^:-^^  ^^^  ] 
time  an  accepted  and  imnnif..»f  „i  •     .  J     '   ^^^  rojie—at  tliat 

...em  into  a  s'l.bs.antiair    '^tri:  ■■-"«"™"'  '^~,d  let 
celebrated  theory  of  a  Northwest  P  .^     ""'  '^'  '"■'«''"    •"■  "^'•■ 

which  will  be  more  fully       1",!""     ,         "  ""■"  "'''"''  '"''''""' 
u"y  t.  ,ated  111  a  succeeding  cliapter. 

In  pursuance  of  this  theorv  thp  f'oK^*      t, 
and  son-saile,!  with  three    «sK  ^2  f         ,:""   «^"«-""-'«'«r 
i..g  commercial  port  of    En        ,'1      If''     ""  T""'  '""'  "'^  '=-^''- 
America,  as  it  is  L.  ,„„wn  t^'lhe  dl  oTerroT:  ^^r'    """"' 
Scoyears  before,  had  „„,  ;„„„,„,,  „„  their 'our  eoTs    r^:  T 

..early  as  can  be  now  determined,  the  region    actnallv  ""  '     ^' 

which  they  looseiy  .lesignated  b„  H  "  *^    <l.scovere,l,    and 

J  y  "csif,nated  by  the  name  of  '.^  The  Land  p;r.f  c       ., 

A-c.,n  union,  w.th  its  ..calculari^'corrit  ir;!;  ^^^^^         "- 

^x;:::::::.o^ry™°;.--  "■=  '"'--^~ 

an,ply  repay.  "  """'"'V  "'"  '-g^.y  fabric  will 


>^^^^\>\^ 


m 


'Hi!:  !! 


SEBASIIAN  CABOT. 


m' 

ol 

L 

1'^ 

■j 

lh( 

H 

lu. 

H 

IIIL 

H 

CO  I 

1 

h.- 

1 

Ca 

■ 

iii;i 

M 

ilftf 

m 

com 

1 

the 

fl 

iittri 

'V 

it  ca 

m 

was 

M 

cxpl 

fl 

SCVCl 

'41 

(ii.ssa 

1 

cinpl 

■ 

ill  fin 

cfToi-t 

1 

some 

1 

the  s 

1 

Carlo 

1 

ill  151 

'a 

crful 

1 

North 

"} 

Iroin  t 
west 

-A 

of  Spa 

1 

duties 

cxperi( 

SECOND  VOl-AUE  Of-  CAIIOT.  „ 

,-U.Hay,p.rl,a„».„r,„ri„.,.      I,.    „„„„,    x.wr,..,.,.,,.,,,,,    a„„   .,„.c , 
'■■""■™-,,nvh,chlK.ha,n.e.,,,.,.ici,,,,M,Ui,  .„„.,,„,,  ,,,  .„,  .J,      ' 

^,-  .,.,.d,„L,.  ,„  ,.,„,„  ,„  E„„ ,      ^„,  ,„^.  ,„„^^  .^  ^^^^ :    J      - 

tal.o,„„„l  ,,.,.,.1,™    Ik.  c.,Uo,.c,1    ,„„  «,„ie„  o,' S„ai„,  „,,.,.  h„ 

""■'""'■'    '"  "  "»"""■  '■"""•'  "'  "-  --  i-  or  I5.>.la,ul,  „oi„g    .iv.„  .1 

r::;;;::::3;::;.:;;,'::!:-;/-r^r'^^"--'^ 

'f  '••'■'  li-"-<Ily  be  just  to  attribute  it  to  such    •,   cu.so      r         .  / 

was  Mnposs.hle  af  that  early  sta-e-sten   h.      , 

1        ,      ,       .  *   ^'••'«t'— step    1)3.    step   man    uro'Tesses      TTn 

explored  what  ,s  uow  Hudson's  IJay,  ascending  to  67^  ,«'    ^u d 
.  uc  alpla  cs.     D,ssat.shed  with  the  result,  or  influenced  perhaps  by  the 
'■-.■.t.sfact.on   of  his  principal,  CarduKd  Wolsey,  who  L  a    t.  Jt 
cnphatically  ^^  the  po^yer  hehind  the  throne  "  and 
">  finduig  a  passage  for  hinrself  to  the    papacy    than    • 

"^"— "—■'■■ - -c^a^ ;;:/;:;:;;:':::': 

:;::::;:  rti^r"'"' "'•'"' '•■^''=-' --- 

C,,l„«  d  1  ■    """""l'''-''l  l"«i-"=   "f  its   you,,,,  ki„,. 

::r;;::  r,"'"""  "'''■■'"■'■ '''^ '"---■"-""-. ^- 

,v.s.    P  r'^-'tf.u.tasta.heani,   hut   n,    iCngland    the    North- 

.v.v.,.;  •  knowledge  of  detail   and   lar-e 

re,:::':'  ""'""^  ''"•"" "-  ""^■'"''"'  ^"-^-"^  <"•""'•-  ■  - 


//^'' 


**»■  iiiimi  Ti  iitifcfiaaitite:^**'  ii 


8S 


VOTAGB  OF  MAGELLAN. 


FIRST  VOYAGE   AROUND   THE    WORLD. 

Fernando  Magalliacns  or  Magellan  ( 1470-152 1),  a  Portuguese   nav- 
igator, bad  attained  some  distinction  in  the  service  of  liis  country  in  the 
East  Indies,  and  had  taken  part  in  the   concjucst  of  Malacca  in    15 11. 
While   serving  under  Albuquerque  he  had   made  a  voyage  to    the  Mo- 
luccas  or  Spice    Islands,  which  he  afterward   learned  were  within  the 
jurisdiction   of  .Spain  as   established  by  papal  adjudication    and  the  treaty 
of    Tordesillas.     In    15 17    he    opened    his    project    of  finding    a    West 
passage    to    the   Moluccas,   to  Charles  V.  of  Spain,   and  an  agreement 
was  entered  into,  March  22,  151S,   whereby  the  King  was    to  defray  the 
expenses,  and  receive  the  lion's  share  of  such  commercial  advantages   as 
should  accrue.     Magellan  received  command  of  five  vessels  and  237  men 
for  the  cxperlitioM,  and   having    finally  got   all    things  in  readiness,  he 
sailed  for  the  New   World  in    15 19.     The    expedition   had    to    struggle 
against  bad  weather,  insubordination   and    mish.ips  of  various  kinds,  the 
details  of  which   would  be  foreign   to  this  stage  of  our  narrative.     Ma- 
gellan discovered   and  traversed  the  Strait    called  by  his   name  in  1520  ; 
and  was    killed    in    ])attlc   with    the    natives  of  one    of    the    Philippine 
Islands,  in    1521.     His  subordinate,  Sebastian  del  Cano,  coriiplcted   the 
voyage,  reaching   Spain  Sept.  6,   1522.  lacking  fourteen   days  of  three 
years  since  the  departure  of  Magellan. 

CABOT'S  VOYAGE  TO  LA  PLATA. 

Cabot  conceived  the  project  of  reaching  Peru  by  a  more  direct  route 
than  that  di-covcrcd  by  Balboa  from  Panama,  or  by  Magellan  through 
the  Straits  which  are  called  by  his  name.  He  secured  the  command  of 
an  expedition  to  explore  the  La  Plata,  in  1526,  and  search  for  a  South- 
west Passage  to  the  South  Sea  or  Pacific  Ocean,  and  thence  to  the  East. 
In  1527  he  ascended  the  La  Plata  120  leagues,  and  discovered  Para- 
guay. He  was  feebly  sustained  by  the  home  government,  and  returned 
to  Spain  in  1531.  As  with  the  cardinal  in  England,  so  with  the  emper- 
or in  Spain,  the  pre-occupation  of  more  congenial  pursuits  dwarfed  the 
interest  in  maritime  exploration,  and  Cabot  concluded  to  again  try  Eng- 
land, whither  he  went,  in  1548.     He  perhaps  hoped   to  be  able  to  in- 


1 

1.: 
1*1 

I 

*,*:i! 

LD. 

I'ortuguesc  nav- 
lis  country  in  the 
lalacca  in  15  ii. 
age  to  the  Mo- 
werc  within  the 
n  and  the  treaty 
finding  a  West 
id  an  agreement 
as  to  defray  the 
il  advantages  as 
3els  and  237  men 
in  readiness,  he 
lad  to  struggle 
arious  kinds,  the 
narrative.  Ma- 
I  name  in  1520  ; 
the  Philippine 
,  cor^ipleted  the 
1   days  of  three 


lore  direct  route 
agellan  through 
he  command  of 
■ch  for  a  Soulh- 
:nce  to  the  East, 
iscovered  Para- 
nt,  and  returned 
with  the  cmper- 
iits  dwarfed  the 
again  try  Eng- 
I  be  able  to  in- 


FRENCII  VOYAGERS.  jj 

tcrcst  the  vigorous  and   enterprising    Duke   of  Somerset,   protector  of 
England,  in   his  now  favorite  project.     He  was   created  inspector  of  the 
navy,  and  mstructor  of  the  young  King  Edward    VI.    i„  the   nauticnl 
science  of  the  day,  wliere  we   will   leave  him,  while  we     call    atten- 
tion  to  another  branch  of  our  subject. 

FRENCH  VOYAGES  TO  NORTH  AMERICA. 

During  the  fifty  years  succeeding  the  discovery  of  America   by  Co- 
hnnbus,  Cabot,  and  Vespucius,  France  was  too  deeply  involved  in  Eiro- 
pean  wars    to  give  much  attention    to    maritime   discovery      Louis    XII 
(1498-1515),  Francis  I.  ^.^,^.^^^  and  Henry  II.  {.^^^-^^^^  successive- 

coast  of  North  Amer- 
ica.     After  the  peace 
of  Cambray,  Francis 
—failing  to  find,  as  he 
said,    any    clause    in 
Adam's     will     disin- 
heriting    France     in 
favor    of   Spain    and 
Portugal  —  renewed 
his  interest  in  Ameri- 
can explorations.     In 


ly    struggled     with 

Austria    for    the  pos- 
session of  Lombardy. 

The  defeat  of  Francis 

at  Pavia,  in  1525,  by 

throwing   the    nation  '^^^ 

into  financial  and  po 

litical  disorder,  put  an  ;3^s|J 

end    to    Verrazzano's 
otherwise      successful 

exploration      of     the  mc^Jes  crtibh 

1534   he   sent   out    Cartier,   who   discovered   the    Gulf  'and    River   of 
St  Lawrence,   and   in   a  second  voyage,  in  1535,  asccded  the  river  to 
what    ,s    now    Montreal,    where     he    wintered    peacefully    with    the 
nat.vcs.       I„  two  other  voyages   (1541-1543)  he  maintained  the  most 
h-icndiy  relations  between  the    French  colonists  and  the  Indians.     Pont- 
grave  ni   1599,  De  Champlain,  from  1603  to   1635,  De    Monts    (1604) 
and  other  French  explorers   of  North  America  followed    the  example  of 
Carfer,  or  the  natural  instincts  of  their  race,  in  the  humane  treatment  of 
the  American    Indians,   winning  a  place  in  their   good  graces  which  no 
other  Europeans  have  been  able  to    reach.     The   story  of  these   events, 
however,  belongs  to  the    history  of  colo.,ization,   not  to  that   of  Arctic 
voyages,  but  being  the  most    northerly  voyages  of  the  period    which  left 
abiu.ng  results,  they  are  at  least  worthy  of  brief  mention. 


,«■* :' . 


.■."^ia—ii--":^. 


■  -autjR*rix*Hg?**^*"tott 


0' 


CHAPTER  III. 

SEARCH    FOR    NORTHKAST    PASSAGE— VOYAGE    OF    CHANCELLOR. 
TERPRISE    OF    MUSCOVY    COMPANY. 


■EN- 


In  the  meantime  Cabot  had  elaborated  his  pet  scheme  of  reaching 
India  by  a  Northeast  Passage,  evidently  having  no  adequate  conception  o^ 
the  extent  or  configuration  of  the  north  coast  of  Asia.  But  however 
ludicrous  it  may  now  appear,  the  project  led  to  important  results.  It 
opened  the  way  to  commercial  relations  with  Russia,  then  starting  out  on 
an  independent  career;  and  it  has  also  exerted  great  influcwce  on  the  his- 
tory of  Arctic  voyages. 

Under  the  auspices  of  Cabot  and  his  royal  patron,  the  search  for  the 
Northeast  Passage  was  now  begun.     In   ,553  three  ships  were  fitted  out 
at  the  expense  of  the  "  Merchant   Adventurers  of  London,-  and  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  aged  Cabot.     The  vessels  were  named  Buona 
Speranza,  or   Good  Hope;  Buona   Confidencia,   Good   Confidence;  and 
Buona  Ventura,  Good   Success;  and   were  commanded,  respertively,  by 
Sir  Hugh    Willoughby,  Cornelius   Durforth,  and   Richard    Chancellor. 
The  squadron  sailed   on   the  20th   of  May,    1553,  but  at  the  LofFoden 
Islands,  or  after  rounding  the  North   Cape,  they  became  separated,  and 
the  Buona  Ventura  entered  the  White  Sea.  till  then  unknown  to  European 
navigators.       The   other  two   held   together  some  time  longer,  drifting 
around  between   the  north   coast  of  Lapland   and   the  Arctic   Island  of 
Nova  Zembla.     Before  the  close  of  the  year  the  «  Confidence  "  returned 
to  Engl.nd,  having  become  separated  from  her  contort  in  another  storm. 
The    ensuing    year   some    Russian    fishermen    found    the    Good   Hope 
hemmed  in  by  ice  at  the  mouth  of  theDwina,  in  Lapland,  and  her  entire 
crew  frozen  to  death.     Willoughby's  journey  had  closed  with  January, 
1554,  and  that  was  no  doubt  the  date  of  their  destruction— the  first  of  a 
long  series  of  victims  to  the  severity  of  Arctic  seas,  and  their  own  inex- 

40 


til!  I 


ELLOR—    EN- 

of  reaching 
conception  of 
But  however 
t  results.  It 
arting  out  on 
e  on  the  his- 

iarch  for  the 
2ve  fitted  out 
■'  and  under 
amed  Buona 
fidcnce;  and 
X'ctively,  by 

Chancellor. 
!ie  LofFodcn 
paratcd,  and 
to  European 
ger,  drifting 
ic  Island  of 
e  "  returned 
5ther  storm, 
jood  Hope 
d  her  entire 
th  January, 
le  first  of  a 

own  inex- 


in/BCK  OF  THE  BUONA    VENTUKA.  41 

,H.,k.„cc..     II„„    .hey   l,c.„   ski„„|   ;„    ,„,  ,,„,„,.^^^  „^  „_^   

;"'"''  '"'-  ';7*'   ''-'"-'--gainst  the  .even.,  „f  ,„„  „e„.  o,- ,,y 

h.. :;mK,  ...plo  p,...v,s,„n,  .0  s„,,.ai„  „,„,„  „„„,„.,,  ,„,  ,„,„,^,.^  J" 

,o,l,,c.„co  of  .,,0  „,„,.  advance!  na,l.„,  „„,„,  ,,.  .„„„„„,,,  ,,,„  ,,„  ^^^_ 
.lv.,„l  a,„,  ..p..„„„ee  „f  „„.  ,„,,„  i„„,,„,„„^  „,   ^,^^,  ^^^^^^ 

cxp  ,,,.„„„  ca„  I,c  „.„„  u,a„  a  „.„,,,.  ,,„,;„,,  .,f  „„,„^.„  ,.,,^^ 
:V     "';■"";-■>■  "f  St.   Nich„,„,  „ea..  „„e,.c  A.Han,.     ^^ 

Other  than  Ivan   IV     V-i«;i;,.,:t„i  tt    .1       . 

1  v.,    V  asil.cMtchlL,  that  is,  son  of  Vasil  ,„•  B-isU     -.n^ 
surnamed  «  The  Ten-ihlr< "      Q  ,  '     ™ 

™..i-.iH.orD!::  ;j;;:;:\r:/:;"''^'-"V'^- ""  "'""^-""'^ 

„   T  ,  ^  ''^*"'  '""'   '"'twrat.      However 

-II  Ivan  n,a,  have  Ccsc-vc,  ,„  .n-nan.  I.can.o  ,.f  „i,  o.ces.vrr 

'"■'"     :  '-  --"-S  *=   Ta„ar.,  an,,    In.  „>,„,„  „f  n„,ostrai„.^   ,  ow    . 
">-     .«  snb,ec.,,,  he  „„,  ,„l,e  «..„.„,  ,„  .he  English  navi«a,„  Z 

".  -1,,.  a  ..  ,„    ,  venunx.  "  f,,,-  ,«h  pa„ie.-.he  nK-rehant  aJiZ 
ol  l,(.n.lon  anil  the  antocrat  of  Rnssia.  'uvcmulo.s 

The  ,eahn  of  Ivan  „,„s   s.riCv  cornhK-ntal  an.l  .he  tnulo  with  West- 

; ';r"V'"' "":'"" "-■  •^'™"'-" •■* '>^» ---■». .1- pce.  clt 

ceilor  therefore  receved  («v,M-«.  ,>„,.  ^-'lan- 

K.  •      ,  ^  encouragement  to  renew  his  venture    -ind 

oh.aa,e    an  execHen.  n.a,,...  .-o,-  h.  „a.,,     „e  ...tn-ne.,  to  E,.„  l. 

,4,  ....,1  .h     next  yea,-  n.a.le  a  .eeon.l  voyage  to  Saint  Nichoi;,  wi.h 
-^^-.n<Ucc„,„pa.n-o„hy.„„a.e„.»  „h„  n.a.ie    an    a.ivanta.eo 
'-  ..V  w,tl,  Ivan.     On  f.  .et.nn  voyage,    aecon,pa,ne.l    ,,y  a    R,;  i 
-""-lo.-  to  Englan.,,  he  lost  one  ..ip  „n  t,.e  coa.  of  No  Lay 

:::  ,'"''"'"7''^"'^"'''™- ^ "™""™-  ■•=  -- .„„„ anen:,:, 

m™  l,,v  a  v,o,e„.  ..o,an  in.o  .he  May  of  Pit„i,,„,  ;„  «,„,,,„     ^,^,_.^, 
...      ™,.n.a  was  ...ee.e.,.     He  .,ecee„e„  in  getting  ,he  an^.a. 
"■•■.™.. 11  boat  w,th  hnnselt;  ,,„.  the  hoa.  was  np.et  an.l  the  navi.a.o,- 

<l.«wno<,,vvlnletheine.pe,ie,.ee. „,.„„n    oseaped    with    the    lot 

some  wa,«  a„„  gift,,  whieh  he  was  taking  ,„  Engla.ul 
111  1556,  the  Ml 


iViuscovy  Company— as   the  M 


erchant   Adventu 


rcrs  of 


minaiiija  itr'iiii/.iffimB?iB£iaaiM 


42 


VIEWS  REGARDING  NORTH  COAST  OF  ASIA. 


London  were  now  called — dispatched  the  Serchtrift  in  command  of 
Stephen  Burrough,  who  had  served  as  pilot,  or  sailing  master,  of  the 
Buona  Ventura  in  1553,  to  make  further  search  fi^r  the  Northeast  Passage 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Ohi.  Burrough  reached  the  strait  between  Nova 
Zembla  and  Vaigats  Island,  now  known  as  Kara  Gate  or  Strait,  but  was 
driven  back  by  the  ice  and  returned  to  England.  Btirrough  wrote  an 
account  of  his  voyage. 

It  was  thought  that  the  promontory  forming  the  eastern  cape  of 
the  Gulf  of  Obi  was  the  northeast  corner  of  Asia,  and  that  therefore 
Nova  Zembla  and  the  Kara  Strait  were  distant  only  some  400  miles 
from  the  east  coast  of  Asia.  In  this  view  the  great  geographer  of  the 
day,  Mercator,  concurred;  and  this  naturally  gave  fresh  impetus  to  the 
unavailing  search.  But  the  best  authorities  are  liable  to  err,  even  in  the 
line  of  their  special  investigation. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  says  Milton,  «  what  I  may  seem  to  the  world,  but 
to  myself  I  seem  to  have  been  only  like  a  boy  playing  on  the  seashore, 
and  diverting  myself  in  now  and  then  finding  a  smooth  pebble,  or  a 
prettier  shell  than  ordinary,  whilst  the  great  ocean  of  truth  lay  all  undis- 
covered before  me." 

All  attempt  to  explore  the  route  to  Asia  by  the  way  of  the  White 
Sea  and  the  Gulf  of  Obi  was  now  abandoned  for  nearly  a  generation, 
and  English  enterprise  was  again  directed  to  the  Northwest  Passage, 
which  they  had  given  up  in  15 17.  This  change  in  the  direction  of  ex- 
periment is  the  best  evidence  of  the  strong  hold  the  problem  had  taken 
of  the  public  mind.  England  had  as  yet  no  hope  of  becoming  mistress 
of  the  ocean,  and  she  wished  to  have  a  route  to  the  East  which  would  be 
less  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  an  enemy's  fleet.  It  is  thus  that  a  great 
part  of  a  nation's  eflTorts  and  resources  are  wasted  in  preparing  to  defend 
itself  against  the  hostility  of  other  sections  of  the  human  family. 


-•IP 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SKAKCH    POR    NOHTHWKST    -A SSAOE  HESUMED-krobiSHHr's  LOAD  OF 

OO.D_TWO    VOVAGES    OK    GILBERT  -  GIX.BERT     SHXPWRECKKD- 

HAWKINS,    THE      SLAVE-TRADER -- DRAKE     Sattc     *„ 

UKAKE     SAILS    AROUND     CAPE 
HORN. 

It  was  almost  fifty  years  since  the  failure  of  Cabot,  when  Martin 
Frob^hcr  succeeded    in    again    ttn-ning  the    British    mind    toward  the 
Northwest  Passage.        In    1576  Sir    Humphrey  Gilbert  published  his 
"  Discourse  to  Prove  a  Passage  by  the  Northwest  to  Cathaia  "      This 
was  the  year  of  Frobisher's  first  expedition,  but  he  had  been  some  years 
labonng  to  secure  the  acceptance  of  his  views;  and   Gilbert's  pamphlet 
shows  the  bent  of  public  opinion  rather  than  the  source  from  which    .s 
has  sometimes  been   alleged,  Frobisher  received  his  inspiration        I't  is 
more  probable  that  his  fifteen  years' pleading  with  the  merchants  and 
nobles   of  England   for   aid  to   enable  him  to  attempt  the   execution 
ot  what  he  called  « the  only  great  thing  left  undone  in  the  world,"  wns 
the  ongm  of  the  "  Discourse." 

Frobisher  had  at  length  found  a  pat™,  in  Ambrose  Dudley,  Count 
o.   Warwrel.    and   a   favorite   of    Queen   Elizabeth;    and   set  sail  on 
I.C    8th    of    June    from     Deptford,    now    a    part    of   the    eity    of 
London,   „.,h   three    vessels,  two   of   which    were    only   of   twenty 
hvc  and  twenty  tons  burden,  the  third  a  man-of-war;  or  as  others  say 
w,th  three  small  barks  of  35,  30  and  .o  tons.    As  he  moved  down  the' 
Ihanres  he  w,,s  graeionsly  saluted  by  the  queen  from  her  palace  at 
,rce„w,ch.     The  smallest  vessel  went  down  in  the  flrst  storm,  as  nri.ht 
tave  been  expected,  and  all  her  crew  perished.     The  second  retumed'to 
I.nxla„d,wh,le.he  largest,  under  the  immediate  command  of  Frobisher 
...icly  reached  the  coasts  of  Greenland  and   Labrador.      After  coasting' 
aroand  the  Savage   and  Resolution  Islands,  he  entered  the  strait  which 

48 


U' 


44 


'1 
1 

I, 

.,1 

»!Mil 

ALLEGED  GOLD^SHIPWRECK.  ^ 

he  named  after  himself,  and  which  is  so  called  to  this  day  ne.r  6,° 
north.  He  was  hindered  by  the  ice  from  extending  his  voyagL  farther 
but  before  returning  to  England  he  went  ashore  and  took  possession  of 
the  country  for  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  established  some  slight  but  friendlv 
intercourse  with  the  natives,  whose  land  he  named  Meta  Incognita,  that 
IS,  Unknown  Boundary. 

Taking  wi.h  him  some  .lark,  hard  stones,  .he  luster'  of  whieh 
u.»  erroneously  a.,„-bu.ed  ,o  .he  presence  of  ,ol<l,  he  se.  sai, 
for  England,  where  he  was  en.husias.ically  received.  The  reoor, 
.ha,  Frob.sher  had  brought  back  some  gold-bearing  s.ones  inflamed  .he 
p„bl,cm,nd,  and  there  was  no  danger  .ha.  he  would  bo  compelled  to 
angu,sh  „no.her  fifteen  years,  wai.ing  for  pa.ronage.  A  second  expe- 
ditJon,  wi.b  .hree  vesse  s  of  nnmW^,  =u„  ^ 

.  ol  goodly  size,  was  soon  made    ready  and  se. 

«.,!  u„  er  h,s  command  in  May,  ,5„.  At  the  entrance  of  Frobi.her 
S,ra,th,s  passage  was  again  blocked  by  .he  ice,  bu.  he  .ook  aboard  .00 
.ons  of  .he  ..precious  ore,"  and  re.urned  .0  England  wi.h  .he  blissf" 

nscousness  of  havmg  made  a  prosperous  voyage.      In  ,57s  „  „,„ 
fifteen  vessels  were  p  aced  a.  his  disposal,  and  he  hastened  away  he  o^e 
Po,  „g.,    orSpam  should  learn  of  the  great  -find"   .ha.  was  destined 

L-:"    "'"^'  '"'^  ""^  "■•"™"^  ^"-  "■=  ^-  -=<  vve!; 

"  The  best  laid  schemes  o'mice  and  men 
Gang  aft  a-glee ; 
And  leave  us  naught  but  grief  and  pain 
For  promised  joy." 

One  of  Frobisher's  larges.  vessels  was  cru.he.l  by  an  iceberg  at, he 
e«n„K.e„f  the  strait,  and   forty  lives  los.,   while  .he  whole   flee,  w 
*  .ned  .nul  n,jured  by  the  ice  floe.       I.  had  been  i„.e„ded  .0  establisra 
-    a.y  colony  of  ,00  picked  men,  and  .„  build  a  for.  for  ,he  pro.       o 

.he  r,c    surface  deposi.. ha.  Probisher  had   .he  good   fortun    to  h 
*sc„vcre.l  ly,„g  around  loose  on  ,he  shore  of  his  famous  Me.a  IncoX 
0.  a  survey  of  the  situation  i,  was  found  .ha.  a  considerable  part  o^f      i 
«^d  .Icstmed  for  the  for.  would  be  required  .0  repair  .he  inj  red  ship 
and  as  .he  effecive  force  of  men  had  been  seriously  dlminlsLd  by  .he' 


Ilil' 


46 


FliOBlSHElU'S  If  OPES  DESTROTED. 


trn 


losses  already  sustained,  it  was  thouj^ht  best  to  abandon  that  project. 
We  may  well  imagine  that  tiie  dreary,  desolate  and  forbidding  aspect  of 
the  country,  in  a  season  of  excessive  severity,  would  so  chill  the  ardor  of 
those  who  were  to  be  left  behind,  that  they  took  counsel  of  their  fears, 
and  preferred  to  return  with  the  fleet  while  they  had  the  opportunity. 


PORTRAIT  OF   FROBISHEIt. 

The  dreams  of  Frobisher,  and  other  sanguine  participators  in  his  delus- 
ion, were  rudely  dissipated  on  his  return  to  En.gland,  when   it   was  found 


GILBERT  TAHES  POSSESSION  OP  NE  WPOVNDLAND.  47 

that  his  tons  of  precious  ore  were  so  niuch  worthless  stone,  brought  3000 
miles  to  swell  the  rock  piles  of  England.      His  last  voyage  had  been  the 
severest  of  the  three,  and  the  500  tons  brought  home,  while  they  might 
1...  e  compensated  for  the  sacrifices  and  trials,  had  thev  proved  valuable 
were  but  an  aggravation  of  the  general  sense  of  injury' felt  by  the  people' 
of  England  at  the  bursting  of  Frobisher's  bubble.     Ten  years  later  Fro 
hisher  redeemed  his  name  from  any  obloquy  that   might  otherwise  have 
attache<l  to  it  because  of  the  great  and  almost  ludicrous  disproportion  be- 
tween  his  sanguine  anticipations  and  the  meager  results.     In  the  contest 
with  the  Spanish  Armada,  in  ^588,  he  was  captain  of  the  Triumph,  and 
clKl  such  s.gnal  service  in  the  discomfiture  of  the  arrogant  Spaniards,  that 
he  was  knighted  for  his  bravery.     All  honor  to  Sir  Martin,  and  a  geni.l 
sm.le  for  his  quaint  conceit  that  the  finding  of  a  Northwest  Passage  w.s 
the  only  thing  of  note  left  undone  in  the  world.     It  was  found  a  ^enera- 
t. on  ago,  yet  the  array  of  notable  things  still   undone,  wonderfully  sup- 
p  emented  as  they  have  been  by  discoveries  an<l  inventions  never  dreamed 
<.f    l.y  honest  Sir   Martin,  remains  substantially  undiminished,  for  "  the 
thoughts  of  men  are  widened  with  the  process  of  the  suns." 

TWO  VOYAGES  OF   GILBERT. 

Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  alrea.ly  referred  to,  received  from  the  queen  in 
157^,  a  patent  to  make  discoveries  in   North  America,  and   to  take  pos- 
sess,on  of  any  part  found  unoccupied.     In  ,579  he  sailed   for  the  New 
Vorul  w,th  the  purpose,  as  is  generally  supposed,  of  colonizing  New-     ■ 
foundland,  but  this  opinion  is  based  mainly  on  what  is  known  of  his  sec- 
ond  attempt.       One  of  his   vessels  was  lost,  but  he   arrived   safely   in 
England.      Four  years  later  he  resumed  the  undertaking  under  more  en- 
couragmg  auspices,  but  with   a  more   disastrous  issue.     "  On  the  eve  of 
1-  departure,"   says   Bancroft,  « he   received    from   Queen   Elizabeth  a 
go  den  anchor  guided   by  a   lady,  a  token  of  the  queen's  regard."     He 
sa.Icd  w,th  five  vessels  and  260  n.en,  and  arriving  in  Newfoundland,  dis- 
covered by  Cabot  in  1497,  he  proceeded  to  take  formal  possession  in  the 
queen  s  name,  and  issued  leases  to  such  of  his  company  as  desired  them. 
B'.t  the  sp,nt  of  colonization,  with  its  hard  work   and  slow  results,  was 


■I  i|  Pii  ! 


'i 


U'\ 


iii 

i 

1 

i 

ffJfSr  E.VGLISI,  SLA  yE-THADEJi.  ^g 

absent;  and  he  soon  proceeded   wifh    h.'c   ,  i,  > 

1        -  ucu   with  his  whole  company  to  search  for 
silver  mines.    Soon  the   ar<  est  «ihm  «,o  .     ,    .  ''•-■ircn  foi 

r  .u  ,  "  ^  "^'^^  wrecked  throuj,Wi  the  ne<di.rcnro 

o.  the  crew,  and  most  of  those   on   hoard  were  lost     Vilh    /^   "'"'' 
ci.uie.i  to  return   to   England  with   what   .....:       ,  ;"  .^  "^ -- 
severe  s...  a.se,  and  he  was  earnest,  entreat L  1     L:^^: 
larger  of  the   two  remaining,   vessels,  from    the   little   h-.rk    nf 
tons  in  which  he  had  set  out  for  the  coastin.  v     a  p  f  7  '  T 

come  historic,  and  has  elicited  much  admir.-rti  .;;;;„         ,''     " 
ifiispiays.      It  savor,  however,  full,   as  m  1  :   ^.H     "  "7*'"^' 
a.Kl  though  his  action  may  he  regarded  as  h  "'  "'■^'"''^'' 

His  associates,  the  princip^:  imj^  ^^  Z^T Z^'^''' '^^ '^^''- 

more  poetic  than  praiseworthy      Th.  •  '  "'"'   '"'"'"'  '^ 

nrn.M  •  '''^'^°' "^y-     ^  ^'^  ^cenc  ,,s  thus  descrihed,  with    all 

proper  accessories :  '  '"' 

demy  disappeared,  and  neither  the  vessel  nor  anv    f  •. 

seen  again."  ^"^  ''^  ''^  ^'^"^  ^^^re  ever 

HAWKINS.  DRAKE  AND  CAVENDISH. 

These  three  were  famous  English  navigators  of  the  period  w.  . 
now  reached,  being  contemporaries  of  Davis.     But  as    he  ,    "" 

engaged  in  comhating  Spanish  domination  on  U  1^  Z  t7 
ccne  within  the  scope  of  this  work.  In  prosecuting  1^:,*^'''^^ 
purpose  of  cripplin,  Spain,  they  contributed  some  little    o  I  T" 

^-le.^,  ..d  on  that  account  deserve  passing  l^^^  ^^"-'^^^-" 

S.rjohn  Hawkins  has  the  bad  distinction  of  being  the   first  En<Wi.l 
slave-trader,  and  in  pursuing  that  infamous  business  i;  bee '^e    f 
w;th  the  west  coast  of  Africa.     He  suffered  heavy    j      -^Z 
-ha  Spanish   fleet  in    .567,  which  closed  his '«!:;,  r^"""^ 
I '^"t  gave  him  the  opportunity  of  winning    distinct         by    h  ' 

a.^a,„st  his  personal  and  national  enemies      He  h  1      W  '"■'"'^' 

ish  Armada  in  r  cS^         ,  r       u  ""'•     ^^"^  helped  to  rout  the  Span- 

^vrmaaa  in  156S,  and  for  the  rest  of  his  life  to  icn-   1  •      (v 
directed    i-rnncf  Q        ■  u        ,  '         59:)i  "is  efforts  were 

j     ectecl  against  Spamsh  trade  with  the  West  Indio^      W 

4  '^  ^^^  imnes.    His  voyages  in 


00 


DRAKE'S  RECEPTION  Bl"  INDIANS. 


'''IIVH 


i'l, .. 


♦hose  waters  increased  the  sum  of  knowledge  in  relation  to  that  portion 
of  the  American  coast. 

Sir  Francis  Drake  was  with  his  kinsman  Hawkins,  in  1567,  when 
they  were  overwhelmed  by  the  Spanish  fleet,  and  like  -him  had  his  na- 
tional antipathies  influenced  by  the  sense  of  personal  loss.  From  1570 
to  his  death,  in  1595,  he  did  his  utmost  to  spread  havoc  among  the  Span- 
ish-American fleets,  and  was  frequently  successful.  In  1573  he  gained 
a  view  of  the  Pacilic  Ocean,  from  the  Isthmus  of  Darien.  In  157S  he 
sailed  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan  and  plundered  the  coasts  of 
Chili  and  Peru.  He  sailed  north  to  48°  in  the  hope  of  finding  the 
Northwest  Passage  on  the  Pacific  side.  Failing  of  that  expedition,  he 
returned  to  what  is  now  San  Francisco,  which  had  been  previously  dis- 
covered by  the  Spaniards.  He  took  possession  of  the  country  for  the 
Queen  of  England  and  named  it  New  Albion,  and  spent  several  weeks  in 
friendly  intercourse  with  the  natives.  He  gives  this  account  of  his  re- 
ception : 

"  When  we  landed  they  appeared  to  be  greatly  astonished,  and 
showed  us  great  respect,  thinking  that  we  were  gods,  and  they 
received  us  with  a  great  deal  of  reverence.  As  long  as  we  remained  on 
shore  they  came  to  see  us,  bringing  us  bunches  of  beautiful  feathers  of 
all  colors,  and  sometimes  tobacco,  which  the  Indians  rega.  J  as  an  herb, 
and  make  great  use  of.  Before  approaching  us  they  would  remain  at 
some  distance  in  a  respectful  attitude,  then,  making  a  long  harangue 
according  to  their  custom,  they  would  lay  down  their  bows  and  arrows, 
and  approach,  ofFcring  tlieir  presents.  The  first  time  tlicy  came  they 
were  accompanied  by  their  women,  who  remained  at  some  distance;  biit 
they  commenced  to  scratch  their  checks  and  tear  their  flesh,  making 
signs  of  lamentation,  which  was  altogether  inexplicable,  but  we  after- 
ward learned  that  it  was  a  form  of  sacrifice  or  offering  which  they  made 
to  us." 

Leaving  California,  Drake  crossed  the  Pacific  to  the  Moluccas, 
and  thence  returned  to  England  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  visiting 
many  points,  most  of  them  previously  discovered,  and  reached  home, 
Nov.   3d,    .580,    after  an    absence    of    nearly    three   years,  being  the 


n  to  thjit  portion 


CA  ^E^nrsu  PLV^^E,,,  „,^  ^^^^^„^^  ^^^^^ 


01 


first  English  circumnavigator  ofthe  ^\oW^      ir      r 

part  in  .he  defeat  of  the  Sn.nish  a/  ^^" ''^^'^''^^^'-'i  took  an  active 

Spanish  commerce  in    t^    W^;^;:;:'''  ^  ''  '''  ^^^'^'  -.es  on 

ilawkins  in  the  last  voyage  of  both  in  iL.   "    """'    "    '"^"^'^''    ^''^'^ 
Thomas  Cavendish,  or  Candish    w-.«     i 

.Leclou...  hi,,  ow„    expe.„r    ,"  "'"' '"  ■■'^'' "'* '"roc  s,„„„  „,ip,, 
M.s.or,e  over  $3,^,000.     A,  Asu«„,„  „„  JL  '    ■'■   "'"^   ■"»■■=  •" 

«-^.  Hop.  ,,..4".  C:^r.s:^:':3r^r ""-" 

l^hyand  hydrography.  ^^  sciences  of  geogra- 


p  :^\^  i 


CHAPTER  V. 

DAVIS  SENT  OUT— TRADES  WITH  NATIVES  OF  GREENLAND  —  GREAT 
DANGER  IN  THE  ICE  —  PASSES  HUDSOn's  BAY  —  RALEIGH  IN 
SEARCH    OF  GOLD — DISAPPOfNTMENT — CONFINED    IN    THE    TOWER. 

Notwithstiindiiijj  previous  disappointments — so  tenacious  is  the  pu'.). 
lie  mind   of  an  idea  once  ardently  embraced— the  London   merchants 
could  not  entirely  abandon   the  hope  of  finding  a  passage   to   Cathay. 
Once  more,  after  a  respite  of  seven  years,  several  of  them  "cast  in  their 
adventure"  and  dispatched  Captain  John  Davis,  in  1585,  with  two  ships, 
the  Sunshine  and  the   Moonshine,  of  fifty  and  thirty-five  tons  respect- 
ively.      Though   the  El  Dorado    of  Labrador    had   disappeared  in  the 
flumes  of  the  assayer  of  Frobisher's  ore,  there  was  yet  no  invincible  dem- 
onstration  that  a  Northwest  Passage  could  not  be  found.  They  probably 
felt,  as  men  have  often  felt  before  and  since,  that  if  they  had  not  allowed 
themselves  to  be  diverted  from  their  original  purpose  by  the  gold  mania 
of  1576-8,  the  route  to  China  might  have  been  laid  bare,  and  the  wares 
of  the  East  brought  to  London  by  way  of  Labr^idor.     It  was  worth  an- 
other effort;   and  so  they  sent    out  Davis,  a  navigator  of  unquestioned 
ability;  and  with  a  refinement  of  thoughtful  attention  supposed  to  be  for- 
eign to  the  minds  of  mercenary  traders,  they  furnished  him  with  a  band 
of  music— the  number  and   kind  of  instruments  not  stated—"  to  cheer 
and  recreate  the  spirits  of  the  natives."        Cunning   traders,  had  they 
learned  that  to  bewitch  the  natives  with  music  was  a  good  investment 
toward  getting  furs  cheap? 

July  the  20th,  forty-three  days  out,  Davis  discovered  what  he 
named  the  Land  of  Desolation,  which  is  a  much  more  appro- 
priate  designation  than  the  misnomer  Greenland,  which  it  bears.  In 
Gilbert  Bay  he  traded  advantageously  with  the  natives,  giving  glass 
beads  and  other  trinkets  for  valuable  furs.    A  few  days  afterward,  allured 

63 


INLAND — GREAT 
Y  —  RALEIGH  IN 
I    IN    THE    TOWER. 

acious  is  the  pii'.). 
ondon   merchants 
jsage   to   Cathay, 
em  "  cast  in  their 
;,  with  two  ships, 
ivc  tons  respect- 
isappeared  in  the 
,o  invincible  dem- 
i.  They  probably 
/  had  not  allowed 
y  the  gold  mania 
re,  and  the  wares 
It  was  worth  an- 
■  of  unqiu'stioncci 
ipposcd  to  be  for- 
him  with  a  band 
ated — "  to  cheer 
raders,  hail  they 
good  investment 

overed  what  he 
:h  more  appro- 
ich  it  bears.  In 
'^es,  giving  glass 
fterward,  allured 


I  "^"'^ '^'""Ves  W  GHBENLAKD.  ^ 

I    .lo,,l,U.„    by  ,h.    ,„,,,i.  „f  ,h„  hand    .„    .,„„„Hm.ny  ,e,.,  ,„,„„„,  b, 
he.   Lo„,,„„  ,y,npa,„i.cr,  ..  ,„  ,.e„ea,o  .heir  ,piri.,/ „,u.  „f  whie     .he 
firs.  lo.  ol  niitive  Irai  era  had  .nrn„p  ,k    r         ,  ""'".n  int 

nau  spread  the  fame  far  and  near  lhrou"h  the 

...np,,     the   t«,„n,aux,no,e,,  than  thir.,.,e.e„   canoe,  .„rro"„nul 

.l.e  tn,h,h  ,h,p..     On  the  6.h  „f  A„,M.,t  they  ea.ne  h,  sigh,  „f  a      I 

.ou.....n     .he  Sukker.„ppen-a„d  saihn,.  ,.in  n„r.hwe,.'hey  r        td 

....la  6^"  40'  free  fron,  ..  the   pesters  of  iee ,  an.ered   ^        rl 

'-  .-.*  •     Dav,,  thought  he  had  reached  the  entrance  .  >  the  sea  „      h 
.™...........te,   w,th  the  PaciHc  Ocean.  He  explored  the  region  „f  c 

l.er.a„d  Sonnd  and  the  entrance  to  Frohisher  and  Hudson  Strait,  "" 
...  n„.e,  to  the  Hay  of  Tatness,a„d  .0  the  Capes  Dyer  and  W   'sinl 
liani,  and  returned  to  ICngland.  ><ismg. 

In  ,586  Davis  was  pu,  in  command  of  four  ve,sel_,he  two  of  the 
,m.v,ous  voyage,  together  with  the  ..  Mermaid"  and  the  «  No^h  Star  ■' 
0.  June  .,,  w  en  ,ifty,hree  days  out,  he  again  reached  G  en, and. 
...   4  .  whence  l,e  sent  the  ..Sunshine"  and  ..North  Star"  along  the 

r.n-      T.     •  r  ''^^'^''  ^''   "''•""-''  '••'ivancing  as  far  as 

69  .     The  ice  was  found  more  massive  fhnn        .i  «  ""        as 

^  ,  .  •     '"""-  massive  tnan  on  the  prev  ous  vp-.r     n^o, 

u.iys  to  pass.       1  he  wmd   from  off  the  ice  so  frn,»  f i, 

ai  :;i::hr:  rcirr  "*  ""^^^  -^  ^""■"'-  ^'-"• 
- —He re  ;^ . ^ ^3: ":;—  :^ 

Ho  wrote  .0  a  friend  .h  m,  ?        '  ""^"'^'^'^W  but  hopeful. 

P.-.e  allst  .0  r'cer^ilr  '''''°'  '"'  ^'"^"^  "'  '^^  ^^°"-"''' 

j-e  .5*.  This  4:ri:nrasrrj:".r:r^"-. 

-.^eexpenses  Should  he   lightened  h;«shin;;e:r;^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


64 


IMPORTANCE  OF  DAVIS^  VOYAGES-RALEIGH. 


I! 


For  this  purpose  two   of  their  vessels  were   left  near  the  scene  of   their 
former  explorations,  while  with  the  others  he  pushed  forward  in  Baffin's 
Bay  as  far  as  73°  i.',  naming  the  highest  point  he  reached  Sanderson's 
Hope,  m  honor  of  his  chief  patron-falling  short  of  the  latitude  of  Upcr 
navik  about  half  of  one  degree.     Again  stopped   by  the  ice  and  forced  to 
go  back,  he  made  some  further    explorations    lower   down.     He   p-xssed 
the    entrance   to    Hudson  Bay,  and  failing  to  find  the  two  vessels  at  the 
appomted  rendezvous,    he  returned    to  Englan.l    whither  they  had  pre- 
ceded  him.  Though  undaunted,  and  hopeful  of  final  success,  he  could  not 
secure  an   outfit  for  a  fourth  trial,   and    was  compelled    to  relinquish  the 
project.     The    results  of  his    voyages    were    important    geographically 
but  the  English  merchants  were  more  afl^ected    bv  the  fi.iancial   aspects' 
as  their  ardor  had  beeu  effectually  chilled  by  six  successive  disappoint- 
ments  in  twelve  years. 

VOYAGES  OF  RALEIGH. 

It  is  not  as  the  founder  of  the  Roanoke  Colony,  in  America,  .  or  as 
soldier  m  France  or  Ireland,  nor  yet  as  a  fovorite  of  the  Queen  of  Eng- 
land, or  member  of  the  British  Parliament,  nor  even  as  one  of  the  mo^st 
renowned  and  remarkable  men  of  his  age,  that  Sir  Walter  Ralei.^h 
finds  a  place  in  this  history  of  great  navigators.  His  two  voyages  "to 
Guiana  and  persevering  attempts  to  find  the  El  Dorado  of  the  ago,  tiie 
fabled  paradise  of  gold-seekers,  entitle  him  to  a  place  in  the  list. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  1595,  Raleigh  sailed  from  England  with 
five  ships  and  100  soldiers,  besides  seamen,  officers,  and  some  gentlemen 
volunteers,  on  his  first  voyage  to  Guiana. 

Arriving  at  Fastave.itura  in  the  Canaries,  he  took  on  board  fre-.h 
supplies  of  water,  and  after  a  stay  of  four  days,  proceeded  to  Teneriffe 
where  he  was  met  by  one  of  his  captains.  Waiting  eight  days  in  vain' 
for  the  appearance  of  Captain  Brereton,  he  sailed  for  Trinidad,  where 
he  met  Whiddon,  another  of  his  captains.  De  Berreo,  Spanish  com- 
mander of  Trinidad,  suspicious  of  the  designs  of  Raleigh,  forbade,  under 
pain  of  death,  all  intercourse  with  the  English.  Raleigh  landed  under 
cover  of  night  with   too  men,  burned  the   town  of  St.  Joseph,  and  took 


'mmmm9!»im«t^^ 


the  scene  of   their 
brward  in  Baffin's 
ached  Sanderson's 
J  latitude  of  Upcr- 
e  ice  and  forced  to 
own.     He   passed 
two  vessels  at  the 
ler  they  had  pro- 
cess, he  could  not 
to  relinquish  the 
t    geographically, 
financial   aspects, 
3ssive  disappoint- 


RALEIGH  ASCENDS   THE  ORINOCO. 


06 


America,  \  or  as 
Queen  of  En"-- 
one  of  the  most 
Walter  Raleigh 
two  voyages  to 
of  the  agp,  tlie 
the  list. 

I  England   with 
3ome  gentlemen 

on  board  fresh 
ed  to  Teneriffe, 
[■ht  days  in  vain 
Frinidad,  where 
,  Spanish  com- 
forbade,  under 
:h  landed  under 
useph,  and  took 


nerrco,  with  so^e  of  the  princip,,,   i„„„bij,„.,,  ^^^^^ 

.o.,  on.  0...0, ,™,  .1  ;;4t  ~:i:. :— ::: 


SIR   WALTER    RALEIGH. 

its  mouth,   ascended  the  river  a  distance  of  400  miles      H.  U'^  A  .    a  . 

rrr  "^  or,oM  a,.  „_,  _,.!,  :^:;„2ri  :r 

ence  a,,  ,„   comparison  with  which,  the  riches  of  Mexico   and    p'l 
Jwmdlccl  ,n,o  insignificance.     All  , 1,1.  ,„„1    ,„„„   Ral,    hT  , 

-^....Kcaptives  a.,  Indian  visi.o.-WIL":;:;^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


*i'^iimimir*»^titM»m.,,mS^^r. 


r.     .liJ" 


RALEIGH  CONFINED  IN  THE  TOWER. 

it  costs  Init    little  to  enlarge,  when  one  draws  on  his  imagination  for 
facts— that  there  was  no  winter  at  Manoa,  and  no  sickness  ;  that  the  soil 
was  excellent  ;  that  there  was    abundance  of  game  ;  and    that  the  songs 
of  birds  filled  the  air  with  a  perpetual  concert.     The  emperor  of  Manoa 
was,  however,  a  <nighty  potentate,  and   Raleigh  with  his  handful  of  men 
would  be  foolhardy  to  attempt  to  cope  with  him.     His  people  were  high- 
ly   civilized    and    jealous    of    their    immense    treasures  -  within    their 
territory  there  existed  a  mountain  of  gold-and  it    would  be  rash  to   at- 
tack them.     Raleigh  felt    otherwise,  and  pressing  his  Indian  informant 
to  act  as  guide,    he  was  astounded  to    learn  fron^  his  lips  that  Manoa  had 
been  submerged  and  was  then  under  water,  as  was  no  doubt  the  golden 
mountain.     He  might  have  added    that  it  was  the  native  version  of  the 
story  of  Atlantis,  as  paraphrased  from  what  thev  had   heard    from    the 
Spaniards  or  other  visitors.     Though  Raleigh  may  not  have  believed  all 
tiiat  he  had  been  told,  it  is  clear  that  these  marvelous  stories  had   their 
mfluence  upon  his  imagination  and  judgment,  for  he  says  : 

"Some  may  perhaps  think  that  I  am  enthusiastic  and  visionary  but 
why  should  I  have  undertaken  this  enterprise  if  I  was  not  convinced 
that  this  land  of  Guiana  was  a  country  abounding  in  gold.?  Whiddon 
and  Milechappe,  our  surgeon,  have  brought  me  nunny  precious  stones 
wh,ch  resemble  sapphires.  I  have  shown  these  stones  to  many  people 
in  Ormoco,  who  have  assured  me  that  there  is  a  mountain  full  of 
them." 

He  returned  to  England  before  the  close  of  the  year  1595,  but  through 
all  the  honors  as  well  as  trials  which  intervened  between  his  first  and 
second  voyages,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  lost  tne  hope   of  making  rich 
discoveries  on  the  Orinoco.     Upon  his  release  from  the  Tower  in  1615, 
after  a  confinement  of  thirteen  years,  we  find  him  at  once  busying  him- 
self about  an  expedition  to   Guiana.     He  sailed   in  161 7  with   thirteen 
vessels  and  a  considerable  body  of  men,  for  the  expectation   of  great  re- 
sults ran  high,  and    his  personal    pooularity  had   been  much  increased 
through  sympathy  for  his  undeserved  punishment.     Arriving   on   the 
coast  of  Guiana,  he  dispatched  an  exploring  party  up  the  Orinoco.     At 
St,  Thomas  they  encountered  the  Spaniards  and  were  driven  back  with 


!■ 

i 
': 

i 

m 

i 

HEI^BWS   THE  3BAJiC/i, 


67 

OSS  amon,  others  that  of  the  eldest  and  favorite  son   of  Raleigh      N 
ha<i  they  heard  anything  further  of  the  sapphire  or  ..,  , 
the  city  and  people  of  Manoa.    On  their  Itun     R     "  t  T'"""'  "'  "' 
foundland  to  refit  r.nd   revictual    „.     "\'''"'^"'  ^^'^'^h  saded  for  New- 

levictual,  purposni-  to  renew  the  seirrh   T...f  u- 
men    mufnied  and  insisted  on  sailing   back  to    Fn   /  V''^'^' ^"^  ^.s 
arrived  in  July,  1618      Ralei<.h   )      .  "  England,    where    thev 

that  his  Englil;.  eneLf:"  :  3  :  :  7'"'''  '^"'  '°^""^'  ^°°"  ^-"'' 
through  their  united  eaorrcorentr;:?  T  '  '^^"''  '""'"^  '^"^ 
was  Obtained  fro.  the  weakly  Z^^^ ;::::r  ^"  ^"  '^  ^^^^^^ 


■-SftS^WiK*! 


I  "I 


i 


CHAPTER  VI. 

VOYAGES  OF  THE  DUTCH NORTHEAST  PASSAGE  AGAIN BARENTZ 

REACHES  ORANGE   ISLANDS — GEKRIT  DE  VEER — SICKNESS  AND 

DEATH — SURROUNDED  BY  BEARS  AND  FOXES REAPPEARANCE 

OF  THE  SUN — BURIAL  OF  BARENTZ VOYAGE  OF  VAN  NOORT 

FIGHT  WITH  PATAGONIANS DEFEAT  THE  SPANISH. 

This  brave,  enterprising,  and  industrious  people  had  scarcely  suc- 
ceeded in  establishing  their  independence,  when  they  began  to  turn 
their  attention  to  the  question  of  the  age — another  route  to  India.  In- 
deed, that  independence  was  not  yet  acknowledged  by  their  late  masters, 
and  the  formal  recognition  of  the  right  of  the  Netherlands  to  a  place  in 
the  family  of  nations,  was  stubbornly  resisted  by  their  oppressors  until 
1609.  The  narrow  limits  of  the  "Seven  Provinces"  naturally  impelled 
them  to  seek  a  position  among  maritime  States.  And  as  the  southern 
avenues  to  the  coveted  commerce  of  the  East  were  controlled  by  Spaii., 
they  were  driven,  like  the  English,  to  search  in  northern  latitudes  for  a 
route  to  China.  Their  first  efforts  were  directed  to  the  exploration  of 
the  Northeast  Passage.  And  as  a  practical  convenience  toward  the  ex- 
ecution of  that  project,  they  proceeded  to  establish  trading  posts  at  Kola, 
in  Lapland,  and  at  Archangel,  in  Russia.  The  failure  of  the  English  to 
penetrate  the  Straits  of  Kara  suggested  the  idea  of  going  to  the  north  of 
Nova  Zembla,  in  which  they  were  encouraged  by  the  counsels  and  sug- 
gestions of  Peter  Plaucius,  an  adept  in  the  nautical  science  of  the  day,  as 
well  as  a  distinguished  theologian  and  astronomer. 

THE   NORTHEAST   PASSAGE   AGAIN. 

In  1594  the  merchants  of  Amsterdam,  Enkhuysen  and  Middelburg 
fitted  out  a  squadron  of  three  vessels  to  institute  a  search  for  the  North- 
east Passage.     The  command  of  these   they  gave  to  Cornelius  Corne- 

68 


^AKMNTZ  l>aACHES  OJ^AMGE  ,SLAJ,2>S.  „ 

lizoon,   Brant  Ysbrantzoo,,,    and   Willem  Bir^nt,      r      ^ 
h»  hccome  .he  mo,.  fam„„,.     They  left. he  Te,        7  "'  '"' 

«a..n.zi„  co™,„andof  .he.-MeJv»     H  VT  "'•"''"' 

^^'."» '"eyP-eeaed   eas..,:  .LrfNTrr;:;"   'T""?  "' 

.hon„„h;.heother.r:„nll      :?  """"' "™=''    '"^^'^ 

Ka.a  S..ai.  .ha.  .he  En„,h  had  f„„„d  .^.ssaCh,        1   oVl:     " 

^oi^e  wnicn  they  there    encountered.     The    D.-f^h 

having  gone  farther  south   nnM  '  •  ^"^^^' '"^"-^    fortunate   in 

-0 ..:,,.  .a.  .h^nX  ;::,;• :  :r.riri::r — 

Amving  at  .he  eastern  entrance  of  the  stral.  ,h.„         .    !,'  ■ 
ligh.  a  -ine expanse  of  hl„e  „  '       '^     "' '°  ""'"■  S""'  <>'- 

rapid,,  to  .helhea^  .:;;::;  ""T  '"""  '°  "-'"^^'«  «-cied 
.«  prohien.  the  pr:,;:  r  h  TZ  il";  d'^hT  T"'  "^"  ^^ 
«h.r  than  the  famous  Cane  T.h'      rj  '    ""■'''    '"'    "° 

0-=.^  ^eparated  .he;'-;^^:  rchr  ^;::-;--;- 

tha.  they  were   distant  from    the    northo    ,  •         ^  ""'  '"'"'" 

,•    ,  "oithcastern    no  nt  of  A«;.i    ,^^s 

"'"■■"""'  "f""  -hole  cirenmference  of  the  Mob        e:^     ,  '•  ^ 

"f  the  i,n,ncnse  value   of  their  ,11  ,  •''  ■''^""'"=<' 

.»--  ='"husiasn,for::eteXo«.o7.he''"'"    "^"  ''""  "' 
enable  the  government  to  .ake  proper      etn  1  ™""°  ^'"■'""■■^'  '° 

of  (heir  prodigious  success        M     '^"'^"^"'•"'  '"'  »«"'"'g  the  frui.s 
Nassau  an.l   rl  ,  J  Meanwhde    Barent,    had    <loubled  Cape 

-  -gb.  'liri:!— r  r;  rto'  """""-^^  ^^^^'^ 

-.h  Of  Nova  Zembia,  l.titud  =  1  ;       :l°™r  """"'   ^  '^^ 

the  la.l.ndes  of  several  „„i„ts       J  '  »' A"gus..     He  ascertained 

~d   to  ma.e  t  Z^^:  Z^t:'  '^T  "^  ^ 

Tbe  merch  nfso    -"""f  7="--  -'--d  .oge.ber  .o  .he  Texel. 
.,„,,.  ,i,.  _  .  '  .""^   Ro.terdam   now  combined  with   those  or  ,.,, 

-  -.e.  n,.e..estetl  n.  the  former  venture,  and  together   .hey  .^ 


>-%.,. 


B 


m  I 


n!M: 


;1 


M  LOCKED  IN   THE  IC&. 

out  six  vessels  for  a  second  voyage,  laden  witli  wares  for  the  Eastern 
market.  This  sciuadron  was  placed  under  the  supreme  command  of 
James  Van  Ileemskerke,  with  Barentz  as  chief  pilot.  To  it  was  added 
a  yacht,  the  sole  duty  of  which  was  to  serve  as  a  dispatch  boat  to 
bring  back  the  tidings  that  the  fleet  had  safely  entered  the  Gulf  of 
Kara.  But  merchants  and  voyagers  were  doomed  to  disappointment. 
The  Vaigats  Strait  was  found  impassable,  being  blocked  by  huge 
masses  of  ice  which  defied  the  continued  efTorts  of  the  determined  mar- 
iners. Findmg  that  the  impossible  would  not  yield  to  their  wishes  or 
exertions,  they  sadly  retraced  their  course,  and  arrived  in  the  Texel, 
Sept.  iS,  1595,  with  feelings  quite  diflferent  from  their  predecessors' of 
the  previous  year. 

Yet  another  trial  was  decided  upon,  and  May  16,  1596,  two  vessels 
were  sent  out  under  command  of  Heemskerke  and  John  Cornclizoou 
Rijp  or  Ryp,  with  Barentz  again  as  pilot,  and  Gerrit  de  Veer,  who 
became  the  historian  of  the  voyage,  as  mate.  Passing  the  Shetland  and 
Faroe  Islands,  they  encountered  ice  on  the  5th  of  June  before  reaching^ 
Bear  Island,  where  they  landed  on  the  nth,  and  which  they  so  named 
because  there  they  had  found  and  killed  a  bear.  On  the  19th  they  discovered 
the  land  which  they  named  Sjiitzbergen,  and  which  they  supposed  was 
a  part  of  Greenland.  They  explored  the  west  coast  for  a  considerable 
distance  to  the  north,  but  were  compe'lcu  by  tlic  ice  to  fall  back  on  Bear 
Island.  Here  the  vessels  sejjarated,  Heemskerke  and  Barentz  slowly 
making  their  way  through  the  ice  toward  Nova  Zembla,  having  heard 
that  from  the  highest  points  of  Orange  Island  the  open  sea  had  been 
seen  to  the  southeast. 

On  the  i6thof  July  they  reached  the  west  coast  of  Nova  Zembla, 
then  known  to  western  navigators  as  V/illoughby's  Island.  Pro- 
ceeding northward  they  doubled  Cape  Nassau  on  the  6th  of  August, 
and  the  Orange  Islands  some  days  later.  Having  reached  the 
same  latitude  previously  attained  bv  Barentz  in  his  first  voyage,  thev  were 
compelled  by  the  ice  to  turn  south  on  tiie  eastern  coast,  where  they  soon 
became  ice-locked  in  a  small  harbor,  latitude  75'''  43',  in  which  they  had 
taken  refuge.     '*  The  cakes  of  ice, 


iays 


P 


up 


%M 


he  Eastern 
)mmancl  of 
was  added 
:h  boat  to 
le  Gulf  of 
poiutment. 
1  l)y  huge 
nined  mar- 
•  wishes  or 
the  Tcxel, 
ecessors'  of 

wo  vessels 
!]ornelizooii 
V^eer,  who 
etland  and 
re  reaching^ 
Y  so  named 
'  discovered 
)poscd  was 
onsidcrable 
:k  on  Bear 
intz  slowly 
iving  heard 
I  had   been 

va  Zembla, 
and.  Pro- 
of August, 
cached  the 
e,  they  were 
B  they  soon 
ch  they  had 
to   pile  up 


'I 


91 


^'^IttSia^tti^M 


'  -^^t-a-siifmiia^utinitn 


.mm 


.'■ ! 


1     ' 

.      ■■    i^- 

63  DE  VEER— DISAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  SUN. 

around  the  ship  on  all  sides,  and  pressed  against  it  so  closely,  that  it  com- 
menced to  crack  and  give  way,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  vessel  would 
break  into  a  thousand  pieces  ;  and  when  the  ice  moved  it  pushed 
and  raised  the  ship  as  if  some  huge  machine  were  elevating  it  in 
the  ail." 

Giving  Up  all  hope  of  extracting  themselves  from  the  ice,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  effect  a  landing,  and  transport  provisions  on  shore,  for  a 
winter's  sojourn  in  that  inhospitable  region.  A  few  days  later  some 
of  the  men  discovered  a  river  some  nine  miles  in  the  interior,  on  which 
they  found  floating  a  considerable  quantity  of  wootl.  Thoy  also  found 
tracks  of  the  bear  and  the  saiga,  a  species  of  antelope.  A  quantity  of 
driflwood,  probably  from  Siberia,  was  found  on  the  shore,  and  they  were 
enabled  to  build  a  warm  cabin,  large  enough  to  hold  them  all,  besides 
having  abundant  firewood,  "  for  all  that  cold  winter,  which  we  knew," 
says  De  Veer,  «  would  fall  out  to  be  extremely  bitter."  They  were  sev- 
enteen  in  number,  and  under  wise,  careful  and  competent  leadership. 

By  the  23d  of  September  the  ground  had  frozen  so  hard  that  they  could 
not  dig  a  grave  for  their  deceased  comrade,  the  carpenter,  who,  though 
he  would  have  been  specially  useful  in  the  construction  of  their  winter 
quarters,  was  the  first  to  succumb  to  the  rigor  of  the  climate.  They 
buried  him  in  a  cleft  in  the  rocks.  On  the  2d  of  October  their  house  was 
completed,  some  of  the  ship's  furniture  being  used  in  its  construction. 
As  they  grew  apprehensive  that  the  vessel  would  soon  go  to  pieces,  they 
began  to  sleep  ashore  on  the  12th  of  October;  and  soon  after  they 
carried  ashore  everything  that  could  be  of  use  to  them.  They  began 
immediately  to  reduce  the  daily  rations,  fearing  their  supplies  would  not 
hold  out.  A  chimney  was  erected  reaching  to  the  top  of  the  house,  and 
a  place  was  reserved  near  the  central  fire-place  for  a  sick  comrade.  On 
broad  shelves,  or  bunks  around  the  walls,  they  placed  their  beds,  and 
from  a  large  cask  they  extemporized  a  bath  tub,  the  surgeon  insisting  on 
cleanliness  as  absolutely  necessary  to  the  preservation  of  health.  The 
sun  soon  disajjpeared  entirely,  and  they  had  fairly  entered  on  the  long 
and  dreary  v.int  -r.  "  We  looked  pitifully  one  upon  the  other,"  says  De 
Veer,  "being  in  great  fear  that  if  the  extremity  of  cold  grew  to  be  more 


Am\ 


■N. 

y,  that  it  corn- 
vessel   would 
/^ed   it   pushed 
levating   it   in 

ice,  they  pro- 
1  shore,  for  a 
ys  later  some 
rior,  on  which 
lioy  also  found 
\.  quantity  of 
[uid  they  were 
m  all,  besides 
h  we  knew," 
bey  were  sev- 
;adership. 
hat  they  could 
who,  though 
f  their  winter 
imatc.  They 
leir  house  was 

construction. 
:o  pieces,  they 
»n    after   they 

They  began 
les  would  not 
he  house,  and 
:omrade.  On 
;ir  beds,  and 
n  insisting  on 
health.  The 
1  on  the  long 
ler,"  says  De 
\v  to  be  more 


MERRIMENT  IN  DANGER.  «, 

and  more,  we  should  all  die    there    of  cold,  for  that  what  fire  soever    we 
made,  would  not  warm  us." 

A  Dulch  clock  inmsfcrrd  from  the  ship  helped  ,„  rcrai,,,!  ihcm  „f 
h..,„c,  :,,,  well  a,  t„  mark  the  slow  ,„„rch  of  time.  The  house  ,va,  so„„ 
c„ve,e,l  with  snow  several  feet  deep,  and  to  get  o.„  they  had  to  tunnel  a 
pathway.  During  one  ,»rio,l  of  a.lverse  winds  for  four  davs  the  Are 
would  not  hum,  and  the  ice  grow  two  inches  thick  on  the  sides  of  their 
bunks,  whde  thetr  clothes  were  thickly  covered  with  frost.  In  .,  short 
tin,e  they  bc^an  to  be  surroun.led  by  bear,  and  fo.es,  who  threat^netl  to 
tear  the  roof  off  the  house-;  an.l  the  foxes  learned  to  cli.nh  down  the 
e  unney.     They  trapped  several  of  these,  and  shot  so.ne  bears,  the  skin, 

t   Tr'V,  °T  '■"'"  '■  """■''"»"  '"^  "'^  ""™-  »'"•     They 
used    be     esh  of  the  fo.,es  for  food,  hut  through  s„„e  unaccountable 

prej,,. hce  tl,ey  faded   to  utilise   the   ,nore   valuable  hearVmeat,  which 

would  have  been  a  great  preventive  of  the  scurvy,  from  which  they 

siilierod.  J 

Early  in  December  a  violent  storm  arose,  blowing  fro.n  the  northeast 
and  producng  mtense  cold,  when  they  made  a  great    hre  of  coal,  which 
t  ey  brought  from   the  vcsel.      Closing    every  crevice,  and  eJen  t 
cbunncy,  to  retain  the  genial  warmth,  they  soon   began  to  complain  of 
,l,..,ne«,  whereupon  one  ran  to  open  the  door  and  another  the  chimney, 
Aen  they  recovered.     Notwithstan.ling  their  constant  privation,,  and 
01.  n  ,u.e„,e  surrermgs  in  exceptional  weather,  they  labored  to  mai  tain 
»  heerft.1  sp.nt      On  January  the  5th  ( tj^),  .he  eve  of  Twelnh  Nigh 
.cast  long  celebrated  throughout  all  parts  of  Europe,  they  proposed  to' 
-ca     ttle    mernmcnt    suitable    to    the    occasion.     .We    prayed    our 
Master,     says   De    Veer,  -Mhat  we  might  be  tnerry,  and  said  that  we 
were  con  ent  to  .spend  some  of  the  wine  that  night  which  we  had  spared 
-  wh,ch  w.as  our  share  (half  a  pint)  every  second  day,  and  wher  of  fo 
..an,    .ays  we  had  no.  drunk.     And  so  that  night  we  ™.ade  mert^y,  and 
.■row  lot,  for  k,ng.     And  thereof  we  had  two  poun.l,  of  n.eal,  whireof 
»c  n,ade  pancake,  with  oil,  and  every  man  h,ad  a  white   buiscuit,  which 
wc  sop   ,n  the  wine.     And  so  supposing  that  we  were  in  our  ow^  conn- 
tr.v,  and  amongst  our  friends,  it  comforted  us  a,  well  a,  if  we  had  mad= 


.  ;r„,-3B-'  -'m 


triiumm 


«4 


REAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  SUN. 


\\M 


a  jjrcat  banquet  in  our  own  house.  Ami  we  also  made  trinkets,  and  our 
j^nnner  was  made  kinjj  of  Novaya  Zemlya,  whicli  is  at  least  800  miles 
lonji^,  and  lyeth  between  two  seas." 

January  241!!  the  sun  reappeared,  and  though  they  lost,  the  same 
day,  one  of  their  number  wiio  had  been  ill  all  winter,  their  hopes  rose 
higher;  and  on  the  28th,  the  day  being  fine  '"-iy  played  a  game  of  ball 
in  the  bracing  northern  air.  Early  in  March  the  ice  l>cgan  to  move,  but 
they  could  not  yet  leave  their  quarters.  April  15th  they  visited  the 
ship,  which  they  found  in  better  condition  than  they  had  anticipated. 
May  1st  the  men  thought  they  might  leave,  but  the  more  experienced 
Barentz  declared  they  would  have  to  wait  a  month,  as  the  vessel  could 
not  be  liberated  sooner;  and  that  it  was  doubtful  whether  she  would  be 
found  seaworthy.  In  the  event  of  her  proving  unsafe  he  promised 
that  they  would  rig  out  the  two  boats  for  the  homeward  voyage.  On 
the  20th,  becoming  satisfied  that  the  ship  must  be  abandoned,  they  began 
with  a  will  to  get  the  boats  in  readiness.  It  was,  however,  the  middle 
of  June  before  they  took  leave  of  their  late  residence,  and,  doubtless  not 
without  misgivings,  trusted* themselves  to  their  frail  crafts  for  so  long  a 
voyage.  Barentz  inclosed  \\  record  of  their  inishap  in  a  gun  barrel, 
which  he  fastened  to  the  chimney,  that  should  a  search  party  be  sent, 
they  might  uarn  their  fate.  They  proceeded  by  the  way  they  had  come 
and  in  a  short  time  reached  Orange  Island. 

In  the  interval,  and  when  only  four  days  out,  the  boats  got  hemmed  in 
by  enormous  blocks  of  ice,  and  giving  themselves  up  for  lost,  they  silently 
took  leave  of  each  other.  But  De  Veer,  with  the  instinct  of  self-preserva- 
tion, taking  the  end  of  a  strong  rope  in  his  hand,  clambered  from  block  to 
block  until  he  reached  a  large  floe,  on  which  they  succeeded  in  getting  first 
the  sick,  then  the  stores,  and  finally  the  two  boats  safely  landed — a  feat  often 
performed  since,  but  for  those  days  of  inexperience  it  can  be  regarded  as 
nothing  less  than  a  brilliant  stroke  of  genius.  The  boats  had  been  badly 
nipped,  and  they  repaired  them  as  well  as  they  could  on  the  ice  floe.  Here 
it  was  that  Barentz,  and  one  of  the  sailors,  Nicholas  Andrien,  died.  On 
the  20th  of  June,  while  floating  northward  with  the  ice,  on  the  west  coast 
of  Nova  Zembla,  the  worthy  pilot  closed  the  voyatre  of  his  life,  dvintr 


nkcts,  and  our 
:ast  Soo  miles 

08t,  the  same 
:ir  hojjcs  rose 

game  of  ball 
1  to  move,  but 
ley  visited  the 
id  anticipated, 
e  experienced 
e  vessel  could 
she  vs'ouid  be 
:   he  promised 

voyage.  On 
;d,  they  began 
er,  the  middle 
,  doubtless  not 

for  so  long  a 
a  gun  barrel, 

party  be  sent, 
hey  had  come 

fot  hemmed  in 
t,  they  silently 
*  self-preserva- 

from  block  to 
in  getting  first 
d — a  feat  often 
36  regarded  as 
lad  been  badly 

ice  floe.  Here 
en,  died.     On 

the  west  coast 

his  life,  dvine 


BURIAL   OF  UARF:y"f^z 

ve,v  .nox,„.o,e<,,,  ,„  .he  ,..e,.,  ,„o„,„  „„,„,,„.„  „„.  ,„  ,, 

...».l.  "'   NV,II.„„  Barcnu  ,n„d.  ,,  „„  fe„  ^ 

|-  ,.n,.c,p„.  «„,dc.  ,„K,  pi,„,  „„j  „„,  .„  „,„„,  „^  ^^^  J-    ^^  w  » 
Hut  wc  cotik    not  resst  the  will  ^m     i         i    ..  /  ^"'muLnct. 

...vs  ,.,e  ,),i,hf,„  chronict  '  ""'  '""  ''"'"''  ""«'"  "»  -'"'." 

After  comii.iiling  the  rcraain,   „f  Bc-c-„t/   l„  ,h.    i 
.,-.„.,,  Laling  ,l,eh.  .-paired   boa.,,   ,„  keo,      he  n    V  'l- 

;—  '"  ^eae.,„  Cape  Na.a„.     n.lX  Z::!:':::! 
/or  repairs,  she  was  upset,  and  they  lost   nearly    dl   fU 
came  very  near  losing  their  lives      On  M  ■      •  "  ^'"""""^  '''"^^ 

"'■  «i-  rL„i„ed  „V ;   •  .r::;'  ''■"  ''''■''"'" '- "-  -- 

».-.rva,i„„.     THe,  „„;,;::  ^'";^'  '"-   '■-  "^i".' 

Se,„l.„s  „„e  or  .heir  „„.nber  across  ,he  gulr  „i.h  a  Lapp  g„iUe  he  re 
t"™e.l  ,n  .hree  dayswi.h  a  le.tcr  signed   Tohn  C    Ri-     T 
of   .he    second  ship,  from  which  .hev  hi  h"  '"'         '^"'"■""'■'''-■■■ 

months  heiore.     Sept    ,o    Rii    -  ,  '""'"■''""■  *"""^" 

oept.  30,   Kijp  iollowec  \v  th  a  boiMnn/I  ^f 
an,i  conveyed  his  countrymen    to   K0I-.  '7°'^*-^°«^'  ^^  provismns, 

Tl.       1     .   ,  'trymen    to   Kola,    and    thence    to    Amsterdim 

They  had  been    104    days    in   performing  the   trip  from   J 
quarters   to  Cape    Kanine.       Four    of  H  '  """'"'" 

t-teen   survives    were  welcomed    1  "t""'^"^"    '^^'    '''"'    ''^ 

-enained  at  the  expe::^r:  tJ  Zu  T  VT'^  ^''"'^'^"^'   ^'"^ 
that  was  due    them      T  ^  ^  ^  ^''"^  '''"'^'^'^  *'^^  '"""'■T 

battle  with  the  Span^rl  ^^"^'^  ^^^^'^'"""  ^^"  '^'^  '^^  ^"  ^^  "^^ 

VOYAGE  OF  VAN  NOORT 
On    .,,e    .d   of  J„,y,    ,j,8,    o,,^^   y^,,^  ,;^^^. 

■1-enced  „av,ga.or,  ,ef.  A„..erda,„  with  .„„  ships,  twoVac.;  „:,; 


iMi 


ih 


S!  Ml 


■ 


81  ATTACKED  DT  PATAGONIANS. 

248  men.  The  ftecoiul  in  comm''.r.v«  was  James  Claaz  d'Ulpcnda,  and 
an  able  Enj^lish  suaina.i  named  Melis,  was  pilot.  The  Noilhwtst  Prij. 
Ha^e  had  been  soufjfht  in  vain  by  the  English,  and  the  Northeast  one 
by  both  ICnj^lish  and  Dutch,  with  substantially  the  same  result.  For, 
althou'^'h  a  route  had  been  iliscovered,  it  proved  impracticable  or  uncei 
tain  on  account  of  the  ice  blockade  to  which  it  was  subject.  It  became 
necessary  then  to  abandon  all  hope  of  share  in  the  profitable  traffic 
with  the  East,  or  else  break  up  the  Spanish  monopoly  o'i  the  southern 
routt    by  the  Cape  of  Good   Hope. 

The  latter  alternative  was  chosen,  and  Van  Noort,  with  his  little 
band  of  248  men,  undertook  to  li-^ht  his  way  to  the  Spice  Islands,  if  he 
could  not  succeed  in  eliidinjj^  the  watchfulness  of  his  enemies.  Knowinjj 
that  the  route  by  the  Straits  of  Magellan  was  the  least  frequented  by 
the  Spaniards,  he  determined  on  pursuing  that  course.  After  touching 
at  Gorcc,  they  landed  on  Prince's  Island,  on  the  Gulf  of  Guinea,  where 
they  lost  twenty-one  men  including  the  pilot  and  a  brother  of  Van 
Noort,  at  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese.  They  discovered  Annobon 
Island  on  Jan.  5,  1599,  and  sailed  thence  for  the  coast  of  Brazil.  Driven 
off  by  the  hostile  Portuguese  and  natives  with  the  loss  of  seven  men, 
they  re.ichcd  a  small  island  off  the  coast,  where  they  found  fresh  pro- 
visions and  water,  of  which  they  were  much  in  need.  The  admiral's  ship 
was  injured  by  being  driven  on  the  rocky  coast  of  the  Island  of  Santa 
Clara,  and  one  of  the  yachts  was  abandoned  for  want  of  men.  Noort 
also  lost  one  of  his  captains,  who  was  buried  at  Port  Desire.  Here  they 
were  attacked  by  the  Patagonians,  losing  some  men,  but  v-reaking  a  ter- 
rible revenge;  they  annihilated  the  whole  tribe.  This  was  but  a  few 
days  before  the  close  of  the  year  1599.  Some  weeks  later  they  lost  one 
of  the  two  larger  vessels  in  a  storm,  and  the  squadron  was  reduced  to 
the  flag-ship  and  one  yacht. 

But  now  their  fortunes  began  to  mend.  They  were  kindly  received  by 
the  natives  of  some  islands  on  the  Pacific  coast  which  they  had  reached 
through  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  The  rich  settlements  of  the  Spaniards  in 
Chili  and  Peru  afforded  opportunities  for  plunder  of  which  Noort  and  his 
nien  were  not  slow  to  avail  1  liemselves.     In  those  davs  English  and  Dutch 


111 


pi'  li 


BATTLE  WITH  SPANIARDS. 


n 

as  well  as  Spatiianls  iiml  P/^.i.f.. 

.h.  .i.H,c.,.  ,„.,„.p.,„„  „,  „„„„„,  „:";^  ,,,^^-;  -■■  -■  -.  ™ 

pine  Islands,  Oc.    , .   where  ,l,ev   ,     T  "  """'""'  ""^  ''''"'''• 

spirit  orcucuy  „„.,  ,.„p„ci,v  ,h  ,    ir       K    ''  """■*•■  """'"'  '"■""'  "y  " 

.■™.  u,e  c„i„L,-„„,!  :,rx ,::::::  ^'r-'^-^  '^^^■'™''  '- 

n.ics,  the  Spaniard  and  Port  j  „  .  "-'""  o.,a. 

..f  those  ,l,„s  wore  but  little  1     ,     '"™"'' "'"  ""'h""-"!  "aval  force, 

-ui,  ,e„  ,■„  „,„  .„„  s,.„,, ,.  „  :r"a  ::r: .t.r"?t;" 

cnf,':icrcment  they  lost  five  incM,  i;n    .         .  ^"  ^'"^ 

Spaniards  l„st  two  h„"2  d  , ''^^  *"'        "°  °' '""' "^'P'"  '""  "- 

iiar.oi,  for.,, ;: :,  ,:r::'r".'^" """ "^'''' """  '"■  '-- 

W.-.I .Inable  car.l  X^    ^  l^ ''""'  "  ''''''  """'  ="'■"''  '■"'- 

lie     He  ™,  I      1,7  ''"''""■'■■<'  '"  *e  waters  of  Bor. 

'K".     "'""■•«'1<---'II  haste  to  reach  home  by  the  Cane  „rc.    m 
arrived  »,    Rotter.lan,,    Au-.    .6     ,6o.      f  l^'  ""'' 

y^trs.    He  was  the  first  of  h  "'°'' ■•'"'=■•  ^'  voyage  of  over  three 

«>  ■»'  piece  of   „L      ,2:  '""Tl  '"  ^^—isate  the  world;  and 

-—as or"::::  ;,;t::  :,rr:,r  °""r '~ 

<l»  Spaniards  were  no.  Z,  invincib,        ,  ,,7  7      """  """ 

,»'-%  found  .hen,  on  the  land     T        ,  I  '  I    "r         "    ""'    '"" 

listed  the  followin.,  year  -.nd  .u      .  ™^'''''"  '''"'  P"*- 

iranshted  ■  ,  ''''  '°  """='^  ""'-■""<'■'  "'at  it  was 

l^r    r      :,^r^'   '-^"'■="-      ^-  Noor.  survived   his  return 
-  -'•  >cais,  being  on  reconi  as  late  as  i6i  i. 


•/"'' 


^'Bitmimiim^mMimaMm 


Miiii! 


68 


VOrAGE   OF  MAHV. 


But,  although  this  famous  voyage  attracted  the  attention  of  the  world, 
and  won  great  ere  lit  for  Van  Noort  among  his  countrymen  for  the  skill 
and  courage  he  had  displayed,  it  was  of  little  commercial  advantage. 
Almost  simultaneously  with  Van  Noort's  expedition,  a  squadron  of  five 
sliips,  fitted  out  mainly  at  the  expense  of  the  merchant  Verhagen,  left 
Rotterdam  under  the  command  of  James  Mahu,  with  the  famous  Eng- 
lishman, William  Adams,  as  pilot,  and  Sebald  de  Weert  as  captain  of  one 
of  the  vessels.  They  lingered  too  long  on  the  African  coast,  losing 
Mahu  and  some  of  the  crews.  Reaching  the  Straits  of  Magellan  they 
were  detained  therein  five  months  by  adverse  winds,  and  suflfered  much 
from  scarcity  of  provisions,  and  the  severity  of  thj  climate.  They  were 
reduced  to  the  necessity  of  eating  raw  herbs  and  shell-fish,  which  pro- 
duced disease,  and  added  to  their  misery.  Some  of  the  ships  finally 
effected  a  passage  into  the  Pacific,  but  were  dispersed  in  a  storm,  Adams 
succeeded  in  reaching  Japan  in  one  of  these  vessels,  with  only  five  men 
able  to  work  on  their  arrival.  His  fortune,  and  that  of  his  companions 
in  Japan,  possesses  much  interest,  but  is  foreign  to  the  scope  of  this 
work.  Sebald  de  Weert,  detained  in  the  strait  four  months  longer, 
where,  too.  Van  IS  -jrt  passed  him  by  without  rendering  any  assistance, 
finally  effected  his  escape  into  the  Atlantic,  and  discovered  the  islands 
now  known  as  the  Falkland,  but  which  he  named  the  Sebaldine.  After 
a  tedious  voyage  homeward  he  reached  the  Meuse  some  time  in  the  year 
1600,  with  only  thirty-five  men  out  of  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  rive. 
This  expedition,  or  the  part  of  it  which  arrived  in  Japan,  led  to  the  sup- 
planting of  the  Portuguese  by  the  Duvch  in  the  lucrative  trade  with  that 
country. 


1; 

:,'H 

ifi 

r! 

M 

J'' 

^'  1 ,1 

1 ,            ,  i 

,    !                ; 

1       .      ;  , 

rill  i 
•i  .\  'i 

i  ; 

tion  of  the  world, 
'men  for  the  skill 
:rcial  advantage, 
squadron  of  five 
It  Verhagcn,  left 
the  famous  Eng- 
as  captain  of  one 
can  coast,  losing 
)f  Magellan  they 
ad  suffered  much 
late.  They  were 
-fish,  which  pro- 
the  ships  finally 
1  a  storm.  Adams 
ith  only  five  men 
f  his  companions 
the  scope  of  this 
-  months  longer, 
ig  any  assistance, 
vered  the  islands 
Sebaldine.  After 
e  time  in  the  year 
hundred  and  rive, 
in,  led  to  the  sup- 
/e  trade  with  that 


PART    IL 


NEARLY  flRETIE  UnYflEES. 


■Kj- 


IritI 


"  Up !  uf!  let  us  a  voyage  take ! 
Why  sit  we  here  at  ease? 
Find  tis  a  vessel  tight  and  strongs 

Bound  for  the  northern  seas. 
There  shall  we  see  the  fierce  white  bear  j 

The  sleepy  seals  aground^ 
And  the  spotiting  whales  that  to  and  fro 
Sail  with  a  dreary  sound.'''' 

— HO  WITT. 


i     v  'it 

i    \    :  llil  i  1 


70 


CHAPTER  VII. 


PIKST    AKCTIC    VOYAGE    UNDEK     BE^ET-KII.,       v,., 

"°~-""CKE„  „v  ..WAO.S-:  ::;rop  "  ™' 

™„„,.„    AXn    EAST    VC.AOE    O,.-    H^SO.  ™"°"  " 

of  Davis  in    I  cS?        r^„,w  ,  """""'"':'  t™  last  voyage 

'5CI7-      Capt.  Weymouth  was  intrusted  with  n,. 
ture.     Passing  titrougit  Hudson's  Sttait,  l,e  .-eache    1       .  ™'" 

son's  Bay  without  disaster;  h„.  „„»  d,i  en  b        h  ",     ""  '"  """■ 

returned  without  aehieving  any  definite  tlu         '      ™    "'  ""^  ^'"" 

Cstinetively  Arctic  voyages   under  English   ius„l„s  ,. 
fl.«  voyage  of  Steven    Bennet,  in  ,60,       He  ,,  u  -°''" """  *= 

»l,  the  "Godspeed  "  fitted  „nt    ,  „  ""*  """^  '""■"  ^'«- 

wapcuu,     nttcu  out  at  the  exnonc/.  r.ru  *i  ,  . 

C..rie,.  and  iaden  with  a  eargo  witieh  eta'  i  ::eT  fr  "'""' 
».  Koia,  the  Duteh  trading  post  in'  the  north  of  L  ,  ,  If^Z  "' 
h.s  goods  he  was  to  proceed  to  the  Arctic  Oc.  '  '    ''"«^ 

ery.     Bennet  complied  with  hi      '  ,""=  °'"""'  °"  "  ^y^gc  of  discov- 
voyage  from  Ko,„'  I  tW  r  '    r  ^T "'  '"  T  '"'"""'''■     °"  "'= 

™..  ..a  discovered  nine  .::\::::z'::r^:::^::-^^- 

Bennet  found  foxes  l>iit   .,^   •   i    .  •  island.     Here 

'-•     Hcdeter^i::,::^:^^  -—■;--  Cher, 

c;."...etce,  and   Benne.'s   err  Lit  rt  r.:  .t^  •'*''  " 
them.      Thev  cruel Iv  h];„  i    i  .,  •  '"^"''^  '^''»''l?o  of 

.e..p.ed  to,.;''t;2  i  t:i::"""r:":'  -■"'^'--"<'  •■'-  - , 

tl>™  much  for  out  of  J  '■'"'  """"j'  ''"I  "«-»vail 

iif,.,.,.      r,    ,t     b  ,        '"'      """'  ""^  ■''•^"""''  "-'V  Killed  „„lv 

■         ^^'  '""«  ''^•""  «""lf".  "->■  -cceeded  not'  only  i„  .^. 


I  1 


i"i!iili 


7!^ 


ENTERi'RlSB  OF  THE  MUSCO  VT  CGMPAiSfT. 


ting  a  car"^(^  of  teeth,  but  in  boiling  the  blubber  into  oil.  In  i6o6,  Ben- 
net  collectcil  in  a  fortnight  three  hogsheads  of  teeth  and  twenty-two  bar- 
rels of  oil.  In  1608,  he  was  again  on  Cherry  Island,  and  in  seven  hours 
he  and  his  companions  killed  1,000  walruses.  A  couple  were  brouo-ht 
alive  to  England,  and  the  male  was  exhibited  at  court,  "where  the  king 
and  many  honorable  personages  beheld  it  with  admiration  for  the 
strangeness  of  the  same,  the  like  whereof  had  never  before  been  seen  in 
England.  Not  long  after  it  fell  sick  and  died.  As  the  beast  in  shape  is 
very  strange,  so  it  is  of  strange  docility,  and  apt  to  be  taught,  as  by  good 
experience  we  often  proved." 

The  weatiier  at  Cherry  Island  at  the  end  of  June,  was  reported  to  be 
calm  and  clear,  and  about  as  warm  as  in  England  at  the  same  time  of 
year.  Three  lead  mines  were  discovered;  and  in  1609  five  English  ships 
were  there  at  one  Jme,  with  crews  numbering  182  men,  all  loading  with 
furs,  oil  and  walrus  teeth. 

Meanwhile,  John  Knight  had  been  sent  out  by  the  Muscovy  Com- 
pany, April  iS,  1606,  in  command  of  the  "  Hopewell "  of  40  tons,  to 
resume  the  search  for  the  Northwest  Passage.  He  had  previously  com- 
manded a  Danish  vessel  on  a  voyage  to  Greenland,  and  was  a  brave 
and  experienced  seaman.  Detained  for  a  fortnight  in  Pentland  Firth, 
he  struck  across  the  Atlantic  on  a  due  west  course.  May  13,  and  about 
the  middle  of  June  found  himself  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  Here  he 
encountered  stormy  weather,  with  a  north  wind  which  brought  down 
upon  him  huge  masses  of  ice.  The  shij?  was  soon  surrounded  with  it, 
and  her  rudder  was  carried  away.  Her  hull  also  had  been  severely 
nipped,  and  Capt.  Knight  was  fain  to  take  refuge  in  the  first  inlet,  to 
overhaul  his  ship  and  examine  the  stores  and  provisions. 

His  first  chance  not  proving  satisfactory,  he  crossed  the  inlet  on  the 
next  day,  the  26th  of  June,  with  his  brother  and  one  of  the  crew.  They 
were  seen  to  ascend  a  small  hill  not  far  from  the  shore,  and  before  passiiv^ 
to  the  other  side  they  waved  their  hats  as  a  parting  salutation.  Disappear- 
ing on  the  other  side,  the  boatmen  waited  on  the  shore  for  their  return. 
The  day  wore  on,  the  sun  went  down,  and  evening  darkened  into  night 
without   bringing  any  sign  of  their   return.      The  men  fired  ofl'  their 


AN2\ 

In  1606,  Ben- 
twenty-two  bar- 
d  in  seven  hours 
e  were  brouefht 
where  the  king 
liratio'i  for  the 
ore  been  seen  in 
jeast  in  shape  is 
jght,  as  by  good 

s  reported  to  be 
e  same  time  of 
le  English  ships 
all  loading  with 

Muscovy  Com- 
'  of  40  tons,  to 
previously  Gom- 
el was  a  brave 
Pentland  Firth, 
y  12,  and  about 
idor.     Here  he 

brought  down 
Dunded  with  it, 

been  severely 
ic  first  inlet,  to 

the  inlet  on  the 
le  crew.  They 
1  before  passin;jf 
m.  Disappear- 
for  their  return, 
ened  into  night 
fired  oft"  their 


ATTACKED  Br  SA  VAGES. 


7fi 

.nuskcts,    shouted  long    and  loudly,   and  blew  their   trumnets    1    . 
answer  came.     Disheartened  and  alarmed  they  pulled       7      't^     ,"" 
w.ththesad  news  that  the  commander  .nd  hf-  '^ 

less  lost      To   add  f.  M    •        •  ,  companions  were  doubt- 

»"  .i>oi;c.ffl  ;,.::,;■;:;:,.: ': '"'""  "-^  ^•"^'^'-^  -'"■  "-i 

.olief  of  .ho  ,„is,i„„  n  ""  '""'  """='^  ">  8°  to  .he 

---,...„..::;:z::T::r:-r 

»-o.,s  for  ,he  .fa.,  of  .l-.eir  fHends, .,.  .Zl^'j  ,        fT 

to  them.  v'^ugc  or   tneir  fate  came 

On   the    night  of   Tune   2S   fK»., 

.0  .nake  .he,„    share  .he  sa™e  ft         TH  '    "'"  "''<^""''  ''«''™'"«' 
™a<,e  „p  .heir  ™i„.,„  if  ,,  .:/:;.  ^^Z^-^.    ""'3'  eigh.,  h„.  .He, 

»  .»r,e  „,a,iff,  .he  co.pa..i„.,  If  .he  r  .  ^  I   f:::,.'.!"-     ""■" 
.1.0  fierce  savages,  „„<,  soon  dispersed  .hem      Tl  ''  """''" 

m,„«l  l,„v„e  i„  (heir  ranks  as  well  ™  ^^  ""^  '™'^'''"->' 

««'  .0  .heir  ea„oes  and  mil:;      ,:  ^Jf '^'f "^  •'--•  -''  'He, 
.1.0  ice-floe,  and  were  long  in  ge..in,  b  ™„  '  ''"'  """"«'"'  '" 

-  v„Ue,  af.er  voUe,  fro,;    .if  ""'rof    ""f  "''":  '""''''"  ^^ 
cries  groans  and  lamenta.ions  ren.  Z  ^^       """"'  "'™' 

The,  were  small  of  s.a..^  of,  .  ■,'  "       """''  ""  "«'''  '"'""-- 

-  ».■ ....  -.1,  and  r;;r  rrt:  :i:r  r  "'■  ""■  '■■•■ 

^—1  ....n^bcrs,  .he  Englishmen  pref^-red  .     .^        ^  V^T  .!" 
.co-coveied  sea  in  .heir  disabled  ship  rather  .h,n      k     T     C 
second  onslangh.  from  .he  barbaro  s  sa     ^  lorn  .  i^'  ""''  f  " 
ailclin-  cannibalism  .o  .heir  „,l  ■  ''  ""'Pocted  of 

^op,  c„ns,an.l,  aH,  e  ^jT\r"'''-      '^'"-"  ^  ™*'--.  a..'. 

of  FO..O  on    .1  u     '         ■  ""■"  ""'■■'^'''  *<>>■  --'-d  .ho  island 

"„o  on    tlic  nor.heas.  coast  of   Newf<>un,ll„„l     t  i 
cliicflv  b,  the  current  m,,!  ,1,  •  •         """""""an'l.  J..ly  23,    aide<l 

»*.od  4.he  ir  :„:;:::;;:::."-'»  °"\ "--  '"^  "■^- 

"'■^  '1.0  vos.el,  the,  set  sail  f:   En",  ^^^  ^^^  ^"-'\  '"  ■^P"^'- 

o„  .he  .,,„  of  September  of  .he  san;    ^  r  '  """■'"'  '"  '"'">■ 


f.p, 


wmmmmm 


111"' 


'Wm. 


m 


74  VOTAGB  Br  WAT  OF  NORTH  POLE  ATTEMPTED. 

VOyx\GES  OF  HUDSON. 

In  1607  Henry  Hudson  sailed  from  England  in  command  of  one 
small  vessel  with  ten  sailors,  furnished  hy  some  merchants  of  London,  to 
search  once  more  for  a  route  to  China.  This  time  it  was  neither  the 
Northwest  nor  Northeast  Passage  that  was  to  be  sought,  but  an  entirely 
new  route  by  the  North  Pole.  This  was  therefore  the  first  polar 
VOYAGE,  properly  so  called;  and,  like  the  preceding  ones  by  the  other 
routes,  was  projected  in  the  interests  of  commerce.  The  plan  had  been 
suggested  eighty  years  before  by  Robert  Thornc,  who  may  therefore  be 

regarded  as  the  first  visionary 
who  indulged  in  uttered  dreams 
of  reaching  the  Pole.  It  remained 
in  abeyance  while  relocated  efforts 
were  put  forth  to  find  the  desired 
route  throusrh  more  southern  and 
less  forbidding  waters.  Whcthei' 
now  revived  by  Hudson  or  his 
patrons  is  not  known,  but  he  was 
intrusted  with  its  execution.  He 
soon  reached  latitude  73*^  on  the 
east  coast  of  Greenland,  and  pro- 
ceeded thence  to  the  nortliern 
point  of  Spitzbergcn,  in  latitude  So''.  Despite  his  most  strenuous  efforts 
to  push  forward  to  the  Pole,  he  could  only  reach  Si^  30',  his  further  pas- 
sage  being  blocked  by  the  ice.  He  returned  to  England,  with  the  con- 
viction, often  shared  by  many  since  his  time,  that  the  passage  to  the^Pole 
was  forever  made  impassable  by  the   ice. 

In  160S  he  made  a  second  voyage,  followed  by  Barentz— an  interme- 
diate route  between  what  might  be  called  the  North  Passage  of  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  the  Northeast  Passage  by  the  Straits  of  Vaigats.  He 
reached  Nova  Zembla  and  went  as  high  as  72^  25',  but  was  again  driven 
back  by  the  ice.  In  1609,  in  the  service  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Com- 
pany, he  tried  the  Northeast  Passage  an<l  was  again  baftled  hy  tlic  ice. 


IIENKV    HUDSON. 


He  gave  „p  all  h„,,e  ,ha,  ,h„t  ,.„„„.  ,„„,j  ^^^,. 

""■■""-  <"■«—.  -<.  p.occ.e<,ed  a,  o,  cT    ^ To       ""^      '"  '"^  '"= 
■mninff  to  make  Davis'  Strait    ,„  I  ,  opposite  .llrectio,,, 


VIEW  ON  THE  HUDSON 

goocifortune  to  discover  the  island  or  m'       ■'  """"'    '"^    '^''^'  ^'^ 


'smm#' 


"'"""""""'ji'tiiif 


78 


Mill 


Miii; 


iild 


,fi    rfill; 


urn 

'''■(''..1 

,:    I 


KENNEBEC  COLONT. 


son  almost  to  the  site  of  tlie  present  city  of  Albany,  aiul  took  possession 
of  the  country  in  the  name  of  the  Netherlands. 

THE  FOURTH  AND  LAST  VOYAGE  OF  HUDSON. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  Hudson's  fust  voyage  of  discovery  to 
Arctic  seas,  in  1607,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Muscovy  Company,  two 
voyages  of  colonization  to  the  coasts  of  the  North  American  continent, 
were  undertaken  at  tlic  expense  of  two  other  English  companies,  the 
London  and  the  Plymouth.  May  13,  1607,  twelve  days  after  the  depart- 
ure of  Hudson,  a  squadron  of  three  vessels,  under  the  command  of 
Christopher  Newport,  was  sent  out  to  Virginia.  There  were  105  col- 
onists; and  these  founded  amid  great  suffering  and  despite  much  disun- 
ion, the  first  permanent  English  settlement  in  America,  at  Jamestown. 
Among  them  were  Bartholomew  Gosnold,  who  had  souglit  to  establish 
a  colony,  in  1602,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Cod,  but  failed;  and  John 
Smith,  who  explored  Virginia  and  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  the  coast  of 
New  England,  some  years  later,  in  1614. 

The  second  English  colony  of  the  year  1607  was  the  Kennebec  col- 
ony, on  the  coast  of  Maine,  which  was  sent  out  under  the  command  of 
George  Popham,  three  months  later,  in  August.  They  were  forty-nine 
in  number,  and  failing  to  find  the  mines,  which  were  the  primary  object 
of  their  venture,  they  returned  to  England  in  160S.  The  French  also 
had  made  several  voyages  of  colonization,  and  in  160S  founded  Quebec. 
But  we  cannot  turn  aside  to  record  the  numerous  voyages  of  this  sort 
that  soon  became  an  almost  everyday  occurrence;  and  we  must  return  to 
our  subject.  On  the  17th  of  April,  16 10,  Hudson  left  London  for  his 
last  voyage.  His  ship  was  named  the  Discovery,  of  but  fifty-five  tons 
burden,  and  provisioned  for  only  six  months.  In  all  but  the  skill,  cour- 
age and  experience  of  Hudson,  this  expedition  lacked  the  chief  elements 
of  success.  It  was  specially  unfortunate  in  the  crew  selected  who,  as  the 
sequel  showed,  were  utterly  unworthy  of  their  brave  commander. 
On  the  1st  of  May  they  left  Harwich  .,  the  southern  cor.st  of 
England,  and  sailed  for  the  Shetland  and  Faroe  Islands.  Leaving 
these    behind,    they    sighted    Iceland    on    the     nth,    and    beino-    en"- 


fmso^  n^r  DISCOVEUBD. 


.u,ch„,..  '"«''••  "'  ■■""..,„.  „„  UK.   rocks,  ,„.y  ,^ 

When   die   fo<r   ]ift„,i  ,, 

7"f"" .*.« '-'ho... ,  :.',:*7°' ■•" "-  w- of  „,; 

"•■"'"'    '-'■'■■<'.    '1-r    .■o„che/.,,e Tl      '    '-'"°"''    '"    ■">"    a    fo>v,. 
"'c...mwc„.,|o>v„j„,.„„„,,  „';"'>•  7"  "-  ice;   „„„  „„•,  „J, 

"f  cv.  o«o,„.,o„.  Ti.; ;  r::,:f ='■  -^  -"»'-  <-  .h.'  .ici,:; 

™.lof  J„„ec„-scovc...<,  Rosolutio,   W  i"'^''7.°"'™«'.  -.>  -  .he 

'"  ="»P°  "-  ■-•=0,..,,  Hudson  diLverl  "    ""  "'  '"^  "'"l-- 

:'T;    ^•■"""»"  "".nd,  l„-ffe,ed  C   ^  J'"' "i'™'' -™-«' «».!»  and 

2  occ..,-o„„„,  o„  .„  ,„„  J    .   J^      -  '--  o„.  „,  3igh,,  and  ,„„,. 

.I^cov„ed-.o„a.s„vel,i,„„„,  "  ""  '"■'^'-  »""  *ai,  previously 
«;;'-in,a,  B.,,  ,,,,„,^  dCJ ':;:;-;■''--''- be,  he  caned' 
=9.1>  of  Septembc,     I,  i„,     .,      ',       °"  '^e  feast  of  St.  Michael    the 

,,  "'^'hcuai  ..-Odes.,,:':  ■  L  -  T™^"  "■■"-■■  "^  ^'^  ''o„: 

*e  great  Nor,h  R,.,,.  .,„oug,,  ..i^h    '       T"'"  "'  *=  P''""-  /--. 
P-«c  .he  River  of  .„e  Mo.;,!:'  '"  '"'  ™""^  ""Pe^  -o  reacf  .hj 

Beclouded  hy  fo„s,  stranded  on  shoal,  „,    , 
^'"P  ."*  slow  progress,  „„,1  „",  ^e  t      "^'^  ""  "^^'-'ng  rocks,  the 
"••'""  «-  '""S  and  col,,,  andTho     .^      7"""'  '"^'^  """  '"-*    The 
"«  "P  all  intention  of  ret  acin  '  h-  ^•■''  ™'"='-^''  ""''h  ^now    Giv 

;-  *e  coveted  North.: 'pi  :  ,:;-•  ^--^  '"  "'e  hopcTf  ^I 
S"  .n.o   winter    ,„arte,..      No  e Ih    T""' ""*°"  """^  P-P»™' 

/  ^^'^  "ozen  in. 


"'"^•'"■"«' 


lis 


78 


SUPPOSED    DISCOVEUr  OF  SOUTH  SEA. 


lil!lliilJ.,  :    ii 


On  examination,  the  provisions  were  found  so  nearly  exhausted,  notwith- 
standin<f  the  occasional  slifjht  assistance  derived  from  h.mtin-,  that  it  l,c- 
c.me  necessary  to  put  the  n.  u  on  short  rations.  A  reward  tbr  every  ad- 
dition  to  their  supplies  .-ms  offered  hy  the  commander  in  the  hope  ,.f  stim- 
ulalin-  the  men  to  extraordinary  exertions  ia  hunlii,  ,.  Tlic  alternative 
of  makin-  an  effort  to  escape  before  thoy  liad  been  cmpletcly  hemmed 
in  seems  to  have  heen  the  clioicc  of  the  jrrcater  portion  of  his  crcNv,  and 
his  adverse  decision  irritated  them. 

About    the    middle  of    Movember    the  -unner    died,    and    the    mal- 
contents attributed   his  untimely  end  to  the  severity  of  m.c  < omniander. 
Being  lilled  with  the  sublime  anticipation  tliat  in  this  broad,  expanded  sea, 
was  to  be  found  the  outlet  so  long  desired  and  so  patiently  sought  for  more' 
than  a  century  by  the  chief  navigators  of  Europe,  may  have  rendered  Hud- 
son somewhat  insensible  to  the  more  commonplace  aspirations  of  his  su- 
bordinates, who  in  the  midst  of  such  dreary  surroundings  could  not  help 
longing  for  the  sight  of  home.      And  they  felt  that  if  there  was  now  but 
little  chance  of  their  ever  enjoying  that  gratification,  it  was  all  due  to  tne 
perverse  obstinacy  of  their  commander.      They  might  ere  this  have  been 
safely  under  cover  of  their  respective  roofs  in  Merrie  England,  instead  of 
focing  death  by  starvation  on  the  dreary  shores  of  this  inhospitable  land,  had 
he  yielded  to  their  suggestions  four  months  earlier. 

When  they  hud  passed  through  Hudson  Strait  and  entered  the 
great  sea  in  August,  most  of  them  believed  that  the  coveted  passage 
and  South  Sea  had  alike  been  found.  Three  months  were  wasted, 
as  they  felt,  in  explorations  which  should  have  been  left  for  the  next 
season's  work,  and  the  six  months  for  which  they  had  undertaken 
service  would  have  expired  by  the  time  they  arri->.d  in  England. 
The  reasoning  was  specious,  but  defective.  It  ignored  the  funda- 
mental principle  of  associated  action.  Executive  authority  may  riglitly 
be  counseled  or  even  remonstrated  witii,  but  must  not  be  contravened 
under  penalty  of  disaster.  The  smoldering  fires  of  discuntent  burned 
secretly  through  the  winter,  ready  at  any  moment  to  break  into 
inextinguishable  flame  by  the  fanning  of  any  fresh  breeze  of  disaf- 
fection which  might  arise.      Meanwhile,  they  had  been  able  to  subsist 


j2^ff" 


^■'^^TE^^^^CJ  ivrn,  SAVAGES. 


l»'rly  well  „n  Ihcir  scuu  store,  •,„,l  ,l„. 

kill-l „„„  „f  „,;,„  ,wul  "^"-  ""7''»  '"  "--  h"".in,,-.    They 

; --  --  -"-  n..  "ir, :::  .::':r  -,•.--■■•«'.-- 

liave  .,cl>,„Hvle,l„e.l   thae   ,h,.    .  ,  """">■  ""••J'  """I'l 

v. I»  *o.-  W,s  l..„„      ,  1  "r:;."!^  -""    -   -'Ho...    re„,„„„H. 

-  -.c„  .he  ,e„i,„  en,..e  „fC    :'.'::  "'°'""""  "  "  '>"  "'■"  ""l-^ 

W".«c.M     ,„  .he  inevi.able.      The  ho^  ^'^'    '  ""•''>■ "''''-'""' 

-""  it  w,-,,,  .„„  hue  ,„  „«  ,„„      ,    "^  "'  """"  •"•"'  '-'"  W"  -p,ivc 
W»  ".ilimely  ,„„,  ,„„,,,,„„,,  ,;,^_;^.""'  ••'  '  """:-^-J  n>i»l>a|,,  a,„|  ,,„  ,„ 

shoul,,  ,„.l  have  been  held  ,es,',„,„iw;  '""'  "'  ■""'*•'"'""    •■'"■  "■'*''  I'- 

pr„vMo„,  .„  ha«e,..     o!!  .t  J    '   '"'  ""^"  ""f^-^'oly  had  „„  .„,p,„, 
■Ic'tailed  .ocalch  fish,  i„  „hich  .hev  I,.,'?"""  '""  ""^  '"  ''"'"  ""••"   "^''^ 

l>i.l   |...'cano„s   relief      ,t   ;,  „  ,"""'  "™"''' """"'"''"'» "'"P^Ty 

«i\.j.      i[    ]§  supposed   1  hsif   (I  • 

commamler  was  di.,t!„oilv  l„,J,  r  .    ,  '    '■'"nspn-acy  agaiiise  the 

oH.er,,,,ata„d.,ttc„,pt     ',r;      ■''  "". '  """»"-•     "»  '    ^  «n. 

ho  had  seen  fires    ,cc     „„    L?  .''''T''"'^''''''"  ^^'"'  "^^  "»«ves  where 

-.h,.t„re.  csxt:::::^: " '" ""-  "-'- 

"«  he  railed  t,.  find  an,,  anddcern^m:    ,,1     .r™:™'  't'"^"'" 
<.fpi"V.s,„n,  was  almost  exh„u,s.«l    ,„d  .,f,  r'""'"  "''^-     Thestoek      ■ 

J-.rins  the  whole  winter    ■.ct.nl  "  °"  ■''''°"  """"■""■■■e 

.hoeveorrestn^in^ti!  :;:';::;;■"" """  '"•-'"'"'  "-■  «" 

'»-'  "y  'he  wa,  .he,  had  c-o.el  d t  I'Tr  '  '  '""'"''"•'  '"  '^"^- 
.hc  provisions  hro„,ht,ro„,  ho.  I  /  "  ^  ""l  7^"'  --"-  <" 
'•'-es,  e,„all,  divided  an.on,  then,  Ei ll ^  I'::  "l  """•  ■""'  ' 
»™-fto.-  ;    .,d  wi.h  s.riet  s,.,£.de,.ia,  .he/.n  !h  i       ",  T'"  '"'^■■' 

o"  these  shor.  rations  £„r  .wo  „   .  i         ,,         ,     '        "   '""'•  ''••'™  ''™' 
V  the  s.a.emc„,  .ha,  i„  „ne  davt,       I,     ,  ""'^  ^'"'"  '     ■*'"™ 

'«"-.,  w,h  .he  usnal  pe„a    '  or  s  r::.?"";'"":'  '"'  ""*  »'■ 

^00.. ...■  .„„.,„„„, priv!„ion;.Ha. ;; ::;:':;."?'"" ""-' 

consequence.  ^    ^°'    several    luys   in 

The    spring  had  passed,  and  thev  h.  =   -  , 

'         ^^"^  ^'^^^  ^^''•^y  ^«tercd  on  their  second 


II 


:|l!'h<    '     1 


W  HUDSON  AND  CJiElV  LOST. 

summer;  when,  on  the   aist  of  June,  three  of  the    .lisafTected   suddenly 
pounced   upon  Hudson   as  he  came  on   deck,  an<l  securely    bound    him. 
With  his  son  John,  and  the  sick,  six  in  numher,  and  the  carpenter,  sturdy 
John  King,  whom  they  were  unable  to  enlist   in  their  wicked  scheme,  the 
gallant  commander  of  the  "Discovery,"  the  immortal  Hudson,  was  thrust 
into  the  ship's  l)oat,  which  was  cut  adrift,  and  left  t..  shift  for  itself.     The 
mutineers  then  stood  to  sea,  steering   to   the    eastwanl    from   tlu  Ir    late 
winter  ciuarters.     In  a  few  days  they  ran  into  the  ice  in    a    sK.rm,  and 
were  held  fast  fourteen  days.     It   was  probably  in  this  storm    that   IIu<l- 
son  and  his  companions  were  lost,  as  they  were  never  afterward  seen   or 
heard  from.     So  perished  toward   the  close  of  June,  1611,   Hemy    Hud- 
son,  one  of  the    most    able    and    distinguished    navigators    of    any    age 
With    very  inadequate    resources  his  great    talents  secured   the   highest 
results.     One  after  another  he  tried  the  several   proposed   passages    to 
China,  and  his  clear  judgment  pronounced  them  all  impracticable,  at  least 
for  commerce.     He  searched    the  Atlantic   coast   from  the    Chesapeake 
to  Greenland,  and  satisfied  himself  that  there   remained    but   one  chance 
for  reaching  the   Pacific  by   the  Northwest,  namely,  by   the  open    sea 
south  of  Greenland.     He  probably  died  in  the  conviction  that  Hudson's 
Bay  was  not  the  opening  sought,  and  had    he  not  been  cut  off  by  the 
treachery  of  his  men,  he  might  after  one  or  two  more  voyages  have  an- 
ticipated McClure's  discovery  by  over  two  hundred  years. 

By  the  37th  of  July  the  ship  had  reached  tlie  entrance  of  the  Bay, 
and  on  the  3Sth  some  of  the  men  landed  to  shoot  fowl.  On  making  the 
land  at  Cape  Dudley  Diggs-so  named  the  year  before  by  Hudson  in 
honor  of  one  of  the  patrons  of  the  expedition,  as  was  Cape  Wolsten- 
holme  for  another— they  encountered  some  natives  bound  on  the  same 
errand,  with  whom  they  trafficked  peaceably.  The  next  day,  however, 
when,  unsuspicious  of  danger  they  resumed  the  intercourse,  they  were 
attacked  by  the  natives,  and  four  out  of  the  six  engaged  in  the  enter- 
prise were  either  killed  outright  or  died  within  a  few  days,  of  their 
wounds.  Others  of  the  mutineers  died  on  the  homeward  voyage,  and 
all  suflered  dreadful  privations.  They  finally  reached  Bere  Haven,  in 
Bantry  Bay,  on  the  southwest  coast  of   Ireland,  whence,  witTi    the   help 


L'ctetl    suddenly 

y   bound    him. 

rpentt'r,  sturdy 

I'd  scheme,  the 

son,  was  thrust 

or  itself.     The 

om   thtlr    late 

a    storm,   and 

rm    tiiat    Ilud- 

rward  seen    or 

Henry    Ilud- 

of    any    a<^e 

d   the   hijifhest 

I  passages  to 
icable,  at  least 
^'  Chesapeake 
it  one  chance 
the  open  sea 
:hat  Hudson's 
cut  off  by  the 
ages  have  an- 

:  of  the  Bay, 

• 

II  making  the 
^  Hudson  in 
pe  Wolsten- 
\  on  the  same 
lay,  however, 
c,  they  were 
in  the  enter- 
ays,  of  their 
voyage,  and 
e  Haven,  in 
itli    the   help 


^"'"''"""'""'' "^'■■c,' a^a,..-.^. 


81 


C   C       1  — ■"^-'ijv/y. 


ai»»5fflfe"i-   .. 


f  "I 


■•<  m 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


i 


iili    iM 


VOYAGES  OF  POOLE BISCAYAX  WHALE  FISHERS — RUTTOX    IN    SEARCH 

OF      HUDSON hall's      VOYAGE      TO      GREENLAND  —  COMMERCIAL 

voyage    under    baffin  fotherby bylot discovery    of 

Baffin's  bay. 

In  1610,  161 1,  and  1612,  Jonas  Poole,  in  the  employ  of  the  Mus- 
covy Company,  made  three  distinct  voyages  to  the  Arctic  regions,  or 
Northern  Ocean.  Like  four  others  of  the  same  class  by  Steven  Bcnnet, 
1603-8,  they  were  all  divested  of  any  strong  claim  to  scientific  or 
geographical  voyages,  though  projected  in  part  for  that  purpose,  mainly, 
no  doubt,  by  the  force  of  civcumstances.  On  their  arrival  in  those  waters 
the  commanders  found  very  little  to  discover  or  explore.  Seeing  no 
avenue  to  new  dIscove?-ies  in  the  wide  waste  of  water  studded  with  ice- 
bergs insteal  of  islands,  they  are  not  to  be  blamed,  if,  deeming  it  of  more 
advantage  to  return  laden  than  empty,  they  turned  their  attention  to  the 
bunting  of  seals  and  walruses  on  the  coasts  already  discovered,  especially 
on  Cherry  Island,  the  Bear  Island  of  Barents,  of  which  the  Muscovy 
Company  took  formal  and  exclusive  possession  in  1609.  In  his  first 
voyage  as  commander,  in  1610,  Poole  went  as  high  as  78^^,  and  in  his 
report  emphasized  the  observation  of  some  of  his  predecessors  that  the 
climate  in  the  open  sea  toward  the  Pole  is  more  temperate  than  in  lower 
latitudes.  «  A  passage,"  he  says,  "  may  be  as  soon  attained  this  way  by 
the  Pole  as  any  unknown  way  whatsoever,  by  reason  the  sun  doth  give 
a  great  heat  in  this  climate,  and  the  ice  that  freezcth  here  is  nothin"-  so 
huge  as  I  have  seen  in  73°." 

He  finally  reached  79^^50'  on  this  trip  which  was  intended  not 
only  to  «' catch  a  whale  or  two"  but  also  for  northern  discovery. 
These  were  his  instructions:  "Inasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  Al- 
mighty God,  through  the  industry  of  yourself  and  others,  to  discover 

83 


unto  o„r  nation   ,,   Und  j^j,,      .  -83 

Polo,  u-e    „re  desirous   „o.    !„,.    °^'!.''   ''''"''  '°--<i   the   North 
>va"l  »...„s  the  .said  ,a„d,  to  ,i„d   :,'Z7:i    ""'"   '°  *=    -'h- 

°"""'" ''""''='' ""'^ 'he  same  doth  trernVt^"  """"  '"'  ■''""'"■"'  " 

'IH^  wost.a„,  „f  the  p„,e;  „,  „,,„  „,,,;;■  ^■*"  '"  "-  eastward  or  to 

l>",)lo,„r  whether  there  be  a„  open  ,„■,  f    r"™'  '^  '"''"''"'=''  ''^  "V 
already  discovered,"  ete.  '  "°'"'   '1'""  hath  been 

'"    "'"    l'-l=  "Sain    proceeded   t„    ,h       ,      • 
""••  '"-"  Ent,'li»h  ship  expressl.  intended  f      '    f '""■'    '"    ™™P'">'  "■"' 
-poHeneein  ,ti„i,„  whales    welLdV,"''"     ^'^  ^•^»-«"  of 
"•"■*■'■  "'  >™*'  P»*  P^ceeded  nor'thward  to  s^"""     ^="™'  *= 
»«>v„rd,  he  explored  the  east  eoas,  or  '  ■■"       '""'    "°''"'S 

*.™  north  of  a„,pre..io„„„  Z^  """"'T'  '"  "  """"  •-"""t  .>v: 
On  his  return  to  the  whaler,  he  fo  ^^      '  "  "' I''"  "^'^  °"  «>e  charts. 

-1-.    .he,    bad  canght'thirttrat^  ■:"""""'■"  "^ '^'    "-ran 
Eaxland.  '   ■'"''    'h-y    l.rocee.led    to.elher    to 

Inhisvoyageof  i6,3_,,  p„„.    ,       , 

:'  "'  *-  English,  and  one  o^      ,;;,::  ""  ""!"'"  '--"'r  whalers- 

Spanish  and  Dutch  were  all  rep  J;  .  t  f'''^''"-  '''"'''''  a'-ayan, 
-'0--^  Of  .1.  English,  who  toT  l!""  ""  ""-•'"y  -^™-««.  .o'the 
»n..«.o„ssea,„r.hecrow„ofE„gla;::;,'::3:'°"  "' "^    '"-^  -d 

„     ^  ^''"O''  ■"  SHAHCH  OP  „„O30„. 

by  si.'Th:,'j,;B::t::T:!:at"  ^""""^  -^'^  "■*"""--  ■«-, 

"  "-"-'»  'ast  voyage,  and  ^      2TT  ""  "'"•""''  "^  "'"o"- 
a^Vas  ,„ate.     n„„o„  „„^        J°  '  "'"'  "ad  served  on  the  same  voy. 

>r  r'  "^'-very,  Hci  ::;T,r:iT •"-  ^•^■^^*'  "■^-  '^-°- 

l-a^'h  the  strait  till  he  rcache<l   Soul  '"""'"■■''    ''>■    ""*"■■ 

«'  -  -.1.  .he  main  land  at  6o'  i;  "r"',"  '""""•     «-''".^  west  he 

f  "-'-'a  Bay  be  gave  the  „a,„e'„Vl  "V'""  °'  "'  "»'  -«  "^ 

'"-■■■Ithesonthanddiseoverrbeb  '";■-■'"''•     "'  "-  -ilcd 

-'*•  "'  ^r  .C,  he  aiscoverrr:;; r  ^^T  "T     '-"- 

^'ver,  on  the    15th  of  August. 


aMmmmmMmi^ 


iliili 


\w\ 


84 


VOTAGE  TO  GREENLAND. 


Here,  near  the  point  of  York  Factory,  lon<?  the  chief  center  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  fur  trade,  he  made  his  preparations 
to  winter.  Some  of  tlic  crew  died  from  the  intensity  of  the  cold.  In 
spring  they  were  able  to  kill  a  plentiful  supply  of  game,  especially  of 
"  white  partridge,"  of  which  no  less  than  iSoo  dozen  are  said  to  have 
been  taken  and   consumed  by  the  crews  of  the  two  vessels. 

In  April,  th'j  ice  disappearing  early,  he  sailed  nortliward  along  the  west 
coast,  discovering  what  are  now  called  Mansfield's  Islands,  in  65".  He  then 
proceeded  hoiaeward,  and  arrived  in  England  in  the  autumn,  in  thirteen 
days,  from  Cane  Chudleigh,  without  having  found  any  tracp:  whatever 
of  the  lost  navigator.  He  carried  with  him  a  conviction,  but  on  what 
based  is  not  stated,  that  the  Northwest  Passage  would  be  found  leading 
from  Hudson's  Bay.  The  inflrence  of  his  name  did  much  toward  hold- 
ing his  countrvmcn  in  the  trammels  of  this  error  for  generations.  As 
will  be  seen  presently,  a  navigator  of  more  experience,  but  less  influence, 
attempted  to  correct  tlie  mistake  a  few  years  lat/ir;  but  public  o*?ini<jii 
was  swayed  by  the  authority  of  a  great  name,  awl  England  cho**  to  err 
with  Button  rather  than  to  be  set  right  by  Bylot.  Such  things  happen 
yet,  and  in  America  as  well  as  elsewhere,  "  The  influential "  still  carry 
weight,  not  only  as  they  should  in  matters  of  which  they  are  fully  cog- 
nizant, and  qualified  to  pronounce  ujDon,  but  also  in  matters  entirely  tor- 
eign  to  their  line  of  thought  and  experience.  Herein  lies  the  mistake  of 
the  public,  "  ravished  with  the  whistling  of  a  name."  The  world  has 
been  long  held  in  the  th-raldom  of  various  errors  by  the  authority  of 
great  names,  forgetting  that  <me  cannot  mention  a  single  delusion  in  the 
history  of  humanity  for  which  the  authority  of  some  great  man  may 
not  be  quoted. 

HAtL,  BAFFIN,  GIBBONS  AND   FOTHERBY. 

In  i6i3,  also,  Capt.  James  Hall,  with  William  Baflin  as  pilot,  in 
the  service  of  the  Muscovy  Company,  madfj  a  voyage  to  Greenland. 
Hall  had  previously  served  as  pilot  to  a  Danish  exploring  expedition  ot 
three  vessels,  which  had  been  sent  to  Greenland  in  1605,  to  search  tor 
the  old  Norse  colonists  in  that  quarter.     On  that  occasion  he  had  reached 


COMMERCIAL   VOTAGE  OF  BAFFIN. 


Ig 


85 

latilmlc  (iy,  but  Ihc  crews  refused   to  proceed   ftrlh.,-         ,   •        . 
lu,l  »ko  served  as  pilot  .„  ,„„thcr  n        ,  '"    '^  '" 

which  wore  dispatcJd  i„  s  l-     t  l.d  t.d.n""""™'  " .  '""'  --'»• 
A.  C,.„„i,„ham.s  Ford  they  MaJ^-ee  ■,""""'"  "**■"'*""• 

"'.-Iccrccd,..  says  Han,  .  I  s  l^ 'fl  """^  ™'"='  "'^"■-' 

T..e,  .daapped  five  natives  frori;;:!:;  ;:;r lln^lT'T 

-  .!...<.  v^^e  to  o:e::,::;,,^r  oX:;::  ■—*  ■  "-" 

...have  ro,„me<l  to  1,1s  native  country  !,„,  did    !  •  "  """' 

»»  »n  Arctic  navigator  unti,  .6,.     O  em  fTr"  "°"^°  "''"" 

)»n.le.lat66-.5',the  scene  of  th,  1,- ,  ™^'-''"'='  """""S 

.co.„i.ed  ./o:eo,r„:t*:':r  ;':;'"''■■;  "'^•"^  -- 

»'iH.  his  .ance  before  he  could     e  e    ,  ZZZ  T  ^''°"""°"  """ 
-.=.•.     He  died  soon  a„er,  and  „„  intercorii:    . riC  LTvil" 

: ::  7T.t  ""^  """•  '^^''" "-"  '^^  ^--  —^to  c. 

'""I-      It  was  m  his  report  of  this  voyacre  tlrtt  T^.ffi.  «    .  •    ,■ 

'-hod  of  finding  the  position  of  a  vLri  .t     ea  f    ,         """'"'  '" 

heavenly  bodi<«.  '^   ^^  observation  of  the 

In  i<5i3,  as  ha^  i>«en  stated,  Williim  RoPK.,  •      , 

ici.,  vv  luiam  Ualtin  was  in  the  sea  of   Sr..>^ 

l>->-      L'koh-s  predecessor,  in  that  line-Bennet  and  Poole-a„d  l,Ts 

:";';::::■:  "r  ''"^""-^-^  — own_Ba«in  .„r„ed  tie : 

.613  n,.„„ly  ,ntoacoram«4«(  venture  for  his  emnlovers      I, 
«-or,  on  this  voyage  that  he  -..nar.ed  the  Crao!!:    ^re  r  .cT:; 

"'^  -'•'''  C'vtertained  the  Juipe,  based 

.™  ■-":;;::  roTerr'n""'" 

,  aiscove.ed.     He  recommended  to  the  company  an  an- 

;  i  :;:rrort!"°  "■■  ':"^  *"  •"•  --p-"-™^- .::: 

."haps  ,h  .         H  '";";"'•='""'"■■  '■•  'I-  ""Jcrtakir,^.     He  mcam 

1    "-V^  that   such  a  vessel   detache.1   fron,   the   whaling   flea,   for  a„ 


■ 


'^ 


86 


ARCTIC  VOYAGE  UNDER  BAFFIN. 


annual  experiment  micrht  in  some  favorable  season  achieve  the  desired 
result. 

In  1614,  Captain  Gibbons,  a  relative  of  Sir  Thomas  Button,  and  a 
companion  in  the  search  voyaj^e  of  16 13,  proceeded  to  Hudson  Bay  in 
search  of  the  Northwest  Passage.  The  season  proved  very  different 
from  thiit  of  161 3.  He  was  harassed  incessantly  by  high  winds,  floatino- 
ice,  dense  fogs  and  the  resulting  discouragement  of  the  men,  and  re- 
turned in  safety  without  accomplishing  anything. 

Tn  1614,  also,  Robert  Fotherby,  with  William  Baffin  as  pilot,  made 
an  Arctic  voyage,  still  in  the  service  of  the  Muscovy  Company.  Reach- 
ing latitude  80'=',  they  were  repulsed  by  the  ice  and  compelled  to  return. 
And  again,  in  1615,  Fotherby,  on  another  Arctic  voyage  and  in  the  ser- 
vice  of  the  same  company,  essayed  the  route  of  Hudson  in  1607,  and 
like  him  was  baffled  in  the  effort  to  proceed  beyond  Spitzbero-en.  He 
had  opportunity  to  correct  some  calculations  made  by  Hudson,  and  more 
definitely  establish  some  of  his  observations.  In  1615,  aJ'^O)  Robert  By- 
lot,  in  company  with  Baffin,  made  a  voyage  in  search  of  the  Northwest 
Passage.  Tliey  proceeded  to  Hudson's  Bay  and  searched  \\\  vain  for  an 
outlet  on  the  west  coast  of  that  great  interior  sea,  which  they  had  sup- 
posed was  a  gulf  of  the  Pacific.  How  little  they  could  have  imagined 
that  were  the  way  as  open  as  that  by  which  they  had  come,  they  would 
yet  be  but  little  more  than  half  way  from  England  to  the  «  South  Sea" 
in  the  latitude  they  were  exploring.  All  analogy  pointed  the  other 
way;  sea  and  land  alternated  at  comparatively  short  distances.  There 
was  no  such  breadth  of  unbroken  continent  within  their  knowledge. 
Northern  Asia  presented  a  similar,  and  with  Northern  Europe,  a  broader 
continuity  uninterrupted  by  ocean  or  sea,  but  those  regions  were  as  much 
unknown  to  the  men  of  that  age  as  the  recently  discovered  New  World. 
Captain  Bylot's  report  was  unfavorable  to  the  theory  based  on  Sir 
Thomas  Button's  opinion,  that  the  Northwest  Passage  was  to  be  found 
leading  out  of  Hudson's   Bay. 

It  would  have  been  a  great  gain  had  Bylot's  opinion  prevailed 
instead  of  Button's,  and  had  Hudson's  Bay  been  thencefoitii 
avoided    by    all    in    search    of  the    long-sought    passage.     The    limits, 


I 


BAFF/N^S  BAT  DISCOVERED. 


e  the  desired 


87 
..no  ,nigh.  say,  vvi.hl,,  whiC,  it  can  a,o„e  be  found,  if  „.  ,„  ,,, 
....     ..anowod;  b„.  the  distance  is  ,„„^  and  tl,e  way  ,i  s  tl„o„;   a  lb 

vnnth  of  straits  and   slanrls       A.,  i  ..  *""5,n  a  lao- 

Hablc  to  be  blocked  W         ice  ,      !■'  '"""  "'  '"=  ""^  '^  '"°-  <"■  "=» 

•      ^'■'  "■"  l"*!""  .cnains,  and   challenges  hnmanitv  for  , 
solution;  and  so  generation  after  .feneration  of  b  '"'  "•""'y  «>■  a 

themselves  to  the  task        Each        ""'""'  "'  '"■'■""^  '"Vgalors  nerve 
iie  task.      Each  successive  aspirant  for  the  distinction  of 
..coverer  o    the  hidden  path.,,,,  d„ellso„  the  difficulties,  ponders  ovo, 
.en,  carefully,  st.,dies  all  the  pros  and  cons  until  he  has  s  Ived  p 

..e  ,  us  closet.  He  then  enlists  so.nc  government  or  wealthy"  " 
.l,v,dual  .n  h.s  project;  inspires  then,  with  a  share  of  his  enthuAs  „  Z 
magnetism,  and  the  outnt  i,  nrovided       A ,.  ■   •  ^     ''entnusiasni  oi 

ice-lloe   an,!   i.  1  "»P'ov.ded.     Arrivmg  at  Greenland,  he  flnds 

fl  =  and  Kcbergs  utterly  impenetrable  to   enthusiasm,    and  almost 
,....>ly  so  to  sa,ls  and  oars  and    sledges.       And   thus  fo     „ene«I, 

..  Mskof  the,r  hves,  and  of  the  lives  of  men  under  their  charge  he^  a 
l-ilaud,  there  .an  expanse  of  water;  .again  an  island  or  a  Hver  J 
2^  p.oblem  remains  unsolved;  but  ever,  too,  the  possible  lili  1 

.nown,g,a„d    man    becomes  .satisfied  that  if  to  be  solved  at  all  he 

ccsc  of  knowledge  and  the  development  o£  the  race 

I..  .6.6,  Byl„t.a„d  B.am„,  giving  the   entrance  ,o' Hudson's   Bav  ^ 

«:.■     1,::;     r'"'  "^''■' """"-"  '"*"'■■'->  =-ve  currency  to 
.Inch  had  as  n.uC,  h.lluence  as  that  of  Button,  in  retarding  the 

;      r.7  °'  T  ''■""'"^^''  '''''-■''■     ■"->•  ---"  -  Have  been 

.-.s        IcT  r  '^"""^  "'  ""'"  ""'^''   '""^  '-"'  '"-vercd, 

J    e  ;  Sm-  ,  ?" ''"  ":"'■     ^'^^>'  ="'=-"  ''--'-■  S™-  -  well  . 

o„  lus        ■';  "'  f7"""  •'"•'  ^°'  '""  "<"<'-"«  *e  -nectness  of  their 

.  »,  lackn,g    „pp„„nnity  to   e.,,.,  re  then,   „,„rc    thoroughly 
>  .....   ed    ,o  England,  and  Bylofs  ..epo,-.  of  the  voyage  ...avc  cur 
'-'"  "'^- "■■■-•     "^'■>'-'    n-H..  bad   earucd    thel,',;..;      .,  ^ 


ilN 


IT'lMi  iHI'  i| 


88  roi'AGE  OF  THE  DlSCOVEIiY. 

carel'ul  unci  experienced  na\  ij^ators  ;  and  where  their  observations  could 
be  verified  they  were  found  to  be  exceptionally  correct.  What  more 
natural  than  not  to  suspect  the  fallacy  that  had  deceived  them  ? 
Whether  Lancaster,  Jones  or  Smith  Sounds  were  straits,  or  gulfs,  was 
not  a  question  to  be  determined  by  conjectures  of  even  experienced  nav' 
gators,  but  by  actual  exploration.  And  in  this  way  are  errors  often 
generated  and  perpetuated.  In  this  famous  voyage  the  crew  consisted 
of  only  fourteen  men  and  two  boys,  besides  Bylot  and  his  mate  or  pilot, 
Baffin.  The  vessel  was  the  Discovery,  the  same  that  had  so  often 
braved  the  dangers  of  those  seas.  They  saw  icebergs — fortunately  they 
did  not  meet  them  at  close  quarters — which  they  computed  to  reach  240 
feet  above  the  water,  and  to  be  probably  in  all,  1680  feet  high.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  Resolution  Island,  Baffin  witnessed  the  phenomenon  of 
seeing  the  sun  and  the  moon  at  the  same  time,  and  availed  himself  of  the 
opportunity  to  compute  the  longitude.  He  adds  :  "  If  observations  of 
this  kind,  or  some  other,  were  made  of  places  far  remote,  as  at  the  Cape 
Bona  vSperanza,  Bantam,  Japan,  Nova  Albioii,  and  Magellan's  Straits, 
I  suppose  we  should  all  have  a  truer  geography  than  we  have."  Ob- 
serving the  tide  to  flow  from  the  northward  they  were  at  one  time  con- 
fident of  success,  but  finding  the  water  shallow  in  the  inlets  they  had 
entered,  and  being  threatened  by  the  ice,  they  returned,  passing  Resolu- 
tion Island  in  the  beginning  of  August,  and  arriving  in  England  a 
month  later,  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 


I 


Hit 


CHAPTER  IX. 

VOYAGES  OF  DUTCH  RESUMED  _  MANHATTAN  ISLAND  OCCUPIED- 
..IRST  VOVAGE  AROUND  THK  MORN-VOYAGE  OK  MUNK- CASKS 
RURST    BY    FROST -VOYAGE    OF    THE    MAYFLOWER. 

The  defeat  and  death  of  Sebastian  of  Portugal    by  the  Moors  at  Al- 
cazar-Kehir  in  1578,  and  the  extinction   of  the  old  hne  of  sovereigns  by 
the  <leath  of   his  uncle,  the  archbishop,   King  Henry,  in  .580,  led  to  the 
union  of  that  kingdom  with  Spain,  and  the  decay  of  its  maritime  and  col- 
onial power.     The  Dutch    exerted  themselves,  with  success,  to  seize  the 
Portuguese  trade  with  the  East,   without,  however,  embarrassing   them- 
selves by  establishing  military  colonies  or  waging  wars  of  subjugation. 
The  trade,  not  the  territory,  was  what  they  sought,  and  this  they  adroit- 
ly slipped  into.     Their  late  sovereign,  Philip  H.,  who  had  just    united 
the  crowns  of  Portugal  and  Spain,  had  exhausted  his  finances  in  the  long 
effort  to  subdue  them;    and  was  more  interested  in  quarrels  with  France 
and    England,    than    in     maintaining    the    maritime    supremacy   of  his 
dominions.     This  preoccupation  furnished  the  enterprising  Dutch  with  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  prosecute  their  schemes  of  commercial  aggrand- 
izement.    They  soon  secured  a  virtual    monopoly  of  the  coasting    trade 
of  the  East.     Within    a    few    years    of  the  organization   of  their  great 
trading  corporation,  known   as  the  East   India  Company,  in  1602,  "they 
had  established  central  enirepois,  for  revictualing  and   repairing,  L  well 
as  for  influencing  the  natives  and  controlling  their  trade,  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  Java,  Sumatra,  Borneo,  and  the    Moluccas.     They  secured 
exclusive  control  of  the  spice  trade  with  these  last  named  islands. 

Meanwhile,  through  the  good  fortune  of  the  discovery,  in  1609,  by 
Hudson,  while  temporarily  in  their  employ,  of  the  Dehuvare  and' the 
Hudson,  or  as  they  called  them,  the  South  and  North  Rivers,  the  Dutch 
gained  a  foothold  in  North  America,  which  thev  were  not  long  in  mak- 

89 


Sum 


\im  if,  '< 


00 


VOrAGE  A  HOUND  CAPE  HORN. 


t 


nm  I 


WL 


inn;  use  of  as  a  center  of  trade  with  tlic  sava.<,'c.s  of  the  New  World.  In 
1613  they  sent  out  a  mercantile  colony  to  occupy  Manhattan  Island, 
now  New  York.  In  1614  Adriaen  Block  explored  Long  Island  Sound, 
in  a  small  vessel  built  by  liiin  in  American  waters;  and  the  same  year 
Cornelius  Jacobsen  Mey  was  sent  out  from  Amsterdam  to  explore  the 
coast  north  from  the  Delaware.  The  cxclusivcness  of  the  Dutch  East 
India  Company  in  relation  to  the  specially  profitable  spice  trade  of  the 
Moluccas,  led  to  an  important  maritime  discovery. 

FIRST  VOYAGE  AROUND  THE  HORN. 

The   States-General  of  the  Netherlands  were  sharers  in  the  profits  of 
the  trading  company  they  had  established,  and   had  ordained  that  none 


CAPK  HORN. 


an 


but  the  servants  of  the  company  should  go  to  the  Spice  Islands.  As  f 
added  protection,  the  routes  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  the  Straits 
of  Magellan  were  by  law  reserved  for  their  exclusive  use.  The  other 
merchants  light  traffic  uU  the  world  over  with  these  trifling  restrictions, 
but  to  steer  their  barks  by  either  of  these  routes  entailed  the  penalty  of 


11 


rw  !ii||iii 


SCANDINAVIAN  VOIAGES. 


c.,„fi,,c„.,o„  of  .he  vessels  and  arrcs.of  .he  owners,     Sehon.e,,,  :,  „avi. 
«».,„•  „  expo,.,e„ce  „„,,  „hi,i,,,  conceived  .he  projec.  of  fi„.n,„     pass,,Z 

so  ..h  of  .he  S.ra,.sof  M„,e, As.is.ed  ,„  .he  en.cpn.se  b;  Le.a  rt 

>  I...  also  accon,p,.n,e.,  hi™  as  snpercar^o,  o.-  pe.-haps  a,  cap.ai '  of  on    T; 
.hevesses  an<Uo,„eo.he,.n,e,.chan.s  of  ,,0™  in  „o„an,,.   Schon  e 
...  .6,5,  n.  e.l  on.  .wo  vessels,  and  n,a„e  .he  fi,,.  voyage  h/way  of       ' 
A,nenean  Cape   which  he  caMed  Hon,  in  honor  of  .he  .ow'.  in  Holl 
where  .he  espedi.ion  ha,l  heen  orga„i,e,l 

The   s.r„i.   be.ween   Terra  del   Fnego   and   S.a.en  I,land_.ha.  is 
.».-<!    of  .he    S.a.es   of  HCand,  also    so    na^ed    hy    Sehon.e^-,:; 
n...ned   .n    honor  „f    hi.   companion,   Le.naire,  who,  for  a„   ,ha. 
Pijcars   was   h,n,se,f  i.s   ac.ua,  discoverer.      After    ,nany   adven.  'ret 
and  discoveries  in    the    islands  of    fl.o    p      r        ,  *"vtniuies 

nf  H,.    A/r  I  .  ^-Acx^ic,    tiiey  arrived    in  safety 

::  .h^  "r '  ■  v,;:;"-'"  "■™ '" "-  -^ "-  — ' 

Company,  and   oJr'  n     :  w"'::;T"'r-  ""^'  '""  '"*' 

]•  •        ,  •^'-"'^     "°'"C     for    tra.      Leimiro 

.-o,::t:::~:t;^r't:::iT''""'-:  .'''"'- 

-p..™  .„e,„erc,.an.,and,  Is  an  e^pe^^ :J::;:;~:: 
.o.ned,o. he  arbitrary  proceedings  of  .he  officials  of  .h     J,    ^^^^i 

o.npany,  hved  .0  perform  several  routine  voya-^es  .0  .he  £«  T 

n  162  c  Jn  n-.«  n        i;  A  "J'"o'=''  I"  tne  ii,ast,  and  died 

he  Id  .Itlf  '  °r  """•  ""  "'^-  ^"''  ="""  "f  Madagascar,  where 

a  trl  "  "--"P"'"™^  »-*-  °.>  his  las.  re.nrn  voyage 

^ -:  :3i:::^r -'----•--- ™% 

VOYAGE  OF  JENS  MUNK. 
''■"  ....o.«ion  .0  ,he  welfare    £  1^  1  "'"      "  "'""'"  '"  """ 

;~..andpow::;::::^:::,.-::~ 

»>  cuib.ng  the  encroachments  of  the  Hause  towns  he  en- 


>i'\ 


V'il 


•m 


Q2 


sroji'Es  DESTRonin  ny  frost. 


larjjcd  the  splicrc  of  inland  tiado  f(n-  Iiis  sul)jccts.      I'k.mi  a  s()vcrei<^n  of 
such  bror.d  ideas  and  ina<,'naiiinious  purposes  it  was  natiual  to  seek  for 
encouia}^.»ment  in  northern  exploration,     lie  had  authorized  as  early  as 
1605  the  search  expedition  under  Admiral  Lindeinau,  with  the  En<,'lish- 
man  James  Hall,  as  pilot,  and  the  other  Greenland    voyajjcs    of   that 
perio('.,  which  have  been  previously  mentioned.     And   now,  in  16 19,  an 
able  naviorator  named  Jens  Munk  was  sent  out  in  command  of  two  vcs- 
scls,  one  with  forty-eight  seamen  and   the  other  with  only  sixteen.     He 
left  Elsinorc  on  the  iSth  of  May  and  made  for  the  south  coast  of  Green- 
land.    He    proceeded    from    Cape   Farewell  to  Hudson's    Hay    directly 
through  Hudson's  Strait,  which  he  named  Christian's  Strait  in  honoi-  of 
his  sovereign.     The  new  name  was  not  retaineil.    Danish  voyagers  were 
too  few,  and  English  too  many  in  those  waters,  to  permit  it.     He  met  a 
great  deal  of  ice,  and  on  the  7th  of  September  entered  what   is  known 
as  Chesterfield  Inlet  on  the  noithwest  coast  of  Hudson's  Ray,  where  he 
was  compelled  to  winter.     The  ice  closed  in  rapidly  around   him,    and 
he  began  at  once  to  erect  huts.     As  soon  as  these  were  completed  they 
began  to  provide  winter  supplies  by  hunting. 

Fortunately  game  was  abundant.  IJears,  foxes,  hares,  partridges, 
and  various  wild  fowls  were  made  available,  and  they  collected 
a  goodly  store,  yet  not  enough  for  the  long  winter.  With  the 
jjerversity  born  of  superstition  they  interpreted  some  unusual  appear- 
ances they  noted  in  the  sun  and  moon  as  ill  omens.  And  when 
their  brandy,  wine,  and  beer,  expanded  l)y  the  frost,  burst  the 
casks,  a  part  of  the  evil  prophecy  was  fulHlled  because  of 
their  ignorance.  They  consumed  these  to  excess  to  keep  them  from 
being  entirely  lost,  not  knowing  that  to  lose  them  would  have  proved  a 
great  gain,  since  imprudence  in  their  use  rapidly  i)rought  on  disease, 
and  this  hastened  the  fuUillment  of  their  wor^t  forebodings.  The  regu- 
lar supplies  of  food  were  running  low,  and  the  scurvy  and  otiier  diseases 
to  which  they  had  fallen  a  prey  through  over-indulgence  in  spirituous 
and  malt  liquors,  unfitted  them  for  replenishing  their  stores.  Wild  fowl 
was  still  abundant,  but  they  could  not  kill  or  capture  them.  Hefore  the 
end  of  May,  1620,  sixty-two  out  of  the  sixty-four  men  had  perished  by 


A.r  ■ 


l.ih 


^^«/.V/  yo.       ;,.  „,,  ,„„    ,^^^^^^^ 


96 


famine  a.Kl(li,sca.s,.-,  and  only  Mu„k    n,,!   . 

-"'   '^y  -n,>in,    .V  .  y      '"^  °''""  ^'^'"^  '—  <>^-  subsistence; 

'-•'.,  which  .v,  .  .,:J:^^'  ';"""  -'-  ^---,  roots,  anc; 
l)"nn-  stream  anti  ..-lu  fj,,^  ^  *"  ''  '"^ '  '^''>'  '-''■••  "l^-'l  to  a  neicrh- 
f-  f.-on.  the  Can,.     ^  ^,^^,^  :^J^''  ">•  '    '    "-'tlUn,  ^oC,  and 

'>"'^'s  and  anin.   Is.     They  „ow  proceed.-d  u         ,  '"''  '''^'  '"  ^'" 

'■omewar,!  voyage,  and    actn.Il  ■       '  ^•"•■•"''^'- vessel  for  the 

^   to^,    uKi    actnally  aceonin  shed  tho  ♦"..-.f         •   • 
way  on  the  25th  of  Septen,   cr.  '  """'''"'^  '"  ^'''■ 


COLONIZATION  VOYAGES. 


f» 


Among  tlie  vovagcs  of 
IJ    colonization   of  this  period, 
none    is    more    noteworthy 
than    that    of    the    «  AJ-.y 
flower,"  which  arrived  at  Cape  Cod, 
with   the  "Pil.rn.n  "  -,   1      •        ., 

--..o  o.  .„.  „,„,„.,.„„,  ,^  ';''"'"        ->l<'"I.sts    Nov. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


(/  /y^'i. 


1.0 


I.I 


liilM   IIIII25 


I'M 
1.8 


1.25 

1.4       1.6 

•■ 

•< 

6"     

► 

Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


,\ 


iV 


^ 


:\ 


\ 


"% 


V 


m> 


O 


#1 


Wr 


A 


mm 


g^j^^m^~ 


^"PB^llPCJ" 


04 


NEWFOUNDLAND  COLONIZED. 


New  England  settlements.  These  first  arrivals  were  a  branch  of  the 
Puritans,  and  had  sought  refuge  in  Holland  from  the  persecutions  to 
which  they  were  subjected  in  England.  Not  finding  their  associations 
and  surroundings  congenial  in  Holland,  they  conceived  the  idea  of  set- 
tling in  America.  They  obtained  a  grant  from  the  southern  branch  of 
the  English  colonization  company,  known  as  the  London  or  Virginia 
Company,  but  ha^^pencd  to  land  on  the  domain  of  the  northern  or 
Plymouth  Coinpany. 

In  162 1  a  colony  was  established  in  Newfoundland  by  Lord  Balti- 
more. Several  other  colonization  voyages  to  various  points  .ilong  the 
Atlantic  coast  of  America  were  inaugurated  under  English,  French  and 
Dutch  auspices,  in  the  time  which  intervened  Ijctvveen  the  northern 
exploring  voyage  of  Jens  Munk,  the  Dane,  and  the  next  one  of  the 
same  sort  which  merits  our  attention.  Some  of  these  were  to  found 
new  settlements,  and  some  to  strengthen  those  already  established;  but 
all  are  alike  foreign  to  the  scope  of  our  work,  and  though  full  of 
interest,  must  be  omitted. 


m^ 


y-iw 


m  ^ffi 


'» 


''W% 


CHAPTER    X. 

VOYAGES  OK  FOX  AND     (AMfq       fik,^,^,, 

JAMES_tNTERP„,SE    OF    BRISTOL    MERCHANTS 
—MARVELOUS    ESCAPE    FROM    ICERFBr-s       „,. 

HUM    ICEBERGS— REACH    OPEN    WATER-- 

LAND     OS    CHARLTON     ISLAND  —  THF     SHIP     s„^,„ 

iiij,     >Mip     SUNK IIUILD'NG      A 

BOAT— SUFFERING     AND      DEATH       TU,..      .„ . 

DEATH— THE      BOAT     LAUNCHED— POFM 
OF  JAMES— THE    RETURN    VOYAGE. 

'-'6s,  Cap,:,i„  L„ke  Fo.  v™   given   command  of    one  of  .he 
,ng'ss„.p,,,.„,e„.chforaNo,Thwest  Passage.     On   ..T.ing  Javl    h 

k,„gf„™she.,  h„n  w,hacha,.texhibi,i„g,,„    ,„  predecess^is' dis     v 
nc.  a  ,e,.c.  of  ,„s.n,c.io„.,,  and  a  .elle,-  of  l„.iod„c.io„  to  .he  Enip    o. 

of  Jap...      Fox  s.ays  «  he  had  been  hehing  after  noithem  diseoveiy  evl 

r         '  "'!"  '"=  ""'"'  "  ""™  »--  -  ™-^'e  .o  John  KniH    "    I 
h,s  .,cco„„.o.     .  voyage,  he  warns  ...he  ge„.,e   Jdei-   no.  To  Ip^ 
hereanyflo„nsh„,gph,..asesor  eloquent  .enns;  for  .his  child  of  1! 
ego.  n.  .h     „„„hwes..s  cold  clhne,  where  .he,  breed         lo  .an- 
no, able  .o  d.ges.  Ihe  swee.  milk  of  rhetoric  " 

In  Hudson's  S.rait,  Fo..  w.«  much  hampered  with  iee,  and  ye.  the 
masses  he  me.  were  "seldom  bigger  .ha„  a  chnreh."  M  Sa  i  1  rv 
I*.nd  n.  Hudson's  S.rai.,  63",  .7-,  he  observed  ,ha.  .he  needlfb  c^me 
sluggish    which  he  ascribed  .0   ...be   sharpness   of  .he   air  i„.erprd 

ihomas  Roe.  Welcome,  .0  an  island  on  the  noiThwes.  coas.  of  Hnd 
-s  Bay,bi,.  .he  channel  dividing  Sou.hamp.on  Island  from  .he  " 
;""  ?  "7    ""'"'  ^y  *^'  "--•     It  has  not  ye.  been  defini.  1 1    " 
uned  w  e.her  Sou.hamp.on   is  one  or  many  i.land.     On  .he  land 
discovered  by  Fo.  was  found  a  hurying.ground  of  the  natives    an^". 

i"::rt:""' ": '-"  '"^'''  -""  "^^  "-<'• "»-  »■-  -^ 

R  ver  „u  *r  ""'  ■""  ""^■"^' """  °"=  """  ~PP--    A.  Nelson's 

K.ver  he  found  the  cross  erected  by  Sir  Thomas  Button.     It  was  in 

95 


IP 


'r^mi'mn^ 


I      I  1 


i.f  '»' 


f     '  ■ 


96  BOAT  DESTROYED  IN  THE  ICE. 

this  neighborhood  that  he  met  Captain  Jamcj'  vessel  on  the  29th  of 
August,  which  he  visited  with  a  few  of  his  men.  He  seems  to  have 
sailed  directly  homeward  after  that  interview,  for  he  arrived  in  Eng- 
land  on  the  last  day  of  October,  "  not  having  lost  one  man  or  boy,  nor 
any  mannei  of  tackling,  having  been  forth  nearly  six  months;  all 
glory  be  to  God."  At  Roe's  Welcome  he  had  observed  the  tide  set 
in  from  the  north,  and  this,  together  with  the  great  number  of  whales 
met  there,  led  him  to  think  he  was  near  the  Northwest  Passage,  or 
entrance  to  the  South  Sea.  He  contributed  to  keep  up  the  theory  that 
in  Hudson's  Bay  would  be  found  the  coveted  route  to  Japan. 

Bylot  and  Baffin  had  pronounced  against  it,  but  they  had  also  de- 
clared against  Baffin's  Bay,  and  public  opinion  in  England  was  divided, 
but  with  a  preference  for  the  former.  It  certainly  opened  far  to  the 
south  and  west,  which  was  as  certainly  the  direction  in  which  lay  the 
South  Sea.  What  is  more  natural  then  than  to  connect  the  two  in  im- 
agination, and  infer  their  connection  in  fact? 

Not  to  be  outdone  by  the   London  merchants,    who  supplied   Fox's 
outf  ,  those  of  Bristol  furnished  a  similar  expedition  on  the  same  errand, 
in  the  hope  of  winning  the  glory  of  the  coveted  discovery  for  the  good 
city  of  Bristol,  from  which  the  Cabots  had  sailed  five  generations  before. 
Their  ship  was  intrusted  to   Captain  Thomas  James,    who    was  kindly 
furnished  by  the  king  with  a  duplicate  of  the  documents  given  to  Fox. 
James  selected  a  crew  of  twenty-two  picked   men  for  his    vessel  of 
seventy  tons,  or  twice  as   many  as    were    absolutely    necessary.     They 
were  all  active,  sober  young  men,  and  unmarried,  and  had  been  chosen 
from  a  body  of  sermen  who  had  never  made  a  voyage  to  these  regions. 
They  left  Milford  on  the  17th  of  May   and   sighted  Greenland  on    the 
4th  of  June.     One  of    the    boats    was    ripped    by    the    ice,    but    soon 
repaired,  the  ship  being  carefully  provided   with  all  things  necessary  to 
meet  such  accidents,  as  well  iis  with  a  supply  of  provisions  for  eighteen 
months.     This  was  largely  due  to  the  wise  forethought  of    the  com- 
mander.    Around  icebergs  and  through  ice  floes,  with  sails  and  cord- 
age frozen,  they  threaded  their  weary  way  to  Resolution   Island,   which 
they   reached  on  the  i8th.     For   five    days    they   hung   between    life 


DISCOVERT  OF  JAMES  BAT. 

;'"."  '■-*■  '"^"g"'  i"   an    incaasan.   struggle   .o  keep  the  ship  from 
being  crushed  by  the  iceberp-s    wT,r„i,  '       °"° 

I        .  ■  u         .,       """'S^'  "'"'=''  sometimes  overhunK    her   derk 
a.,d  grate,!  her    s.des.     I„    gratitude    for    .heir  escape  frL   !I   . 
tiou  they  named  the  place  the  .  Harbor  of  God's  ptvlc^c?" 
ta,n  James,  with  great  exertion  and  at    jreal    ,i,t    T     ,  ^ 

cove  It  (5i°5V   t>      1-  1.  .,.  ^  *'''  '"""'I  "  sheltered 

cove  at  6,.H     to  wh,ch  they  now  succeeded    in  working   the  boa. 

The  nse  o  a  favorable  wind  on    he  next  day  induced  them  to  leavt 
th,s  secure  refuge  anr    renew  the    battl.  wi.h  .he    ice  floes      No.  ^ 
acre  of  open  sea  could  be  discerned  from  the    masthead,  ad  tl  ice 
pack  crunched  agamst  the  sides  of  the  shi„  with         .,         , 
they  feared  it  would  tear  awav  .he     1  ""''"'=   "=" 

..  was  .he  .th  Of  Angi:  bZ  tey  t  ^^     rt   ''^'   '"  '''^^''• 
.he  ...h  they  saw  land  on    the  westl:     ,  HuTor';""  "" 

latitude  59° 40'.     On    the  ..d,  while  at  anchor    ,h      .  ''  '" 

By  a  gale,  bu.  fortunately  the  Inchor      'a  n      u^H^Vh ',:  7  "ir" 
shock  nearly  proved  fatal  to  several  of  the  crew,  'e  Iht  of    h 
h..r.od  from  the  capstan,  and  all  were  more  or  less  fn    Jd  '  o"  T 
gunner's   mate,   had    his   leg    so    crushed    that  i,  became  ne 
amputate  it.  K<^m^  necessary  to 

After  the  visit  from  Captain  Fox,  whom  they  entertained  o     K      . 
.well  as    i.„msta„ces  would  permit,  on  .he   ^tHf  rg„:,  s^ 

whereinthevicinty  of  Nelson   Riv^r    .v,  • 

.1  ^Neison   Kiver,  they   continued    to    exolore  fh« 

southern    coast,  moving   eastward.      On   the    ,d  of   Sp  .    T       u 
sighted  the  cape  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay  wh  ch  L    he!        ,7  ."r        ' 
Bay  in  honor  of  the  navigator.     This  head^:   J.^^  ^^  ^^^^ 
-a,  in  honor  of  the  Queen  of  England,     p/oce        g  s     th  Te 
discovered  an  island,  in  latitude  Kz- ^.>    wh"  K  ,  '         "''''' 

'--^  and  in  5.»  t'o-,  one  to  ^lief  i;et:    ^':1  '^T.'"''""'' 
«;..  T'u  T.  &"vc  ine  name  of  his  mfmn 

Su  Thomas  Roe.    James  had  some  hope  of  finding   .   .  ^  ' 

"RiverofCanada"tho^f   T  I  "       P'**''''^^   ^°   ^^^ 

v^anada,     the  St.  Lawrence,  from  the  foot  of  the  bav      Th. 

landed  on  several  small  islands  in  search  of  an  eligible  spot   f';  w     7 


S8 


SCUTTLING  THE  SHIP. 


was  effected  on  a  well-wooded  coast  which  they  first  named  for  the  Earl 
of  Derby,  but  this  name  they  afterward  changed,  for  some  unexplained 
reason,  to  Charlton  Island.  From  its  highlands  they  could  see  nothing 
more  suitable  to  the  south,  the  bottom  of  the  bay  being  studded  with 
rocks  and  shoals. 

They  now  cut  a  large  quantity  of  wood,  enough  at  least  for  three 
months'  fuel,  and  at  the  request  of  the  sick,  erected  a  hut  on  the  island. 
They  explored  the  island  carefully,  among  other  objects  to  ascertain  if 
there  were  any  savages.  They  found  traces  of  them,  but  none  were  then 
on  the  island.  A  party  of  six  proceeded  into  the  interior  on  a  hunting 
expedition,  Oct.  14,  and  returned  the  next  day  with  one  deer, 
which  they  had  brought  twelve  miles.  They  reported  having  seen 
some  others.  A  few  days  later  another  p.irty  set  out  to  explore  the  island, 
and  returned  unsuccessful  and  disabled  by  the  cold.  They  lost  one  man 
who,  in  crossing  a  pond,  broke  through  the  ice  and  was  drawn  under. 
They  dug  a  well  near  the  hut,  obtaining  drinkable  water  but  of  a  pe- 
culiar taste.  On  the  12th  of  November  the  hut  took  fire,  but  they  were 
able  to  save  it.  Thenceforth  they  kept  up  a  regular  fire-watch ;  for  as 
they  required  great  fires  to  protect  them  from  the  cold  it  was  necessary 
to  use  every  precaution  to  prevent  the  disaster  of  being  burned  out.  On 
the  22d  died  one  of  their  number  who  had  lost  a  leg  at  the  time  the 
eight  had  been  hurled  from  the  capstan. 

Not  finding  a  sheltered  spot  for  the  vessel,  she  lay  at  anchor  off  the 
island,  exposed  to  the  ice,  and  on  the  24th  she  was  driven  by  the  pressure 
toward  the  shore  and  stopped  a  mile  from  the  land  in  twelve  feet  of 
water.  Finally,  on  the  29th,  after  the  ship  had  been  forced  close  to 
the  shore  by  the  wind  and  ice,  they  scuttled  and  sunk  her.  They  saved 
most  of  the  provisions,  but  lost  their  clothes  and  the  medicine  chest. 
The  seventeen  that  had  remained  now  joined  the  sick  in  the  hut,  and 
thawed  themselves  out  by  a  rousing  fire.  The  captain  encouraged  them 
to  hope  for  the  best,  reminding  them  that  if  the  worst  came  they  were 
as  near  to  heaven  there  as  in  England.  They  pledged  themselves  to  be 
faithful  to  one  another,  to  do  their  utmost  for  the  common  welfare,  and 
obey  their  commander  to  the  death.       Should  the  ship  prove  irrecovera- 


BUILDING  A  BOAT. 


m 


\     one    deer. 


l)le  or  unseawortfiy  in  the  snnn,,  fi 

-  -  -  -1  .e  ^::7:;:i:::::  r ; '-  -  -■ 

'-'  ""■■'■•  ■•f  "<"  '«  E"gl.md,  b^  ,h,„  ,i,„,      "'"  '"  ""'  ''"""'^  "'civil. 

.hem  ,o  the  shore  with  great  difflcul.v       Tl  ''    '  '""'  """"'S 

.™n.i  a  .pr,V  of  w„,er  „„Uer  .he  oi.  ,„  ',  "•"  ""  '''■°'--  ^•■'  "-y 
.l>o...  he..er.  The,  e„„.r„«e.,  ZTZ  1 ,7'  """'T'  "''="  --'" 
serve  a,  a  kitehen.       Tb.   ,„„„  '  ""''  "'  *^'"ch  was  to 

w».™tb,  a„c,  tbe,  ceiebrate^chr.:::::,^;:,;::::' ;;*"""" '°  *^ 

K..„.,„,  „„,h,-„,  of  Gu,f  Stre„,n  or  ,o.be™„    IT^  ""="'=''• 
lo.<»  to  mulerstand  how  the  elimate  could  be  so  „„,e  '        "  "'  " 

.n  the  eorresponding  ,„.:„„,,  ,,  ^  '"'"•''  """"'  severe  than 

...0  portof  Harwich,  a„d  not  ^Z.  dj  Z  aTa     "'T"  "  ""  """ 
latitude  of  London.  ^  ^  'l"''*''^^''  "o"h  of  the 

-1"  :retic  :';f:::!r  "^^"  -  -  "-^  "•  -  -> 

P..i.«  a„d  swellings  ,  fnUy  u  „  ir  f  b  '  "'=^-°"'""'-'  -i*  --s, 
They  bore  „p  n.anll  Iv  a'  d  "'t  '■  "'  "'"'"  ""•'  '"^"-'»  -- 
.led  bravelAr  .Helrr:.!:r  ^  ^  ~^^^^^^^^  -- 

loss,  and  wrapped  in  rags  as  a  snbs.it , to  ,b  *-",'^^''^'-'"»™  ""<>  -"hoe- 
.a.iK.r  their  dai„  s,,;,,  „f  wol  ^  ,V«  "';'"V"^  '^-^  '" 
.hrongb  Febrnary,  with  . be  special  disco  ll^^^/^^''^',, '"=  """'^ 
carpenter,   aronnd  wb„™    chiefly  clustered  tl,  'h"  ■"'■ess  of  the 

-iveland   again.     B„.   the  br' ve      r™ L  °'^" '"  *™«  "-■'■ 

headway  wi.h  his  boa.  a„<l  kept  at  woT  """'"'  '"  '"'"^  ^°'"= 

•"-—..  Hesnppr :i  ,;t,t::;''  -^  '--"-^ 

.he  men  searched  for  suitable  trees  through    ll  "'""°'''  """ 

""■'  ""...ght  then,  to  hi,n.     By  E.s.e      A     ■  '  ""  """   '""~"' 

al.led,with  four  others-  of  the  ,''"',  "^P"'  '"•  >"'  «as  entirely  dis- 

-..h  and  appetite  .^  ell  J  ^ir  I;;'^  ^^  '^^  '— 
we!!  waited  on  the  sick,  the  sick  did  „l    ,      "^^      °"'"'"  °'  ''"^-     ^l.e 


100 


,«il.i') 


THE  NEW  yesSEl.  LAUNCHED. 


'i 


\ 

H 

vl 

•< 

i 

0 

\ 

< 

vi\ 

0 

m 

2 

Uunnj.  April  tho.sc  vvlio  were  s<rn„^«  ^  u     ■    , 
..ow  b„ae  was  about  half  l,„i|,   but  ,h„  "••■worlhy.     Tl,e 

i.o.h  ,;„.  i.  .,„„„  „..  „,,,,,,„,  ,1'  '  *,   :,r"""7  7'  ■'^"'«'  •-""  ^"""W 

l."..<^- ..,..     T,K.,  cc„eh.a.„,    he  ZTll^T^r  ""  '^^  "^'o-  " 
with  .he  „hse.va„c.  e,..,.o™a.,  i„    h,;     lltp'  "  7^^ '^"^-''-y. 

.c,o,„ly  recognising  a    law  of  human    lifr    2„^'  '""'  ""™"- 
'.cal...     Th.n,a.„.„,a.e<,ie„on  Vl^J:^^  ■"— 

ta,„.  Still  they  worked  at  the  ship  and  to  '  ."""  '"^^*»  'he  eap. 
probahi,  ,„  he  ascribed  the  snrvivl  o  „  ,7  """""■^  """  ^"^^^^> 
The  captain  .seemed  born  to  letd  „„H„,  ,  ^"  "  P''°P°«i'"'  "'  'hem. 
w.,,,  .hi,  seconded  b,  his  ^1  ^ X?  *^™''"--  ^™'  "e 
till  the  last  moment,  and  left  the  ho»,  ■  .  ^""f"^^"  k^pt  at  his  work 

- «"-  ^..  -uL.  the  shirr:  „:„rrs:  i:,  r '"  -- 

memory  of  William  Cole,  one  of  th.  „    r       .  ^'1  honor  to  the 

On  the  ..d  the,  sncceedld  h .  p   np  Z  tt  IP  l"'^^*  "'"°"«°"' 
24.h  the  ice  broke  all  „lon.  the  hw        K       *  "  '^'^^  "'"^  °"  *a 

.heir  habitual  foresight  .he/cleared  ^.Vo     J  Cr.t":   "^t     ^'^ 
and  these,  together  with  some  wil.l  vetches  w2  "*"''''"■• 

were  much  benefited  thereby.  ^"''"'  '°  "'e  sick,  who 

By  the  8th  of  June   Ihey  had  pumped   the  sb- 
she  floated  in  the  dock  she  hatl  exctaterb;     e    ^  '"""'^' "^^'  """ 
sand.     On    the    .  nh  they  were  enabled  ,     ,  ""='*'''"  ''"   '^^ 

been  lost  months  before",  the  s  m  ■;  ',"\""'  """^"^  "'■'*  ^ad 
withgreatbaborunderthei  :  re's  '  T  "'^  """  """'="  '- 
.'^.H  they  got  the  vessel  Into'de  r,:" ^rrr^  '-'"-  «"  'He 
consi,ler.nble  expanse  of  open  sea    „!,?    ,  ''"'  "'"^  »-^  " 

-I  originally  anchored  l!,  a^inT  rL!  teT'  '"  """^  ^^^ 
sot  tbe  ballast  which  they  h.ad  previously  ,h  ow„  '  f'"-,  ^'"^  "°" 
■'  «"<l  'ho  provsions  again  „„  L,,.  /„„":;;'''7''™'"-  """  P'aced 
cross  on  which  he  inscribed  the  names  of  tbe'l.  ,""'■"'  "™'''  " 

'™^'  -^  -  --  -  -  sovereigns  If  L^rC—  ^fj 


lOS 


POEM  OF  JAMBS. 


tcrritorlus  to  New  Albion,"  still  under  the  impression  that  they  were 
near  California  and  the  South  Sea.  On  the  25th  he  built  a  fire  on  the 
island  in  the  hope  of  attractinj^  tiie  natives,  if  there  were  any  on  the 
island,  ami  had  dilHculty  in  escaping  unharmed.  The  fire  spread  rapidly 
and  burned  the  houses  they  had  constructed,  but  they  had  fortunately 
removed  everythinjij  of  value  in  advance.  By  the  last  of  the  month  they 
had  their  ship  full  rigged  and  everything  in  order,  not  forgetting  their 
ilead  comrades,  over  whose  graves  they  raised  memorial  cairns.  The 
body  of  the  one  buried  at  sea  had  been  thrown  up  meanwhile,  and  was 
interred  with  the  otliers.  Jidy  the  first  the  captain  made  a  record  of 
what  had  transpired  and  of  his  future  intentions,  and  left  it  at  the  cross 
he  had  erected.  They  paid  a  final  visit  to  the  tombs  of  their  dead, 
where  morning  and  evening  prayers  were  read,  and  the  last  meals  on 
land  were  prepared  and  eaten.  The  captain,  with  characteristic  good 
feeling,  composed  the  following  lines: 


I  were  unkind,  unless  that  I  did  shed 

Before  I  part,  some  te.'irs  upon  our  dead ; 

And  when  my  eyes  be  dry,  I  will  not  cease 

In  heart  to  pray  their  bones  may  rest  in  peace. 

Their  better  parts,  good  souls,  I  know  were  given 

With  the  intent  that  they  return  to  Heaven. 

Their  lives  they  spent  to  the  last  drop  of  blood. 

Seeking  God's  glory  and  their  country's  good; 

And  as  a  valiant  soldier  rather  dies 

Than  yield  his  courage  to  his  enemies, 

And  stops  their  way  with  his  hew'd  flesh,  when  death 

Hath  quite  deprived  him  of  his  strength  and  breath ; 

So  have  they  spent  themselves,  and  here  they  lie, 

A  famous  mark  of  our  discovery. 

We  that  survive,  perchance  may  end  our  days 

In  some  employment  meriting  no  praise  ; 

They  have  outlived  this  fear,  and  tlieir  brave  ends 

Will  ever  be  an  honor  to  their  friends. 

Why  drop  you  so.  mine  eyes.?     Nay,  rather  pour 

My  sad  departure  in  a  solemn  shower. 

The  winter's  cold  that  lately  froze  our  blood, 


Mil  '1 


DANCER  FROM  STORAf.  j^g 

Now,  were  It  so  extreme,  might  do  this  jrood. 

As  make  these  tears  I)right  pearls,  wnlch  I  would  Jay 

Tomb'd  safely  with  you,  till  doom's  fatal  day; 

That  In  this  solitary  place,  where  none 

Will  ever  come  to  breathe  a  sigh  or  groan. 

Some  remnant  might  be  extant  of  the  true 

And  faitliful  love  I  ever  tender 'd  you. 

Oh !  rest  in  peace,  dear  friends,  and-lct  it  be 

No  pride  to  say-thc  sometime  part  of  me ! 

What  pain  and  anguish  doth  afflict  the  head. 

The  heart  .u,d  stomach,  wlien  tl,e  limbs  are  dead? 

So  grieved  I  kiss  your  graves,  and  vow  to  die 

A  foster-father  to  your  memory! 

They  now  set  sail  on  .he  ,e,„™   voy.,,e,  hue  were  driven  about  by 
,nd  and  .ce.cr«.  ,n  Ja™.,'  Bay  durin,  eho  „h„,e  .on.h,  Cor  ,ho„'h 
hey  pa.ed  Cape  IIe„.,e..a  on  .he  "d,  .hey  were  again  diven  wi  hi! 
o„.he3o.h.     On.  eei,h.h„fA„,„,..heyhad  reached  ia.i.ude  5  " 
4  ,orabou.where.heyhad  parted  from  Cap.ain  Fox,  .welve  mon.h, 
.»c,.„«  .hree  weeks,  before-a  weary  year!     A,.d  .hey  were   .iZ 
g,ca.  danger  as  ever,  f„r  .he  ship   leaked   so   badly   .ha.  .hey  bee  n  e 
»pprehe„„ve.  a..hey  n,„s.,  after  al,   .heir  labors,  abandon  L     N 
were  .hey  ye.  free  of  .heir  persis,e„.  ene.ny,  .be  ice,  fron,  which  nZ 
■gh.    e  sa,d  .0  have  been  never  free  for  fourreen  nron.hs.    Fin  1  o' 
.he  .7.h,  .hey  go.  dear  of  .he  ice,  and  on  .he  ..d  .hey  were  irpjo 
n      wodayslarerin  63"   30',  aho„.   .he  entrance   of  Hudsol  2 ' 
B...  les.  .hey  .igh.  be  .en,p.ed  .0  relax  .heir  en-„r.s_in  whid       d  .  fe' 
energy  .0  p„.  .he.„  forth  had  lain  .heir  salvation  fro.  .he  firs.-.  1 
stonn  arose  on  .he  .^.h,  so  .ha.  .hey  could   nei.her  ea.   nor  si  ep 
we„ty.fo„r  hours.     To  .add  .0  .heir  discon,f„r.  and  d.a„.er  i.  bl„„ 
.0  .ce  .agarn  upon  ,hc,n.      Upon    consultation  with    h,'     ™  „    cf 

::::,:r"''"''''' '°  -"— ^''-  Thes.rai„h,adbce„.:o^  :• 

«"-"„.   reso,„t,„„  w,as  taken,  aud  still  an,ong  icebergs  which  oe. 


104 


ARRIVE  AT  BRISTOL. 


topped  the  mast-head.  In  a  week  they  reached  Rcsohitiou  Island,  at 
the  mouth  of  Hudson's  Strait,  and  it  was  not  until  Oct.  23,  1632,  that 
they  reached  Bristol,  harassed  to  tlic  very  last  hy  adders;?  winds,  after 
an  ahsence  of  seventeen  months  and  five  days,  or  very  nearly  the  period 
tor  which  Capt.  James  had  provided  stores  and  supplies  in  advance. 


OULLS. 


IrilM' 


CHAPTER  XI. 


AN  tNTHRVAL  nKTWKKN  AHCT.C  VOVAOES  -  WINTEHmo  m  THE 
ARCTIC  UEOION-DKATU  OK  MAVKN-OTHEK  UUTCH  VOVAOKS- 
CAPTAIN  UAVEN  LOSES  „is  S.m- _  „ru^^,,^^  ^,  ^  ^^^^^^^ 
CAPTAIN—WItlCH    IS    THE    WAY    TO    INDIA? 

A  long  interval  i„  Arctic  voyages  of  exploration  now  ens..e<l.    The 
bbors  of  Captains  Fox  and  James  had  increased  tl  e  probability  that  the 
Northwest  Passage  should  be  sought  elsewhere.     The  one  had  failed  to 
find  it  in  the  extreme  north,  the  otl...-  in  the  extre-  ,.  soul^,   and  they 
...d  th.      predecessors,  in  the  west  of  Hudson's  Bay.     And,  as  we   have 
seen,  Paftn  s  I3ay  had  been  .leclared  against  by  its  discoverers      Public 
opinion  ceased  to  be  occupied  with   the  question,  and  in  England  it  was 
very  earnestly  engaged   in  discussing  the  great   religious  and  political 
qucsfonsof  the  day.     The  persecution  of  the  Puritans,  the  beheading  of 
Charles  I.,  the  rise  and  fall  of  Cromwell,  the  restoration  of  Charles  II 
the  revolution  and  expulsion  of  James  II..  with  the  turmoil  and  confusion 
and  pre-occupation  incidental  to  these  various  changes,  left  little  leisure 
or  outs,de  enterprises.     uThe  tight  little  island"  itself  supplied  an  ample 
fie  d  for  the  enterprise  and  daring  of  her  most  adventurous  sons.     It  is 
only  u,  tunes  of  peace   that  n.an   occupies   himself  with    discovery,    or 
makes  any  important  advance  in  the  arts  of  life.     The  art  of  war  is  . 
deadly  art,  and  all  its  tendencies  are  to  destruction.     It  may  somerimel 
be  necessary,  but  even  then  is  only  a  choice  of  evils 

In  France,  u  the  wars  of  the  Fronde,"  the  struggles  of  the  parlia- 
men  and  of  the  nobility  against  the  encroachn.ents  of  the  crown,  the 
burdens  of  taxation  and  administration,  and  later  on  the  nnlitary  erup- 
honsof  the  u  great  monarch,"  with  the  attendant  glory,  produced  the 
-me  results  as  in  England,  in  relat.on  to  voyages  of  exploration. 
Meanwhde,the  .  Thirty    Years'  War,"   1618-48,    had    embroiled    all 

105 


:js.vi!i^^f-'.^P-;ii;:u)!rii?». 


Sim 


'iM 


* 

■I , 

1 

,   11*  1" 

f ."'  ,1 

i;|; 

''   ■  '■ 

106 


FROZEN  UP. 


Europe.  And  so  the  remainder  of  the  seventeenth  century,  stormy 
enough  on  land,  was  marked  hy  a  complete  lull  in  maritime  exploration. 
Such  voyages  as  were  undertaken  to  America  had  colonization,  not  dis- 
covery, for  their  object;  and  in  them  were  engaged  some  of  the  most 
enterprising  spirits  among  the  English,  French  and  Dutch  of  that  age. 
But  commerce,  besides  supplying  the  wants  of  the  belligerent  hosts  con- 
tending on  almost  every  battlefield  of  Europe,  was  not  unmindful  oi"  "he 
peculiar  riches  of  Arctic  seas.  Accordingly  we  find  that  Dutch  and 
English  whaling  voyages  continued  uninterruptedly,  and  from  among 
them  a  few  have  been  selected  as  most  noteworthy  for  the  stirring  ad- 
ventures, hairbreadth  escapes  and  tragic  endings  which  characterized 
them.  Through  such  experiences,  in  great  measure,  has  been  slowly . 
and  painfully  gathered  a  knowledge  of  the  methods  and  precautions 
necessary   to  the  preservation  of  human  life  in  those  northern  latitudes. 

WINTERING  IN  THE  ARCTIC. 

The  Dutch  had  offered  prizes  to  such  as  would  volunteer  to  spend 
a  winter  on  Mayen  Island,  the  headquarters  of  the  whale  fishery.  This 
islam!  had  been  discovered  and  taken  possession  of  for  the  States  of  Hol- 
land, in  i6ii,bythc  captain  of  one  of  their  whalers,  Jan  Mayen,  for 
whom  it  was  named.  In  the  summer  ot  1633,  before  the  return  of  the 
whalinf  fleet,  seven  men  volunteered  to  winter  there,  in  latitude  71°,  not 
quite  midway  from  Iceland  to  Spitzbergen.  Their  sojourn  began  with 
the  26th  of  August,  and  they  sufTcrcd  no  inconvenience  until  the  8th  of 
October,  when  a  fire  first  became  necessary  to  their  comfort.  After  that 
date  the  winter  approached  rapidly,  and  on  the  19th  ice  began  to  form 
on  the  shore.  The  cold  and  ice  grew  in  severity  until  the  19th  of  No- 
vember, when  the  sea  became  frozen  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 
Afterward  the  weather  grew  mild  for  about  three  weeks,  but  on  the  8th 
of  December  the  cold  set  in  with  renewed  severity,  and  they  confined 
themselves  to  the  hut  for  nearly  four  months,  idle  ami  inactive.  They 
had  lived  meanwhile,  on  salt  meat,  and  had  killed  but  few  bears,  and 
their  supply  of  beer  and  brandy  was,  perhaps,  too  liberal  for  their 
welfare. 


wl^mmms?'^'-. 


DEATH  FROM  SCURVT.  ^^ 

About   the   middle  of  January   they  succeeded   I„  killing  a   sinde 
bear,  the  flesh  of  which  afforded  a  healthful  change  in  their  diet      It  w.s 
the  middle  of  March  before  they  killed  another;  but  scurvy  had  set  in 
and  taken  such  hold  by  that  time  that  the  relief  derived  was  only  palli. 
tive,  not  preventive  nor  curative.     On   the  3d  of  April  only  two  of  the 
seven  could  stand   erect;  and  on  the  x6th  one  of  them  died.     This  entrv 
was  n.ade  on  the  record  a  few  days  later:      »  We  are  now  reduced  to  so 
sad  a  state  that  none  of  my  comrades  can   help  themselves,  and   the 
whole  burden,  therefore,  lies  on  my  shoulders.     I  shall  perform  my  duty 
as  long  as  lam  able,  and   it  pleases  God  to  give  me  strength.     I  am 
^now  about  to  assist  our  commander  out  of  his  cabin;  he  thinks  it  will 

relieve  his  paiii;  ho  is  strufrtrlint?  wifh  (l<i^H,     Tu       •   l    •     . 

.    ,,,       '        '  ^o"ng  with  denth.    The  night  is  dark,  and  the 

U...K      „ws   ro.  the  south."     On  the  .jd  ho  died;  and  on  the  .6,,,  they 
iMo    their  do.  a  poor  suhstitnte  for  bear's  „,oat.      On  the  .8th  the  ice 
eft  ire  ba,  and  on  tho  30th  tire  sun  shone  briliiantiy.     But  it  was  ye 
thirty  five  days  before  the  whaling  fleet  appeared,  and  when  a.  hist  it  ha 
aiived  none  of  the  seven  were  found  aiive,  and  the  record  of  Ap 
oth  was     e  las.  ,na<le.     A  little  of  the  energy  and  forethought  of  C» 
James  and  his  crew  .1,  Jakes'  Bay,  two  years  before,  would  have  saved 
thein  all,  for  though  they  were  almost  twenty  degrees  farther  „„  t 

inter  was  comparatively  nrild,  and  the  ge.iai  breath  of  spring  vi  led 
.lioin  early.  I.  is  now  understood  that  the  chief  danger  froi,:  Ar  to 
winters  does  no.  anse  ,roi„  the  high  latitude,  but  fro^  the  ne^loc  tf 
proper  precautions,  This  principle  is  enforced  by  .he  result  of  iZ^ 
experiment  fartlier  norC,  tl,e  same  year. 

Seven  other  Dutchmen  had  volunteered  to  wi„.er  in  North  Bav    on 
>e  north  coast  of  Spitsbergen,  latitude  So»,  and   began  thei     tr^ Uo 
|.y»a.er  than  those  on  Mayeii  Island.     No  sooner  had  tho  fleet  left 
than  they  set  to  work  to  collcft  f,-...l,  ■  ■ 

1  '■»  10  collect  ticsh  provisions  to    ast  them   „„.;i  .1. 

return  of  the  fleet  in  irt!,       Tl, .     u      .,    ,  '-'st  mem  until  the 

ncet        ,634.     They  hunted  the  reindeer  and  caught  wild 
'-VI.  -d  gathered   herbs.     They  killet,  whales  an,,  narwals,  o     I 
..corns,  and  thus  secured  both  food  and  exercise.     When  the  s  a  dTn 

rr,  :  •  *"  ""■"•■ "'™»''  '•-  -■  -"  '^•'  "own  thei. ,«: 

.0  catch  flsh.     And  when  toward  the  close  of  October  the  cold      a  b 


S!«i*l»ij«*»*l™ 


jjl^f„:w.l^,M,A^^.mh- 


mmmmmm^'t 


'*  % 


I  'i  I 


\i  1    II,! 


'f*  ■«*'■''! 


108 


CONTINUED  HARDSHIPS. 


come  so  intense  and  the  ice  so  thick  that  they  could  no  longer  fish  or 
even  go  abroad,  they  exercised  themselves  as  actively  as  they  could  in- 
doors. And  so  they  passed  throuj>h  the  winter  without  a  depth,  or 
even  serious  illness;  and  on  May  27,  iC^'S\i  only  eight  days  earlier  than  the 
arrival  of  the  fleet  at  Mayen  Island,  they  w(!re  taken  aboard  safe  and 
sound,  after  a  sojourn  of  nine  months,  lacking  five  days,  in  latitude  80*^. 
If  further  illustration  of  the  principle  referred  to  be  desired,  it  may 
be  obtained  from  the  annals  of  the  same  people.  Hefore  the  fleet  re- 
turned to  Holland  in  1634,  seven  other  men  were  left  at  North  Bay  to 
renew  the  experiment.  They  were  supplied  witii  an  abundance  of  salt 
provisions,  liquors  and  medicines, and  began  their  sojourn  on  the  nth  of 
September.  Either  because  they  were  of  the  indolent  disposition  of  the 
men  left  on  Mayen  Island,  or  because  of  the  eleven  days'  later  advent,  or 
possibly  because  the  denizens  of  the  forest,  anticipating  a  keener  winter, 
withdrew  earlier  to  their  winter  quarters,  they  failed  to  provide  a  store  of 
Iresh  provisions.  They  soon  Ijecame  victims  of  the  scurvy,  which  they 
tried  to  guard  against  by  eating  separately,  and  avoiding  contact  with 
each  other,  foolishly  supposing  it  was  caught  by  infection  instead  of 
recognizing  that  its  fruitful  source  was  the  salt  provisions,  which  they 
had  not  the  energy  to  vary  with  the  fruits  of  the  chase.  On  Jan.  14 
one  died,  and  on  the  17th  another,  and  soon  a  third  followed.  The 
survivinsf  four  busied  tliemselves  in  makinjj  coffins  for  their  dead  com- 
rades — an  unprofitable  industry  vviiich  showed  their  good  feeling,  but 
not  their  good  sense.  In  the  early  part  of  February  they  killed  a  single 
fox;  and  bears  prowled  around  for  whom  they  should  have  made  living 
coffins  in  their  stomachs.  On  the  32d  of  February  only  one  was  in  a 
condition  to  feed  the  fire;  and  on  the  date  of  the  last  record  made,  four 
days  later,  the  four  were  still  alive,  but  the  fire-tender  had  succumbed 
with  the  others.  "  We  cannot  long  survive,"  writes  the  penman, 
"without  food  or  firing;  we  are  unable  to  render  each  other  the  least 
assistance,  and  each  must  bear  his  own  burden."  On  the  arrival  of 
the  whalers  for  the  season  of  1635  they  were  dead,  not  one  having 
survived,  thus  completely  reversing  the  record  of  their  predecessors  on 
the  same  spot. 


II 


■  <...  wt.,t..„M>:mi,i,.U-timii>,t^MM~i 


lW!B9l9iR 


jcr  fish  or 
■  could  in- 
i  depth,  or 
ier  than  the 
1(1  safe  and 
titnde  80*^. 
;d,  it  may 
e  fleet  le- 
rth  Bay  to 
nee  of  salt 
he  I ith  of 
tion  of  the 
'  advent,  01- 
ler  winter, 
le  a  store  oi 
vhich  they 
ntact    with 

instead  of 
vhich  they 
)n  Jan.  14 
wed.  The 
dead  coin- 
ed ing,  but 
ed  a  single 
lade  living 
i  was  in  a 
made,  four 
succumbed 
e  penman, 
L'r  the  least 

arrival  of 
me  having 
ecessors  on 


BRUTAUrr  OF  A  DUTCH  CAPTAIN.  jj, 

A  number  of  ehcc  whaling  adventures  in  the  north  might  be  re- 
counted^  and   we   will  bried,  mention  a  few.     In   ,633   Capt.  Didier 
Albert  Raevn  lost  h.s  sh,p  by  eontact  with  an  iceberg  in  a  .Irivin.  ,now. 
storn,      Twenty  out  of  eightysix  were  reseued  by  another  whaJr  forty. 
e,gl,.  hours  later  and  of  these  one   was  so  injuretl  by  the  exposure  that 
he     ,ed   soon  after.     In    ,646,  four  survivors  of  a    erew  of  fortytwo 
Lngl.nn,en  wet-e  rescued  from   the  ice  by  Cap,.  John  Cornelius  Van 
Mu„,ken  after  they  ha.l  been  exposed  for  fourteen  days.    They  had  d„. 
a  deep  hole  ,n  the  ice  and  piled  blocks  of  ice  all  around  to  protect  then" 
from  the  weather.    They  h.ad  fortunately  saved  provisions  and  tools,  and 
thetnne  of  year  „.-,s  not  unfavorable,  being  the  end  of  M.ay  and  the 
cg,„nn,g  of  June.     But  three  died  in  a  few  day,  after  being  t.aken  on 
hoard,  so  that  on,y  one  was  finally  saved  ,0  return  to  England.    In  .670 
Cap,.  Lo,.„.  Pi,,  with  thirty-six  men,  were  similarly  wrecked  by  the' 
,ce,  and  after  nearly  sixty  hours'  exposure,  were  all  saved.     In  ,6,5  not 
ess  than  fourteen  Dutch  whalers  arc  known  to  have  been  lost  off  Spitz 
borgen.     Capt.  Cornelius  Bille,  with  bis  erew   of  thirty.four  men,  were' 
saved  al^er  ben,g  .osse.1  about  for  fourteen  days  in  an  open  boat,  some 
years  before.     Th.s  year  his  ship  and  another,  being  in  company  dose 
o  the  border  of  the  in,pe„e.rah,e  polar  ice,  were  crushed  by  a   udden 
breaking  loose  of  the  icebergs. 

The  crews  managed  to  scramble  on  ,0  the  ice  before  the  vessels  were 
en  ncly  submerged,  and  they  saved  the  boats  and  some  provisions.  Cap., 
bdle,  w,.h  .a  few  of  the  n,ore  enterprising  of  the  combined  crews,  six^y 
persons,  took  two  of  the  boats,  and  were  saved  by  other  whalers.     Afte^ 
,cn  d.,ys  those   who   had  re.naincd  conclu.lcd  Bille's  course  wa,  the 
w,sest,  and  they  also  took   to  the  sea.     They   fell  i„   with  a   Freneh 
whaler,  and  were  humanely  taken  al,„ar,l.     Eight  of  them  not  wishin,. 
.0  trespass  on  the  Frenchman's  generous  hospitality,  whom  they  found 
"vererowtled,  rowe,l  off  to  a  Dutchman,  which  cante  in  sight.     To  r  -ir 
<l.s.nay  the  brutal  captain  refused   to  give  them  shelter,  and  they  we're 
c™>pel.e    to  take  refuge  on  the  ice.     There  they  passed  sixty  ho  rs  un. 
e,  t  e  shelter  of  a  sail,  within  sight  of  their  countrymen  whose  vessel 
was  at  anchor.    Owing  to  the  remonstrance  of  his  ,nen,  or  dreadin.  tha, 


!Ri?*iH«ii;i 


mmmM 


■Sim"'' 


Sil,  ff;.gt!Uli«:  •■. 


1 

iji'liii 

fl 

If  n 

RMtt  ' 

1  i 

'  i 

i 

■!    1 

::,!' 

||J 

i'ljP'' 

faifl 

njiT? 

i^l 

;:  i,';  -8 

'>  ijjj 

i 

f#l!!?''ii|; 


'1.1  ii 


,j 


no 


r//^  OLD  QUESTION. 


his  misconduct  might  be  reported  at  home,  the  surly  captain  relented  so 
far  as  to  permit  his  shipwrecked  countrymen  to  sleep  on  board.  A  few 
days  later,  while  on  the  ice,  he  weighed  anchor,  leaving  them  behind. 
They  pursued  in  their  boat,  and  were  at  last  taken  on  board  another 
vessel.  In  1676  a  fleet  of  Dutch  whalers  was  suddenly  caught  by  the 
ice  in  Vaigats  Strait  on  the  eve  of  their  return,  and  were  saved  by  the 
resolution  and  presence  of  mind  of  Capt.  Kees,  who  allayed  the  panic. 
After  a  detention  of  nineteen  days,  the  weather  grew  mild,  a  thaw  set  in, 
and  they  found  themselves  free  as  suddenly  as  they  were  previously  locked 
up.  Coolness  and  courage,  patience  and  energy,  a  keen  insight,  good 
judgment,  and  quick  execution,  together  with  abundance  of  fresh  whole- 
some food — which  the  canning  process  has  now  made  easy — are  the 
chief  requisites  to  success  in  Arctic  voyages.  But  the  examples  given 
also  show  that  while  these  precautions  reduce  the  risk  to  a  minimum 
there  is  always  g'cat  danger,  which  only  the  best  trained  and  hardiest 
can  hope  to  cope  with  successfully.  Arctic  explorers  should  be  selected 
with  great  care;  and  no  unfit  volunteer  should  be  permitted  to  endanger 
the  lives  of  others  and  his  own. 

AGAIN,  WHICH  IS  THE  WAY  TO   INDIA? 

It  was  now  nearly  seventy  years  since  Hudson  had  pronounced 
against  the  availability  for  commercial  purposes  of  a  northeast  route  to 
China  and  India,  and  exactly  one  hundred  years  since  Frobisher  had 
tried  in  vain  to  accomplish  "  the  only  great  thing  left  undone  in  the 
world,"  a  Northwest  Passage  to  <he  same  countries.  Many  attempts 
had  been  made  in  both  directions,  some  new  geographical  information 
had  been  gleaned  at  infinite  cost  and  labor,  but  the  problem  remained 
unsolved.  The  latest  trials  had  been  made  in  the  west,  and  there  too, 
they  were  resumed.  Baffled  and  disappointed,  but  not  entirely  cast  down, 
civilized  man  would  not  give  it  up  and  rest  content.  The  ocean  should 
yet  be  made  to  surrender  its  se  -rets  to  the  lord  of  creation.  This  was 
more  than  a  hundred  years  before  Byron  sang,  ''  Man  marks  the  earlli 
with  ruin;  his  control  stops  with  the  shore," — a  dictum  which  man  will 
not  accept.     Man's  control  of  the  sea  is  different,  but  it  is  also  very  real: 


merr*tw3*3fl?««Htu.,jiujj^«^- 


«»*(!**>«*''' 


,.,.,-,»MMiti««l«^^St 


n  relented  so 
)aid.  A  few 
;hem  behind, 
oard  another 
:aught  by  the 
saved  by  the 
ed  the  panic, 
a  thaw  set  in, 
iously  locked 
insight,  good 
fresh  whole- 
;asy — are  the 
amples  given 
)  a  minimum 
and  hardiest 
d  be  selected 
I  to  endanger 


pronounced 
;ast  route  to 
robisher  had 
idone  in  the 
any  attempts 

information 
;m  remained 
id  there  too, 
ly  cast  down, 
ocean  should 
This  was 
ks  the  earlli 
ich  man  will 
ilso  very  real; 


THE  ENTERPRISE  OF  MARINERS,  m 

and  as  many  lives  are  lost  to-day  on  land  as  on  sea,  in  proportion  to  the 
numbers  on  each.  The  mariners  of  England  prefer  to  sing  with  Thom- 
son, 

"Britannia  rules  the  waves;" 

and  neither  they  nor  their  American  cousins  have  abandoned  the  hope  of 
searchn.g  every  nook  and  corner  of  this  globe,  whether  on  land  or  sea. 
The  love  of  knowledge  and  of  commerce  still   drives  them  on.      Will 
they  succeed  t     No  one  knows. 


H»<iU')f;Li.i;~.'e-^' 


.  i  1 

i 

1 

ti 

>^  m  M|. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

NORTHWEST  VOYAGE  OF  GILLAM — ALLEGED    DISCOVERY  OF    A    NORTH- 
WEST   PASSAGE  —  Hudson's    bay    company    chartered  —  a 

pilot's  story  OK  THE  NORTH  POLE — VOYAGE  OF  WOOD — WRECK 
OF  wood's  ship— JAMES  KNIGHT REPORT  OF  INDIANS  CON- 
CERNING   MINES. 

A  generation  had  passed  away  since  the  voyages  of  Fox  and  James, 
and  Hudson  Bay  had  begun  to  pass  into  oblivion,  as  no  other  than  a 
dreary  and  dangerous  waste  of  water  in  the  midst  of  inhospitable  and 
uninhabited  lands,  when  in  1669  the  attention  of  England  was  again 
turned  to  it. 

The  fur  traders  of  New  France  had  penetrated  through  the  forests  of 
Canada  in  every  direction  in  pursuit  of  that  very  profitable  branch  of 
commerce.  One  of  these  enterprising  adventurers,  Grosselier,  reached 
the  shore  of  Hudson's  Bay.  Believing  lie  had  made  an  important  orig- 
inal discovery,  he  returned  to  France  to  lay  it  at  the  feet  of  his  sovereign. 
But  the  £-ran(i  monarque — Louis  XIV. — was  more  concerned  about  ex- 
tending his  home  dominion  to  the  Rhine  than  his  transatlantic  domains  to 
the  Hudson  Bay  or  elsewhere.  So  Grosselier's  story  fell  on  deaf  ears, 
until  it  reached  those  of  the  English  ambassador,  who  encouraged  him 
to  try  the  Court  of  St.  James,  and  gave  him  a  letter  to  Prince  Rupert, 
cousin  of  Charles  II.,  who  had  been  admiral  in  the  war  of  the  Restora- 
tion, and  a  few  years  later  against  the  Dutch.  He  was  favorably  re- 
ceived, and  intrusted  with  one  of  the  king's  ships,  for  the  purpose  of 
founding  a  colony  on  the  shore  of  Hudson's  Bay,  and  searching  for  the 
Northwest  Passage.  Henry  Oldenburg,  first  secretary  of  the  Royal 
Historical  Society,  established  in  1662,  and  correspondent  of  Milton  and 
Boyle,  thus  wrote  to  the  latter  in  relation  to  this  voyage: 

"  Surely  I  need  not  tell  you  from  hence  what  is  said  here  with  great 

113 


FOliT  CHARLES. 


118 


i  m 


joy  of  the  d,scovery  of  a  Northwest  Passage  made  by  two  English  and 
one  Frenchman,  lately  represented  by  them  to  His  Majesty  at  Oxford  .nd 
answered  by  the  royal  grant  of  a  vessel  to  sail  into  Hudson's  Bay'and 
thenee  into  the  South  Sea;  these  men  affirming,  as  I  heard,  that  with  . 
boat  they  went  out  of  a  lake  in  Canada  into  a  river  which  discharged 
,tsel  northwest  into  the  South  Sea,  into  which  they  went  and  returned 
northeast  nito  Hudson's  Bay." 

In  ,670  the  king  granted  u  liberal  patent,  or  charter,  to  the  Hud- 
son  s  liay  Company,  whieh  consiste,l  of  his  cousin   Rupert,  and  a  few 
specified  associates.     The  company  was  actually  invested  with  absolute 
propnetorship    and    a    real    though    subordinate  sovereignty,   and    the 
exelus,ve  tramc  of  a  territory  of  unknown  extent,  loosely  described  as 
Rupert  s  Land,  and  ordained  to  cover  all  that  had  been  discovered  or 
m.gh.  yet  be  discovered   within    the  entrance   to   Hudson's   Strait_a 
.nag„,ficen.  grant,  truly;  there  was  nothing  mean  about  Charles.     ..Jn 
eons,  eratton, '  says  he,  .of  their  having  undertaken,  at  their  own  cost 
and  charges,  an  expedition  to  Hudson's  B.ay  for  the  discovery  of  a  new 
passage  .„to  the  South  Sea,  and  for  the  finding  of  some  trade  in  fur, 
mntcrals  and  other  commodities,  whereby  great  a.lvanftgc  might  prob." 
ably  ar,se  to  the  king  and  his  dominions.  His  Majesty,  for  b^ter  pro- 
mo  „g  the.r  endeavors  for  the  good  of  his  people,  was  pleased  to  confer 
on  t  cm   exclusively   all   the  lands   and  territories   in   Huron's  Bay 
together  w,.h  all  the  trade  thereof,  and  all  others  which  they  shoufd' 
acquue,"  etc.  •'  "'"^"'^ 

Though  discovery  was  one  of  the  primary  objects  of  this  princely 

ndowment,Capt.Zaehariah  GiUam,  who  was  placed  in  comn'and  of 

.1  e  expec,t,„„,  seems  to  have  added  but  little  .0  the  geographical  knowl- 

Mut  he  named  Rupert's  River,  in  honor  of  his  patron,  and  built  a  small 
s  one  ,on.t  ,ts  mouth,  which  he  na.ned  Fort  Charles,  in  honor  of  the 
k.ng  Th,=  was  the  first  English  settlement  in  the  Hudson  Bay  Com. 
pany  s  terntory;  an,l  for  about  a  century  they  confined  themsclvcl  to  the 
coast,  and  are  no,  kno^n  to  have  made  a  single  effort  at  additional  dis- 
-very.    The  tndisposition  of  monopolists  to  diminish  their  dividends  by 


r'^iwif''; 


wm 


li'l 


m 


i«? 


'i*;  i!iii! 


lU 


STORr  OF  A   GREENLAND  PILOT. 


unprofitable  expenditures,  accounts  for  the  omission.  In  1770  they 
explored  the  basin  of  the  Coppermine,  and  towanl  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury, that  of  the  Mackenzie.  In  the  first  half  of  the  present  century 
they  patronized  two  or  three  overland  expeditions,  all  of  which  will 
receive  attention  in  due  time.  In  1S69  the  company  was  finally  bouj^ht 
out  by  tlie  British  government  for  $1,500,000,  and  its  territory  formally 
incorporated  with  the  Dominion  of  Canada  in  1S70,  on  payment  of  the 
same  amount. 

Capt.  Gillam  spent  a  more  tolerable  winter,  owing  probably  to  its 
being  a  milder  season,  than  his  predecessor,  James,  had  done  on  Charl- 
ton Island,  in  nearly  the  sami;  latitude,  and  returned  to  England  with- 
out having  received  any  clue  from  his  supercargo,  Grosselier,  or  any 
one  else. 

THE  NORTHEAST  VOYAGE  OF  WOOD. 

Turn  we  now  to  the  eastward  to  see  what  the  navigators  were  able 
to  achieve  in  that  direction.  Joseph  Moxon  ( 1627-1700)  hydrographer 
to  Charles  II.,  and  m;mufacturer  of  globes  and  maps,  as  well  as  writer 
on  mathem^uicc*  and  navigation,  and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society, 
theorized  c^oout  the  Northeast  Passage  to  China  until  he  satisfied  him- 
self and  some  others  that  it  was  feasible,  and  a  new  interest  was  awak- 
ened. He  adduced  many  arguments,  mainly  ivom  his  inner  conscious- 
ness, as  was  the  custom  in  those  days,  and  not  to  any  large  extent  from 
demonstrable  facts,  which  is  the  modern  and  scientific  method.  He 
added  the  following  story,  which  doubtless  proved  convincing,  but  it 
lacks  one  element  of  persuasion  with  even  the  most  incredulous— truth. 
He  relates  that  the  pilot  of  a  Greenlander,  or  whaler  in  Greenland  seas, 
declared  to  him  that  he  sailed  to  the  North  Pole,  and  continues  thus: 

"Whereupon,  his  relation  being  novel  to  me,  I  entered  into  cHs- 
cc-rse  with  him,  and  seemed  to  question  the  truth  of  what  he  said;  but 
he  did  assure  me  that  it  was  true,  and  that  the  ship  was  then  at  Amster- 
dam, and  many  of  the  men  belonging  to  her  could  justify  the  truth  of 
it;  and  told  me,  moreover,  that  they  had  sailed  two  degrees  beyond  the 
Pole.    I  asked  him  if  they  found  no  land  or  islands  about  the  Pole.    He 


CAPTA/N  JOHN  WOOD. 


replied,  «Mo;  it  was  a  free,  onen  spn  '     r      i     .  l- 

ui,,,  n  .ren,  .,.„  of  ico.      .  ' "      v„.  ;'"'  """  '^'"^^  "■"  ^  ™-t 

»..» ».  A,„.e.„„„  ,„  .„,  ,„.„„„  :t  r:r;,:r  ;:*-•  -:;^  - 

loi,-c-r  be  any  doubt.     The  hinlv There  could  no 

i.«li...  a.„.,e„e  .i,n       :  '      t'T':^""'""-  "e  progressed, 

"— '^  ™- "ai.a.i:fr;r ""!?';"  ""'""= '- 

hi-.  i...errosatorv,  be  ,„i.,ht  h,ve  I  ,    ,  '°''°"    '"?'  "P 

a  l,c„',  egg.  "^"  """"■'  ''"^  f™"<'  ••'  pearl  as  large  as 

Among  the  others  who  were  n„ri,.,l  u       . 

Moxon,  was  Capt.  John  WooT     ,  '    '  "'  """—»"  "^ 

'^-^"" er  Ad,„iral  Marlb  ro  :,::::"'  "'T'""^^  "'"'  '^ 

corsairs.     I„  167c  he  drow  ^"^'^'^  ''^"^   ^^'^--hary 

' «'-"•  '■•■•-'  on  .heeon„g:rat,-on  of  t         'rth        ,"      ,"7™"' 

""*"'  "'«  I™   |..-c.leees,ors  ,„ay  have  missed  the  "^  ^'^^  ™»- 

constrneteJ  a  n,ap  to  aeeon,„anv  ,h  "'■°'"-'''  ""'"«=•     "■= 

-h"  king  an.,  his  l.ro.he  Dnk      /Tr"''  """  "''^^■■'"'  "»">  '» 

="»-'■  h.  a  „, .orsatis'fatr^       ;j,7  i;*;'""^^^""'^   "'     "« 

in  a  few  weeks,  and  that  a  vo  '     e      "|      ,  ■'"'":"  =""'"  "^  '^"^"^^ 

-' "^'  -'-,  safer  and  sho2  ,       :"  ;  ^'-''^^  ^""'P^'-^o 

« ^'^'>  were  consulted  by  .he  k    J  hu  'tl      7',""""'  '""""""'' 

'"'™  -  wen  as  M„.„nand  Wood.     It     !:        .He     ."'"T"  ""''  ^*«' 

'™  '-'"h  en.orprises  before  and  sin^e      T  '..T    .     'T'  """• 

"-■  ''">.?'"hips,  was  placed  a.  h,s  disp  "nj  ..  ?''"*''."'^"'  °""  "' 
dockyards  a.  Deptford,  at  .he  king, '"pen  1  S  "'"  '"  "'  "^'" 
a"  tlio  best  apoliances  of  ,h,.  •  ,  '"""'■  ''h=  was  supplied  with 
eixht  n,e„.  The  d'  e  If  y  'T'"'  """  "'"■'"^=''  «'*  ^'  --  of  si«y. 
-pense  a  smaller  "es  e  o  . ,''  "  ''""'  "^^°'='"-  ""«■  o-  -  "heir 
P.".>   -be  ..Speedwe    .'      ;:        """""'""""'■■-'-■o"«'''oacco,„.  ■ 

-a.  >  ictualeJ  ,or  sil„  "^^  ZT,  1  T'"'   '"™-      ^"'^ 

■•'^  »■»  thought  likelv  to  fl„H  '  """'  ""=''  """'handise 

.       .hely  to  And  „  ready  ,„„rket  in  Japan.     Capt.  Flames 


wmtss. 


.-..  ',ijkr.'jly&- 


mi 


0 


"  ipiij 


lie 


WRECK  OF   WOOD'S  SllfP. 


took  command  of  the  "Prosperous";  and  it  was  agreed  between  the 
commanders  that  they  should  direct  their  '^oursc  between  Nova  Zembla 
and  Spitzbcr<?cn.  "  My  idea  was,"  says  Wood,  "  to  toUow  exactly  the 
track  of  Ban  titz,  and  proceed  due  northeast  after  reaching  the  North 
Cape,  in  order  to  get  between  Greenland."  Spitzbergen  was  then  sup- 
posed to  be  a  part  of  Greenland. 

May  28,  1676,  the  vessels  left  the  Nore,  and  on  the  3d  of  jui->e  took 
refuge  from  a  northwest  gale  in  Brassa  Sound  in  the  Shetlands.    On  the 
tenth  they  weighed  anchor,  and   on  the  22d  had   rounded  North   Cape, 
whence  they   sailed  northeast  and  immediately  encountered  the  ice  in 
latitude  76®.     For  five  days  they  skirted  this  great  mass  of  ice  vainly 
seeking    an  opening.     Wood  concluded  it  was  one  vast   ice  continent 
stretching  from  Nova  Zembla  to  ''Greenland,"  and   that   Barentz  and 
others  were  mistaken  in  the  opinion  that  there  was  land  to  the  north  of 
80°.     On  the  29th  of  June  he  changed  his  course  to  the  west,  abandon- 
in*^  his  cherisheil  theories.     They  had  proceeded   but  a   little  way  when 
the  "Speedwell"    struck  upon    some    hidden  rocks,    the    extension    of 
which,  in  sarcastic  contrast  with  the  name  of  his  ship,  he  named  Point 
Speedill,  in  74®  30',  the  most  western  promontory  of  Nova  Zembla. 
The  ship  lay  beating  on  the  rocks  for  several  hours,  the  crew  laboring 
in  vain  to  save  her.     The  weather  clearing  a  little,  they  were  amazed  to 
find  land  riglit  under  their  stern.     A  boat  was  sent  to  ascertain  if  a  land- 
ing could  be  elfecled,  but  it  returned  unsuccessful.     The  fog  lifting  more 
completely,  the  captain  descried  a  clear  stretch  of   beach,  which  the  long 
boat  with  twenty  men  was  enabled  to  reach.     The  boat  returned.    Some 
provisions  and  supplies  were  now  put  aboard  the  small   boat,  but  she 
was  upset,  and  her  cargo,  including  the  captain's   papers  and   money, 
and  one  of  the  crew,  were  lost.     Another  seaman  was  left  aboard  so  ill 
that  he  could  not  be  removed.     All   the  others  were  taken  ashore  by 
the   long  boat,  and  a  tent  was  erected  and  a  fire  built.     On  the  30th 
the  ship  began  to  go  to  pieces   and   much  of  the   wreck   floated  to  the 
shore,  supplying  them  with  material  for  huts  and  firewood.     The  next 
two  days  they  secured  some  provisions  that  were  washed  ashore  from 
the  wreck.     Finally  0.1  the  eighth  their  more  fortunate  companion  who 


■\  III ' 


in 


REPORTS  OF  A    COPPER  MINE.  ,,7 

had  escaped  t)  e  shoals  on  the  39th  of  June  an.l  j,..„e  out  to  sea,  returned 
...  search  of  her  consort,  a.,d  took  the  survivois  safely  on  board  Xft.,- 
this  great  misfortune  a..d  fo,-tunate  deliverance,  Capt.  Wood  ahando.,ed 
the  pursuit  of  the  success  of  which  he  had  been  so  sanguine  a  few  .nonths 
before,  and  on  the  very  next  day  the  "Prosperous"  sailed  for  England 
wheve  she  arrived  on  the  23d  of  August.  ' 

KNIGHT,  BARLOW  AND   VAUGHAN. 

The  fate  of  Wood's  expedition  in    .676  very  naturally    dampened 
not  only  h.sow..  ardor  but  that  of  the  English  people  for  t'he  <liscove,-y 
.^  te  Northeast   Passage;  and  in<leed,  his  was  the  last    attempt    ....der 
Lnghsh  ausp.ces  ...  that  direction.      The    burden  of  searchh.g   fo,-  the 
Northwest  Passage  had  been  officially  laid  on  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com 
pany  i,.  their  charter  of    .670,  and   the  .-est  of  England    was  virtually" 
debarred  fro.n   trespassing.      After  the  manner  of  monopolists,  the  com! 
pany  seem  to  have  mterpreted    their  charter  stringently  as  to  p..ivileges, 
^n    loosely  as  to  obl.gations.      In   ,7.9   the   governor  of  thX  fad  ng 
colony  at  the  ...outh  of  the  Nelson  River   was  James  Knight.     He  Z 
an.oste,ghty  years  of  age,  or  old  enough    to  have   go..e  out  with    thei 
first  CO  ony  .n  1670.     He  was  now  at  least  a.  the   head  of  affairs,  and  .p 
F.e..t ly  ha     been  in  those  regions  some  years.     He  had   learned  1 
^nat-ves  that  at  so..e  dista..ce  to  the  ..orth  and  on  the  ban.  of      ^ 
gable  .-.ver  was  to  be  found  a  rich  mi.ie  of  conoer      Th'     •  . 

...a..  ...,„.„,. .  ,„^,^„„ ,  :3;::l'::;::: 

Co,„pa„y  f„.  ,|,e  u,,e  of  t„„  ships  fo,-  .,.,.  purpose.     P  !,,„!,  . 

"" ^7''— '»"  of  .he  f„.  ...ado,  the,  .lecn„i,;  1.  K,.,V  ! 

app."e,„l,  had  been  awakened  ,o  a  sense  of  duty  W  his  A^^  t    ',  r ^ 

copper,  now  remimled  them  of  the  „h|-      ,•       ■ 

-    •»  -.^™e    voyages    of"  dUr    ''!;  ',"".71,:  \  '''"  ''T 

wer:  ca„e    t : lAihl  ^nt -.d' "'  ^"T"'  "'  "^'^  ''"-"■     ^'^^T 


itfaUUi 


U8 


LOSS  OF  KNIGHT  AND  PARTT. 


Knight,  with  his  captains  and  crews,  sailed  in  the  summer  or  autumn  of 
1719,  "hy  God's  permission  to  find  out  the  Straits  of  Ainan,  in  order 
to  discover  gold   and  other    valuable    commodities  to  the   northward." 
Having  won  his  |)oint.  Knight  seems  to  liave  cared   as  little  about  the 
Northwest  Passage  as  his  employers.     The  ships  never   returnrd.     In 
1722  the  "Whalebone"  was  dispatched  under  Capt.  Scroggs  to  search 
for  Knight  and  his  companions.     They  sailed  from    Churchill  River,  in 
Button's  Bay,  to  the  northward;  but  in  his   report   Scroggs  made  no 
mention  of  having  in3tituted   any  search  whatever  for  the  lost  naviga- 
tors or  for  the  Northwest  Pas^age.     But  he  brought  back  confirmation 
of  the  reports  about  copper.     He  "  had  seen  two  northern  Indians,  who 
told  him  of  a  rich  copper  mine  somewhere  in  that   country,    upon  the 
shore,  near  the  surface  of  the  earth;  and   they  could  direct  the  sloop  so 
near  as  to  lay  her  side  to  it  and   be  soon   loaded.     They  had  brought 
some  pieces  of  copper  to  Churchill  that  maile  it  evident  that  there  was  a 
mine   thereabouts.     They  had  sketched  out  the  country   with  charcoal 
before  they  left  Churchill,  and  so  far  as  they  went,  it  agreed  very  well." 
Nothing  was   heard  of  Knight   or  his  comrades  until  the   overland 
exploring  expedition  of  Samuel  Hearne,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Hud- 
soi.   Bay  Company,    in   1769,  just    fifty  years    after  they    had    set  out. 
Hearne  gleaned  the  following  account  of  them  from  the   Esquimaux  of 
Marble  Island: 

«  When  the  vessels  arrived  at  this  place,  i^  was  very  late  in  the  fall 
(of  1 7 19),  and  in  getting  them  into  the  harbor,  the  largest  received 
much  damage;  but  on  being  fairly  in,  the  English  began  to  bu;ld  a 
house,  their  number  at  that  time  seeming  to  be  about  fifty.  As  soon  as 
the  ice  permitted  in  the  following  summer  (1720),  the  Esquimaux  paid 
them  another  visit,  by  which  time  the  number  of  the  English  was  very 
greatly  reduced,  and  those  that  were  living  seemed  very  unhealthy. 
According  to  the  account  given  by  the  Esquimaux,  they  were  very 
busily  employed,  but  about  v. hat  they  could  not  easily  describe;  proba- 
bly in  lengthening  the  long  losN  ^or  at  a  little  distance  from  the  house 
there  was  now  (1769)  lying  a    :-.'tt  qur.;.iity  of  oak  chips,  which  most 


assuredly  had  been  made  by  .Mr.ioaters. 


% 


LAST  SUJiVIVOJiS.  jjg 

"A  sickness  and  (amine  occasioned  such  havoc  amon-  the  English 
that  hytlie  setting  in  ..f  the  second    winter,    1730,  some  of  the   Esqui- 
maux to.,k  up  their  abode  on  the  opposite  side  of  (he  harbor  to  that  <,n 
which  the  Eufrlish  had  built  their  houses,  and  frequently  supplied  them 
will,  such  provisions  as  they   had,   which  chiefly  consisted    of  whale's 
hli.l.bcr,  and  seal's  flesh  and  train  oil.     When   the  spring?  advanced,  the 
Esquimaux  went  to  the  continent;  and  on  their  visitin-   Marble   Island 
ayain,  in  the  summer  of  ,721,  they  found  only  five  of  the  E.i-lish  alive, 
aiul  those  were  in  such  distress  for  provisions  that  they  cajrer"ly  ate  the' 
8fai-s  tlcsh,  and    whale's   bluhber  quite  raw  as  they  purchased  it   from 
the  natives.     'I'lws  disordered  them  so  much  that   three  of  them  died  in 
a  low  .lays;  and  the  other  two,  thou-h   so   very   weak,  made  a  shift  to 
bin y  tliem.     Those   two  survived   many   days  after    the    rest,  and   fre- 
quenlly  went  to  the  top  of  an  adjacent  rock,  and  earnestly  looked  to  the 
south  and  east,  as  if  in  expectation    of  some    vessels  comin-  to    their 
relief.     After  continuing  there  a  considerable  time  to-ether,  and  nothing 
api^earing  in  sight,  they  sat  down  close  together  and  wept  bitterly.     At 
length  one  of  the  two  died,  and  the  other's  strength  was  so  far  exhausted 
tliat  he  fell  <lown  and  died  also,  in   attempting  to  dig  a  grave  for    his 
companion.     The  skulls  and   other  large  bones   of   these  two   men    arc 
now  (1769)  lying  above  ground,  close  to  the  house.     The  longest   liver 
was,  according  to  the  Esquimaux'  account,  always  employed  in^workin- 
iron  into  implements  for  them;  probably  he  was  the  armorer  or  smith." 


% 


W0^^^ 


-k    k:V§f^t 


■•■fjk-'fkj^L,,-"^'-'-''"''-"  "■■■'■'■  ■ 


SK8i!ISi?itSJI»1^*«(«SiWi»»iii^^ 


•liil 


i"pii'^ 


CHAPTu^R  XIII. 

ARCTIC  VOYAGES  OF  THE  RUSSIANS  —  VOYAGE  OF  THE  COSSACK 
DESHNIEV — CONQUEST  OF  KAMCHATKA — ATTEMPTED  REDUCTION 
OF    THE    TCHUKTCHIS. 

The  solution  of  the  question  that  had  so  long  pressed  on  tlie  minds 
of  the  natives  of  Western  Europe  would  have  been  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance to  Russia,  if  that  state  had  been  in  a  condition  to  engage  in  the 
commerce  of  the  East.  But  the  Northeast  Passage  was  too  big  a  ques- 
tion, and  its  discovery  too  great  an  enterprise  for.  the  feeble  Russia  of 
three  centuries  ago.  She  did  not  even  feel  an  interest  in  maritime  ex- 
peditions until  the  advent  of  Chancellor,  in  1554,  showed  her  a  way  to 
obtain  West  European  goods  without  having  to  receive  them  through 
her  rivals  and  enemies,  the  Poles.  Even  as  late  as  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century  nothing  was  known  of  the  Arctic  regions  of  Siberia 
east  of  the  Yenisei  River.  The  country  beyond  had  doubtless  been 
often  traversed  by  companies  of  Russians  analagous  to  what  the  French 
in  Canada  had  named  forest  couriers  or  wood  rangers,  that  is,  private  ad- 
venturers In  search  of  furs  and  game.  But  such  information  as  these 
were  able  to  glean  remained  scattered,  and  had  never  been  collected  so  as 
to  be  made  available  to  the  public,  or  serve  the  interests  of  geography  or 
commerce. 

It  was  in  1646  that  the  first  Russian  voyage  of  exploration  in  the 

Arctic  wr.s  made,  and  that  was  simply  a  coasting  voyage,  eastward  from 

Kolyma,  by  private  adventurers.     They  found  a  clear  channel  between 

the  land  and  the  ice,  which  was  firmly  grounded  on  the  shelving  coast, 

leaving  room  for  their  small  vessel  to  ply  along  under  sail.     After  sailing 

two  days  they  anchored  in  a  bay  and  became  acquainted  with  a  native 

tribe,  the    Tchuktchis   (Chookchees),  a  branch  of  the   Esquimaux  race. 

Neither  party  understood  the  language  of  the  other;  but  they  began  to 

120 


MXPEWnoM  OP  THE  COSSACK  OBSHmEV  «, 

In  1648  seven  vessels  left  the  Kolyma  und^r  fl,« 
D.h.ev.  a  Co...,  .„  ai_e.  Jh:;  A  I  Tor"  1^"°" 
vessels  were  soon  lost,  but  one  or  more  of  .  h.    n  ^'''" 

montory,  for  .hey  reached  .he  mo„.h  of  L  aL  T  "  P"' 

narrative  hegi„3  ,vi.h  .he  ;:r.  ct  of T,";  'tT'j'^-     "^^^^^'^ 

posed  .0  be  Cape  Eas.h,Behri„;C     'if-  "'"^'   '''  '""• 
niev,«be.ween.he„or.ha„d„o«hea™aJ      "  ,    '     "^^  ''"'■• 

HverAnadh..  Over  a,„i„s.  .he  r^^r^wo  ^dTto'"  'ZT  ^^ 
seen  some  men  of  the  Tehuk.ehi  „.«„  k  T  '  '^  "''"'^''  *'« 
..>,  .Hro,„h  Which  were  stf  Zr.  "e  l^f  m^  '"' 
evidently  American  Esquimaux.     Two  of  .h  "h    "  !"-''°"' "- 

were  either  lo.,.  in  malcing  .he  voyage  or  left  beh  ^K  .'"'"^  "''"" 
s«,  for  Deshniev  arrivL  wi.h  o  ^  Id  s  ^'''^^T^'"  '"» 
south  of  .he  ,  iver  s  n.ou.h.     The  crew  of  u"  "™''"'  "  "'"=     ' 

five  .en.  and  .hey  now  .^^.177:^: 7:^^^''^  "'  'T'' 
.en  weeks  .hro„,h  a  woodless  and  uninhabLed  u^  un  7.::*'""' 
to  a  river  on  the  banks  of  whirh  ,u  •^'  "^>^  ^^^^ 

-- -omthey,  no:;::  n.  „'  ^:rr :  \r' ""  ^""' 

not  hesitate  to  ex.erminne-a  niece  of  "  '°"'""°"'  ''"^ 

-vedly  added  to  their  own  diste  xrT"  """''  "''"''  '"'  ''■ 
.raffle  with  the  barbarous  .r  b  „  'rth  ' k'TT  '"'  '"  '""'""'^'^ 
was  mostly  carried  on  ehrou.hL  it, :,     ™  '  ""^'"  '^''"'=^-. 

K:::,r.a*'c;rd:i?:rr^^^^^^^^  '°  - 
-^...nte,  and  in  .^^rviadi^rr:—::™  r^ 

?     "",  ""''"'=^'    of  Kamchatlta.     He    traveled    overl,„.      - 

-Anauu,  but  states  from  hearsay  or  observation  that  be- 


iy^iitiyi , 


1S2 


JjjT^jr^^  .-'--MSlM^  f^W-PMniicy  w;  ^ 


CONQUEST  OF  KAMTKCHATKA. 


1^3 
.ween  the  Kol,m»  and  Anadir  there  are  two  great  capes,  the  west  of 
wh.ch,  probably  what  ,s  called  Cape  North,  could  never  be  doubled  l,y 
any  vessel,  because  o£  the  quantity  of  ice  that  lines  its  shores  at  a„  seasons 
of  the  year.    The  Kan,chadales  were  easily  conquered,  and  before   ,706 
the  more  warhke  Tchuk.chis  shared  the  same  fate.     The  former  are  de- 
«^^nbed  as  smaller  than  the  latter,  with  small  faces  but  great  beards. 
They  l,ved  underground  in  winter,  and  in  cabins  raised  from  the  .round 
on  posts,  ,„  summer.     These  cabins  were  reached  bv  ladders.  °  They 
bur,e,l  .he.r  meats  in  .he  earth,  wrapped  in  leaves,  until  it  was  quite 
putnd      For  coolcmg  it,  they  used  earthen  or  wooden  pots,  heating  the 
wa  er  by  throwmg  n,to  it  stones  which  they  had  made  red.hot.    "  Their 
cookery  smelt  so  strong,"  says  A.lassor,  "that  a  Russian  could  not  sup- 
port  the  odor  of  it.  "  P 

The  next  Russian  navigator  to  the  Arctics  was  Taras  Staduchin, 
who  ,ef  the  Kolyma  a  few  years  later,  to  explore  the  Great  Cape  of  th 
rch„ktch,s,  wh,ch,  however,  he  was  unable  .0  reach  by  water     Aban! 
on,„g    ,s  vessel,  he  crossed  the  Isthmus  at  its  narrowest  point,  leaving 
d,e  land  to  the  north  and   east,  as  far  as  Behring  .Strait    uniplored" 
Russ,a„  ac  ,v,.y  was  now  mainly  directed  i„  those  northeastern  regions 
.0  overland  mditary  expeditions  for  the  more  complete  subjugation  o 
the  rude  tribes  m  that  section  of  Siberia. 

In  .71.  a  Russian  embassy  was  sent  to  the  Tchuktchis  to  demand 
hoshtges,  wh,ch  were  refused,  and  it  was  not  until  ,7,8  that  they  for- 
mal  y  made  their  submission  at  the  Russian  fort,  which  had  been  erected 
a.  the  mouth  of  the  Anadir.  The  chief  of  the  cmKassy  of  ,7,,,  Pe.er 
S.n  Topov,  a  Cossack,  gave  a  description  of  the  people,  their  American 
nc.,^,l,ors  and  the  country,  of  which  the  following  is  an  abstract- 

T  e  Tchuktchi  "  Nos  "  or  Cape,  is  destitute  of  tree.s.     On  th    shores 
ner  Nos   were   found   sea-horse  teeth   in   great   numbers.      The 

TchuktCm  their  solemn  engagements,  invoked  the  sun  to  guarantee 
tar  perform.a„ces.      Some  among  them  had  flocks  of  tame  reindeer, 
wlcobhged  them  often  to  change  their  place  of  residence;  but  thos 
who  had  no  re.ndeer  n.habited  the  coasts  on  both  sides  of  the  Nos    near 

banks  where  the   sea-horses  were  w  ,-,  ■  , 

-^  norses  wire   Hunt  10  couie,  on  which   with   flsh 


r 


SJSmBMiimiu£M:ui^iuiJu 


m 


TCHUKTCHI  IDEA   OF  AMERICANS. 


they  mostly  subsisted.  They  had  habitations  hollowed  in  the  earth. 
Opposite  to  the  Nos,  they  said,  an  island  might  be  seen  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, whieh  they  called  the  Great  Countr\ ,  and  which  unquestionably 
meant  America.  The  inhabitants  of  that  land  pierced  holes  through 
their  cheeks,  in  which  they  inserted  large  ornaments  made  of  pieces  cut 
from  the  teeth  of  the  sea-horse.  These  people  had  a  different  language 
from  the  Tchulctchi,  with  whom  they  had  been  at  war  from  time  im- 
memorial. They  used  bows  and  arrows,  as  do  the  Tchuktchi.  Popov 
saw  ten  men  of  that  country,  with  their  cheeks  pierced  as  described,  who 
were  prisoners  with  the  Tchuktchi.  In  summer  they  could  reach  that 
land  in  one  day  in  tlieir  boats  or  canoes,  which  are  made  of  whalebone, 
covered  with  sealskins;  in  winter  also  in  one  day,  with  good  reindeer, 
and  no  obstruction  or  r.ccident  to  their  sledges  or  teams.  At  the  Cape 
were  to  be  seen  no  wild  land  animals  but  wolves  and  red  foxes;  but  on 
the  other  land,  that  is,  in  America,  there  were  many  more,  as  sables, 
martens,  bears,  otters,  and  many  kinds  of  foxes;  and  the  inhabitants  had 
large  herds  of  tame  deer.  Popov  computed  both  classes  of  the  Tchuktchi 
at  over  2,000  adult  males,  and  the  Americans  from  what  he  learned,  at 
about  6,000.  The  Tchuktchi  reckoned  the  journey  from  the  Cape  to 
Anadir  at  ten  weeks  with  laden  reindeer,  provided  no  storm  of  wind  or 
snow  should  arise.  They  mentioned  also  a  smaller  island  about  halfway 
between  the  Cape  and  the  Great  Country — probably  St.  Lawrence  or 
Clark  Island — from  which  the  Great  Country  might  be  seen  on  a  clear 
day. 


%m 


liilll 

ilHiJ 


time  im- 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

VOVAGKS  OK  BEHHING-STAKT  KOH  KAMCHATKA  HIVEK-nrscoVEKV 
OK  «KHHING'S  STHAXT-KKACH  .AXO  ON  AMERICAN  SIDE  -  ,K 
VESTIGATIONS  OK  STEI..EK  -  KKIGHT  OK  A  NATIVE  AT  THE 
TASTE  OK  BKANnv-KEDUCEH  BV  SXCKNKSS-BEHRINO  BECOMES 
DISABLED  -  THE  SHIPs'  COMPANY  DIVIDED  -  A  STRANDED 
WHALE DEATH    OK    BEHRING. 

I.  is  clea,-  .ha.  .he  Russian,  wore  i„  a  fair  way  .o  reach  America  by 
sea  or  land,  as  .he  ca.se  migh.  prove  .o  be,  in  the  neighborhood  of  what 
soon  became  known  as  Behring  S.rai..    Just  before  his  death  in   „„ 

w,.h,hede.adsof  an  Are.ic  voyage  of  discovery,  ,he  chief  oI,jec.  of 
wh,ch  was  .o  ascertain  definitely  whe.irer  or  not  Ame.-ica  and  Asia  were 
d.v,ded  by  water  at  the  extreme  nortir.     His  instructions  were  these- 

..  That  one  or  two  ships  should  be  built  at  Kamchatka,  or  elsewhere 
on  the  Eastern  Ocean. 

3  That  when  constructed  and  fitted  out  they  should  proceed  north- 
ward  and  ascertam  af  there  was  a  waterway  between  the  continents 

3.  To  ascertain  if  there  were  in  those  parts  any  harbors  or  trading- 
posts  belonging-  to  Europeans.  ^ 

4.  That  another  expedition  should  proceed  from  Archangel  to  the 
Arctic  Sea,  and  move  eastward  to  n.eet,  if  practicable,  the  one  moving 
north  from  the  coast  of  Kamchatka. 

5.  To  keep  a  recrd  of  what  should  be  discovered,  which  was  to  be 
brought  by  the  commander  to  St.  Petersburg  at  the  close  of  the  voyage 

The  expedition  from  Archangel  proved  unfruitful.  One  of  the  two 
ships  was  soon  hemmed  in  by  the  ice,  and  was  unable  to  advance.  The 
0  her  started  on  the  voyage  but  was  lost  among  the  ice,  and  was 
never  heard  of. 

185 


*i^lWB!WR^IMW®©K?M!SS9M8MwfamwfjiiiiHis«':affiateiMii, 


J   t 


196 


STAR!'  FOR  KAMTKCHATKA  RIVER. 


The  Eastern  expedition,  which  was  not  rciuly  until  1728,  was  put 
under  command  of  Vitus  Bchring,  a  Dane  by  birth,  but  for  some  years 
in  the  service  of  Russia,  where  he  had  risen  to  the  rank  of  commodore. 
A  Russian,  Alexis  Tchirikov,  was  intrusted  with  tlie  command  of  one  of 
the  vessels.  Three  years  were  consumed  in  preparation.  Behringc,  with 
his  officers,  crews  and  ship-builders,  proceeded  overland  to  Okhotsk, 
where  he  determined  to  build  one  of  the  vessels,  in  vviiich  to  convoy  the 
men  and  supplies  to  Kamchatka,  wliere  he  was  to  build  the  other. 

On  July  14,  172S,  cveryihiiig  being-  in  readiness  they  set  sail  from 
Kamchatka  River.  About  the  4th  of  Auj^ust,  wlien  in  latitude  64°  30', 
eight  Tchuktchis  approached  in  one  of  their  leather  boats,  and  sent 
forward  one  of  their  number,  on  sealskins  filled  with  air,  to  demand  who 
they  were,  whither  they  were  going,  and  what  they  wanted.  They 
pointed  out  to  the  Russians  the  island  which  these  afterward  called  the 
Isle  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  which  has  since  been  named  Clark's  Island. 
Satisfying  his  questioners  that  his  designs  were  pacific,  Behring  proceeded 
on  his  voyage  and  reached  67"  iS'  without  olistruction,  whence  he 
rightly  inferred  that  the  continents  were  divided  by  water,  because  no 
land  was  visible  to  the  north  or  east.  He  had  sailed  through  the  stiait 
which  was  afterward  called  after  his  name.  He  made  a  second  voyage 
in  1 729,  in  the  same  waters,  but  without  obtaining  any  additional  infor- 
mation. He  does  not  seem  to  have  seen  'he  coast  of  America  on  either 
voyage. 

In  1731  a  vessel  was  dispatched  under  Krupishev  from  Kamchatka 
River  to  co-operate  with  a  land  force  for  the  subjugation  of  the  Tchuk- 
tchis. A  gale  of  wind  forced  the  ship  from  the  point  of  land  where 
Behring's  voyage  had  terminated;  and  being  driven  east,  Krupishev 
found  an  island,  and  afterward  a  country  of  great  extent.  A  man  came 
aboard  from  the  shore  in  a  canoe,  whom  they  luiderstood  to  say  that  he 
belonged  to  a  great  country  abounding  in  wild  animals  and  forests.  The 
Russians  coasted  it  for  two  days,  when  another  storm  coming  on,  they 
directed  their  course  homeward  to  Kamchatka.  This  voyage  left  no 
doubt  of  the  discovery  by  Behiing  of  the  strait  dividing  the  continents. 
Himself  and  officers  receive!  many  distinctions,  and  several   explorino- 


:,i,s^mm^ 


j8,  was  put 
iome  years 
ommodore. 
d  of  one  of 
liring,  with 
)  Okhotsk, 
convey  tlic 
ther. 

t  sail  IVom 
lc64°3o', 
.,  and  sent 
L.'mand  wlio 
;ed.  They 
called  the 
"k's  Island. 
^  proceeded 
kV hence  he 
because  no 
1  the  strait 
nd  voyage 
onal  infor- 
i  on  either 

k^amchatka 
he  Tchuk- 
and  where 
Krupishev 
man  came 
ay  that  he 
rests.  The 
^  on,  they 
ige  left  no 
continents, 
exploring 


127 


:jK{jBl»4V/*#»«'- 


^*«Sfl!»|4^^'fl)^^P!B«Sl«» 


■""rfrmmmrn'Mm!, .'..  Jiaajwr 


128 


BEHRING  REACHES  THE  CONTINENT. 


expeditions  were  projected.  As  before,  the  more  important  were  two: 
The  Western  was  from  Archangel  along  the  northern  coast  to  the  east- 
ward; but  this  and  many  successive  attempts  in  the  same  direction  failed, 
mainly  because  the  promontory  and  cape  called  Taimur,  extending  to  78" 
and  encompassed  by  an  immense  ice  barrier,  constituted  an  insurmount- 
able obstacle.  The  otjier,  which  was  intrusted  to  Behring,  was  the 
continuance  of  his  former  enterprise,  with  the  specific  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  distance  from  Kamchatka  to  America  in  the  same 
parallel. 

All  preparations  being  duly  made,  Behring  and  his  former  lieuten- 
ant, Tchirikov,  set  sail  in  the  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  from  Avatcha  Bay 
in  Kamchatka,  June  4,  1741.  Sixteen  days  later  the  St.  Paul,  under 
Captain  Tchirikov,  was  separated  from  the  Commodore's  vessel  in  a 
gale,  and  a  fog  arising  soon  after,  they  entirely  lost  sight  of  each  other 
for  the  whole  season.  July  the  15th  Tchirikov  found  himself  near  the 
mainland  on  the  American  side,  in  latitude  55  ^  36'.  He  cast  anchor 
and  sent  out  the  long  boat  with  orders  to  make  a  landing  where  they 
could  on  the  rock-bound  shore.  Several  days  having  elajDScd  without 
their  returhj'he  grew  alarmed  and  sent  his  other  boat  in  search.  But 
the  same  fate  doubtless  awaited  both — probably  destruction  by  the  na- 
tives. Neither  was  ever  heard  from,  and  Tchirikov  lost  seventeen  men 
and  both  his  boats.  Some  Americans  made  from  the  shore  in  their 
canoes  some  days  later  and  surveyed  the  ship  from  a  distance;  but  they 
did  not  dare  approach  her.  Had  they  been  kindly  disposed  they  proba- 
bly would  not  have  held  aloof.  It  is  almost  certain  that  they  had  killed 
or  taken  captive  the  seventeen  Russians.  Tchirikov  now  held  a  council 
of  his  remaining  officers,  and  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  return.  The 
St.  Paul  was  headed  for  Kamchatka,  where  she  arrived  in  safety  early  in 
October.  Here  the  thoughtful  Tchirikov  made  preparations  for  the 
reception  of  Behring  and  his  crew,  should  disaster  overtake  them. 

Meanwhile  Behring's  ship  had  fallen  in  with  the  continent  in  lati- 
tude 58°  28',  on  the  iSth  of  July.  The  prospect  v/as  grand,  but 
gloomy.  High  mountoin  ranges,  ridge  beyond  ridge,  covered  with 
snow,  stretched  away  to  the  utmost  limit  of  vision,     Towering  over  all 


i'in«'^n'«^?TllJiyfii^-ff,'(»ii'T'jj^ifiJi.a!^;'.-f  ■'."=. 


fJVy£ST/GATlOArs  OF  STELLBR. 


129 

li^jOOO  feet  higfh,  rose  \\\p   1r.ft„        i       ,  .  . 

Ge™a„ „„.„;,;. :,';",::';'  "t^-^- ^'""""' «'''"■■•  -^^ 
E.i..s  V  which  i. .  .„;  iz  oh;:!,:'::-  -^t"  r."-"  «'• 

b:.v  near  the  ,,n„ll  i,|a„.l  of  K,lnl,  u      ^  '     "''""■°''  '"  '■'  ""f' 

<li*...co  of  „  ,„i,e  „e  di,,cover«,  ,„e  hoU  Jod  lu  :;  T''  """  "'  "" 
.1.0  na.ives  had  h„.  a  few  ho.u,  before  coo  ed  1  ■■■     "' '"  ""'* 

s.o„es,  after  ehe  ,„an„er  of  ,he  kZZT  ,  ™"'  "'*  ™'  ^°' 
.^e.  wee  proh„„„  of  .he  J..  ^^Z  TZ  "'  ''"""'  '"" 
noco,«,rily  approach  each  other  .o  ,h  nor  h  !  7.,"  '""'' "'"' 
..a.iveswere  not  fi,  ,„  ,r.ver»e   \!       "°'*' "^  *' f""  —  "f  the 

-oof  another  .nHe  hi  Zld  relt  :.t,";r '  ,Th  ^""^""^- 
..,  fo„„d  f.,„  Of  „n,oked  flsh,  and  a  f  J  hT  I  TZ  ""T'^'' 
the  larch,  which  in  case  of  necessity  serve,    s  foc^  .H  ,""""     ■"'  "' 

™.     There  were  also  so„,e  arrows    ca    fnUv     ''°',*7="°"  ""  »"- 

which  were    snperior  to  those  ,7  ,'h     V      V  "'•■""  "^"'  '"»'=''• 

1,    ,  u-  *^  Karachadales.     Steller  nn„,  .    . 

back  h,s  servant  to  obtain  an  extension  of  time  and  a  sm^.U         " 

' ^  '*  «Pl-«-„.     In  his  absence  he  aseel'd  a  Ml       d  """ 

risinsr  in  the  distance,  vhich  satisfied    h'    T  ""^  '"'"'"^ 

l.e  found      H„t  7,  ,    •  '"  *'■"  '°™°  '">«^«  ™"W  soon     • 

"0  lonnd.    lint  Behrmg  wa,.  inexorable  for  in',  return   and  Si.ll  ,, 

only  obey,  under  penalty  of  being  left  behind      I      h'  ""'" 

disappointment  he  was  exensabi:  for  g        J  „tt  r    L  i     :""  "'  "' 
flT.f  (I,    n       •  t."""fc,    iiiucrancc  to  the  snir-icm 

tli.it  the  Russians  traveled  a  o-reat  wiv  nt  „,..  »  S'^'casni 

Am,.-  ^  ^  ^'^^^  expense  to  canv  a  Hff]^ 

American  water  to  A«;i      Qf„ii       ^     .  i-  "  L'iM_y  a  nttie 

-,..:.s  x::r-rt::::i::rr''"^^^ 
*:.:::;;::;i:::i:rrrr 

!in,i  ..  4.  ,.  »'i-t.K,  ga\e  orders  to  we  (^h    nnrlmr 

extncate  the  ah.p  from  the  labyrinth  of  islands  which 


180      NATIVES  FRIGHTENED  AT  THE  TASTE  OF  U RANDY. 


line  the  pealnsulu  of  Alaska.  Six  weeks  later,  on  the  y\  of  September, 
they  had  an  a(lv<;ntiirc  with  a  few  natives.  Secin;^  nine  of  them  ''shing 
on  an  island— probably  one  of  the  smaller  ontlying  islands  of  the  Aleutian 
group—  they  undertook  to  open  communication  with  them.  By  signs 
each  party  invited  the  other  to  approach;  finally  three  Russians,  with  the 
Kariak  interpreter,  rowed  ashore,  but  the  North-Siberian  found  himself 
among  strangers  to  his  language,  and  could  ronder  no  assistance.  The 
Americans,  however,  seemed  to  like  their  Asiatic  brother,  evidently  rec- 
ognizing in  him  a  nearer  relationship  than  in  his  European  companions. 
The  leader  of  the  aborigines  was  invited  aboard  the  Russian  boat,  r.id  as 
a  token  of  confidence  complied.  The  hospitable  Russians  now  handed 
him  a  glass  of  brandy,  the  taste  of  which  so  appalled  the  unsophisticated 
native,  that  he  exhibited  the  greatest  alarm  and  an  evident  anxiety  to  be 
put  ashore  among  his  fellows.  This  was  done  in  all  haste ;  and  the  Rus- 
sians dreading  the  spread  of  the  panic  among  his  companions,  rowed  for 
the  ship,  leaving  the  Kariak  among  his  new-found  friends.  He,  how- 
ever; ret  up  such  a  lamentation  and  made  such  piteous  signs  not  to  be 
abandoned,  that  the  Russians  concluded  to  have  recourse  to  a  stratagem 
for  his  recovery.  They  fired  two  shots  in  the  air,  which,  reverberating 
from  the  hills,  so  affected  the  imaginations  of  the  astonished  natives,  that 
they  offered  no  hindrance  to  the  departure  of  the  interpreter,  who,  hasten- 
ing to  the  shore,  was  soon  aboard  the  vessel.  The  next  day  the  natives 
presented  themselves  in  their  canoes  at  the  side  of  the  vessel,  bearing  the 
olive  branch  of  peace,  that  is,  a  rod  ornamented  with  feathers,  and  heart- 
ily cheered  the  departing  strangers,  who  had  already  weighed  anchor, 
and  were  being  rapidly  borne  away  on  the  freshening  breeze. 

Toward  the  close  of  September,  they  encountered  one  of  those  fierce 
storms,  exceptional  even  in  northern  latitudes,  lasting  seventeen  days, 
and  surpassing  in  violence  anything  their  pilot  had  ever  seen.  He  had 
been  at  sea,  boy  and  man,  for  fifty  years,  and  of  all  the  storms  he  had 
witnessed,  this  was  the  woist ;  and  very  severe  it  proved  to  Behring  and 
his  crew.  Tliey  were  driven  south  to  about  the  latitude  of  the  northern 
line  of  what  is  now  the  United  States,  exclusive  of  Alaska.  They  dis- 
cussed among  themselves  whether  to  seek  refuge  on  tlio  American  coast, 


mnimmkm 


"'^  <=''^>y  BECOME  oasPM^ATM. 


Mca„wl,ik..c„rvy  h.,1  broken  „„.  a„ol  .  '"""'"'"'■^'"""'-' ""• 

'1.0  u,,c.  „r,„l,  p,.„™,.„„,,  „„,,  ™;  8     c  ,„c„,  too  ,o„„  e„„«„„,  ,„ 

woallK..-.     Al™„s,  every  ,la„  ,|„  '  ,„  "';  °'"^=«'™  «vcrUy  „f  ,he 

hardly  c.„o,„i,  ,.ere  U  ■,  1^^  T"  °"""  ""^  V  Cisea^e,  an., 
'--"  1-U  ^=on  for  .„„e  ..ne  1„  7:T  .";  "■'"^'-  ""^^^ 
'"    '^'   ™»'>a»ement    of  ,he    vessel       TK  ""    ""'"'^    P"" 

ti.at   he   required  to  be  supnortol  ,'    ,  •      '    ''"'"""""'    «"'    so    sick 
"Wo   .o    .*or    ,,e    ,vas   rellXirb  "  """'    '""'  "'''"    "°    '»"«-■ 

So  (hat  durnis- el,e  month  ofOctoh,,-  2°  "°"'''  '"  """'''  "»  '""'"^If- 
entirely  a.  the  mercy  of  the  wind  Th  "T'  """  """"  "'""S  "''""»' 
selves  „p  ,odesp„ir.  The  „i„|,,;  ,„„  T™  '"'''"'"■''S''--'"'!  gave  them. 
1-came  their  danger,  .he  m„,;  hebles  "f,''  "  ""  """'^  ""'""-" 
VVho„re,„es,ed.odotheir.l,tv  :■""'  '"''^^^  ^~^=  "e„. 

"nd  could   hardly  keep  titeir  ,j;      r,      "  """^^  "'"°  '"  ""^"'^"^o  it, 

-Che  ship  or  themselves,  ancrs^verirofT''";'"""  "  ''""""■'"'  •" 
'hey  preferred  even  death  to  the  ,  ff     '       ""'"'"'^  ""^  <"  "<>  -ail,  for 

"f 'he  ship  whom  the  necessit       !  ''        '  '"'"""■     ^'^  "ffeers 

»"<l.-.e.ive.escape,ldiseasr  ,:'"'■""""'  °'"'''<^'  ^^''  kept  busy 
f  ^T  "..ed  the  less  desp:C: ;::  ;^;  ""'y  '-Pe  of  silv^ion^ 
".er  could,  and  thus  kept  the  ship       ,  ," I  """  "^'  "^'^'»-  - 

Finally  on  the  fourth  of  Novo  T"  '°"'""  '^»'"^'"'*- 

;•'">*  in  'he  morning,  |.,d  1^0:1     ':::'„:    T  '""*■*  ''''  "'  '•^'^ 
l-or  'hey  could  only  see  the  snowcla  ,  „     '  '^  -"'i'le.able  tlistance, 

■"hospitable  shore  all  day  and  Z  °"'"""''-     ^''"J'  »'ecrcd  for  the 

0"  'he  morning  „f  ,he  ^C  ::'TT"'  '"  '""'  ''^'~^«' 
'""■led  her,  disabled,  i„  smoothCtl  ^  T  "^  *''"  "'"^ "  -f-'l 
""emptin,  to  save  her  fron,  runH  '  f  ^  ^^  '""  '"''  '-"  "-"--^  i" 
''''  '"■>"  ^chor,  and  the  sh  t       !  L  ^  r^;'     ^'^^  -  put  ont 

'P  ""'=  •"  e»»e  in  the  sheltered 

A  few  of  those  who  were  most  ,hl„ 
°'  ^Vaxall,  on  whom  the  direcl    '  ''  ;"'^';'.""">-  '""ler  the  con,ma„d 
«  l^ehring  becoming  entirelvtl:   '";;""'  ;""  "'"  '"'  """'-d, 

"'  --^  -'  --  -  i-  'he  g^d^r:::  tr :  r: 


ll^ 


i^ 


_  ilk 

III 


182 


SEA  OTTERS  CAPTURED, 


of  excellent  water.     House,  hut,  or  shelter  of  any  kind,  could  not  be 
found,  except  san<l  holes,  over  vvliich  they  spread  some  sails  to  make  them 
hahitahle  for  the  sick.      On  the  eighth  some  were  landed,  and  on   the 
next  day  Hohrinu  was  taken  ashore  and  provided  for  with  special  care 
in  one  of  the  excavated  sand  holes.     Six  days  later  all  were  provided  for 
on  land  as  well  as  circumstances  would  permit.     The  interior  of  the  land 
swarmed  with  blue  and  white  foxes,  which  were  so  bold  as  to  convince  the 
Russians  that  they  had  fallen  on  an  uninhabited  region.    vSea  otters  were 
also  seen,  which  proved  they  were  not  on  the  coast  of  Kamchatka,  from 
which  these  animals  had  disappeared.     Killing  some  of  these  they  found 
the  flesh  tough  and  unpalatable,  but  Steller,  the  physician,  urged  itr  con- 
sumption, however  unpleasant,  as  an  antidote  to  the  scurvy;    and  nearly 
all  the  crew,  except  those  who  were  sick  on  landing,  were  saved  from 
disease  by  his  pers'^tence.     «  On  all  sides,"  says  Steller,  describing  the 
experiences  after  landing,  "  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  misery.     Before 
the  dead  coidd  be  buried,  they  were  mangled  by  the  foxes,  who  even 
ventured  to  approach  the  helpless  invalids  who  were  lying  without  cover 
on  the  beach.     Some  of  these  wretched  suflfcrcrs  complained  bitterly  of 
the   cold,   others   of   hunger  and   thirst— for  many  had  their  gums  so 
swollen  and  ulcerated  with  the  scurvy  as  to  be  unable  to  eat. 

"On  November  the  13th,  I  went  out  hunting  for  the  first  time  with 
Messieurs  Plcnisncr  and  Betge;  we  killed  four  sea  otters,  and  did  not 
return  before  night.  We  ate  their  flesh  thankfully,  and  prayed  to  God 
that  he  might  continue  to  provide  us  with  this  excellent  food.  The  costly 
skins,  on  the  other  hand,  were  of  no  value  in  our  eyes;  the  only  objects 
which  we  now  esteemed  were  knives,  needles,  thread,  ropes,  etc.,  on 
which  before  we  had  not  bestowed  a  thought.  We  all  saw  that  rank, 
science,  and  other  social  distinctions  were  of  no  avail,  and  could  not  in 
anyway  contribute  to  our  preservation;  we  therefore  resolved,  before 
we  were  forced  to  do  so  by  necessity,  to  set  to  work  at  once.  We  in- 
troduced among  us  five  a  community  of  goods,  and  regulated  our  house- 
keeping in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  be  in  want  before  the  winter  was 
over.  Our  three  Cossacks  were  obliged  to  obey  orders,  when  we  liad 
decided  upon  something  in  common;  but  we  began  to  treat  them  with 


A  STRANDED    WHALE. 

188 

},'rcater  politeness,  callino-  them   K.,  »u  • 

™..« .hauM^M!:;; ::.::,;'",:;-''  - -t-  "■■"  -° 

f,.r,„orly  IV.rucI,,,  [l..,„ki„j  "'*   '"'"'^  "''"^^'i'/  '!>»" 

.:p:::r'^;r,.,;:t;::r  r  ^"■"^""^- ""-  ^— '  =- 

1  .      i  nc  unt  n.Ki  to  convev  the  set   m/i  .,-     ■  • 

until  >lK.y  had  .„  ,„•  rccovco. ,  u.  „,„,  ,„  ' , ''      ""  "^  '""■  ™'" 

l».n,e.,  Wi,.«  .H.  .„„  ,.e„„,  ...  ,,.„„.,  „  ,"     !,  ^;™^'  -■      "T^" 

..■.."»,.o,u,l  ,„Klor  roof;  b„.  ,„,.  w„„.  ,„  ,,,„,„    „,:        v  I"   """' 

.he  «,„„„.l,  covc.,.,I  with  n„.  , eloUH.        N  '        T  ™ 

.•,ff..,,,i„„  ,„  ,vr..ld  .,     1  '•■•■"-'-"n»  n„„   e„„e,-,h„  whole 

co„.,,a..  '     •       '"  """■'  "^^"  "-  *"■•««.    hea,.  ,„.. 

-•vercd  w„hin  .h™  mo,,,!,,.     Tlu  rollow,„,Ml„v,  .,d.lj,   ,  ' 

"'  '"^-  ..><,.,„„»  „e  „„d  .„.  „,„  b,.„„,„. :  'r     ::.;:r:;^ 

We  were  also  in  constant  fear  thif  fl.n  cf  ,  ^'""chatka. 

»'>ip ."« ...  .■ XI  ai„,„   r :  :r^:  "^■""""-  ■"'^""  "--■  - 

"e>    "iiii  u  ,111   Qiii"  nrov'lsiiiim      .111,1  1 

ever  letumin-Mo  our  horn...       '^  •         •        """'"'"''   ^^''''r    Hope   of 

.  t    o,„  homes.     Sometnm-s  it  was  impossible  to  .a-t  to  the 
^-,sc.l  tor  several  clays  together,  so  h.,isteroiis  was  the  sur^e- 

-;:;;-e..      Ha.  hitherto  heenahlet:"!^^^^^^^ 

Anion-  the   provisions  on    which   thev  hul    f  i     • 

w.-.  a  dead   whale  ....own  „„    „„.  „,  ,  '.^'    u     •  ""  """^'"'''^ 

9.h  of  Bece„,i,e.  :.ac.,;   : .  j'r T:  "r''^,  ""■ " 

"•-s.  he  said  .ha.  he  wal  boHod  alWe  h   r.:,,  r""'-  •  ''  J"'^"' 

housed  the  loose  sand   ho,?  i     n       •      " '"'^ '''"^'^'^  "•  ^v^ich  he  was 

"''   ''^'  "'^^^'"^'"^'  pi'-'   "P  around   him  until  he  was 


iiiiittiiiiiiMM^^ 


llM'Nil;.!       ..'."-I       IJUllltpflWIqilU 


DEATH  OF  BEIIIUNG.  jgg, 

more  than  half  covered.     He  would  not  allow  it  to  be  removed,  but  kept 
gathering  .t  up,  under  the  conviction  that   it  helped  to   keep  him  warm 
and  prolong  life.     When  he  died  it    became    necessary  to  unearth  him 
before  he  could  be  decently  buried.     He  was  respectfully  interred  on  the 
■sland  and  in  sight  of  the  sea,  which  were  thenceforth  to  bear  his  name 
He  was  only  u;  his  sixty-second  year,  and  might  have  survived  the  ship- 
wreck  had   he   not  been  enfeebled  by  disease  arisi.ig  from  exposure  and 
the  want  ot    fresh  provisions.     He  had  been  thirty-six  years  in  the  Rus- 
sian navy,  which   he  entered   in  1705.     In    1707  he  had  been  made  lieu- 
tenant,  and  in  17,0  captain.     His  last  expedition  failed  of  satisfactory  re- 
sults, no  doubt  through  his  long  continued  illness.    Beyond  his  prime  man 
lacks  tliat  v.tal  power  which   enables  him   to  withstand  the  hardships  of 
such  adventtn-es.     Three  weeks  later  the  St.  Peter  was  wrecked  in  sight 
ot  the  survivors.     Her  cable  gave  way  in  a  violent  storm,  and  she  was 
drneu on  the  rocks.     There  was  no  longer  any  hope  of  using  her  on  the 
voyage  to  Kamchatka  in  the  spring,  and  to  add  to  their  misfortune  a  con- 
sRler.ble  part  of  their  provisions  were  spoiled  by  the  sea  water. 

In  March,  1742,  the  sea  otters  disappeared  from  those  waters     They 
had  killed  900  of  them  and  saved  the  skins.     Of  these  about  300  eventu- 
ally came  mto  the  possession  of  Steller,  by  barter  and  through  the  <.ener- 
osuy  of  the  sick,  who  felt  deeply  indebted  to  him  for  his  services  To  dis- 
nitcrestcdly  rendered  in  their  hour  of  need.     Thirty  of  the  crew  died  on 
the   Ksland;   but    nearly  all    had   been  sick    before    landing.     Forty-five 
survived.    Seals,  sea  lions  and  sea  horses  now  took  the  place  of  sea  otters 
on  the  coast  of    Hehring's  Island,  and  their  flesh  was  much  more  palata- 
ble.    A   walrus  weighing  Soo  pounds  was   found   sufficient  for  a   fort- 
night's consumption.     The  flesh  resembles  beef,  and  that  of  the  youn.^  is 
as  tender  as  veal.     The   health  of    the  men   now   Unproved  rapidly,  .^nd 
their  nre.t  concern  was  to  grow   strong  enough  for  the  work  of  deliver- 
ance which  they  were  to  undertake  in  the  summer. 

Waxali   now   began  to  turn   their  attention  to  the  task  of  getting 
•eacly.     This  he  did  with  a.amendable  discretion.     A  virtual  democracy 
had  sprung  ,Vo,n  their  necessities,  and  one   had  as  good  right  to  his  opin-       " 
m  as  anoiher.    Their  projects  for  escape  were  of  course  various,  but  they 


I 


|||j||||.j|g|g|pi«::<..^^,.. .,:■,.  J .  u.i..N.; 


iuia»"! 


186 


RETURN  TO  KAMTKCHATKA. 


were  gradually  induced  to  concur  in  Waxall's  dcsifrn  of  breaking,'  up  the 
old  ship  and  constructing  a  new  but  smaller  one  from  her  timbers,  suffi- 
ciently  large  to  convey  all  the  survivors  and   the   necessary  provisions  to 

Kamchatka. 

The  month  of  April  was  consumed  in  preparations;  and  on  the 
sixth  of  May  they  began  to  build  the  new  boat  or  ship,  liy  the  first  of 
June  the  timbers  were  ready  for  the  planks.  She  was  forty  by  thir- 
teen feet;  had  but  one  mast,  and  one  deck. 

"On  the  14th,  in  the  morning,"  says  Stcller,  "we  weighed 
anchor,  and  steered  out  of  the  bay.  The  weather  being  beautiful, 
and  the  wind  favorable,  we  were  all  in  good  spirits,  and  as  wc 
sailed  along  the  island,  we  pointed  out  to  each  otiier  the  well- 
known  mountains  and  valleys  which  we  had  frequently  visited  in 
quest  of  game,  or  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitering.  Toward  evening 
we  were  opposite  the  furthest  point  of  the  island,  and  on  the 
15th,  the  winil  continuing  favorable,  we  steered  direct  toward  the 
bay  of  Avatcha.  About  midnight,  however,  we  perceived  to  our  great 
dismay,  that  the  vessel  began  to  fill  with  water  from  an  unknown  leak, 
which  in  consequence  of  the  crowded  and  overloaded  state  of  the  vessel, 
it  was  extremely  difficult  to  find  out.  At  length,  after  tlie  lighten- 
ing of  the  ship,  the  carpenter  succeeded  in  stopping  the  leak,  ami  <hus 
we  were  once  more  saved  from  imminent  danger,' 

On  the  25th  they  sighted  the  longed-for  Kamchatka,  entered  the  Bay 
of  Avatcha  on  the  26th,  and  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Petropaulovsky 
on  the  27th,  where  they  found  that  provision  hail  been  kii-.dly  made  for 
their  anticipated  wants  through  the  forethought  of  Capt.  Tchirikov. 

Russian  expeditions  to  x\rctic  seas  now  fell  into  the  hands  of  merchants 
and  adventurers;  and  were  prosecuted  from  Archangel  as  wlialing  v(^y- 
ages,  and  in  the  east,  from  Petropaulovsky  and  Okhotsk,  as  ventures  in 
the  fur-trade,  in  which  they  built  up  a  profitable  commerce  with  China 
and  Japan. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


SWAINE    STARTS    FKOM    PHILADELPHIA— EXPLORATION    OF    LAI5RADOR 

— ARCTIC    EXPLORATION    RY   IIEARNE INSTRUMENTS    DESTROYED 

HY  WIND — MALTREATMENT    OF    ESQUIMAUX ARCTIC    VOYAGE   OF 

PIIIPPS — REACHES    SPITZBERGEN. 

Ill  the  sprinjr  of  1754  Capt.    Charles  Swaine  left  the   port  of  Phila- 
delphia,  in  Pennsylvania,  to  search  for  the  Northwest  Passage.     He  was 
ill  command  of  the  schooner  Argo;  and   first  encountered   ice   off  Cape 
Farewell  in  June.     Leaving   the  eastern  ice   he  again  fell  in   with  the 
western  ice  in  latitude  58°,  and  cruised  to  the  northward  to  63  o  ,  to  clear 
it,l)iit  could  not;  it  then   extended   to  the  eastward.     Returning   south- 
ward he  met  two  Danish  vessels  hound  to  Ball  River  and    Disco    Island, 
tip  Davis'  Strait,  which  had  heen  in  the  ice  fourteen  days  off  Cape    Fare- 
well, and  had  then  stood  to  the    westward.     They  assured  Swaine   that 
the  ice  was  fast  to  the  shore  all  above  Hudson's  Strait  to  the  distance  of 
forty  leagues  out,  and  that  there  had  not  been  such  a  severe  winter  as  the 
last,  these  twenty-four  years   that  they  had  been  engaged  in  that  trade. 
They  were  then  nine  weeks  from  Copenhagen.     The  Argo,  finding  she 
could  not  get  around  the  ice,  pressed  through  it  and  got  to  the  mouth    of 
Hudson's  Strait  on  the    36th  of  June.     She  reached    Resolution   Island, 
but  was  forced  back  by  vast  quantities  of  driving  ice,  and  got  into  clear 
sea  on  July  ist.     Cruising  along  the  border  of  the  ice,  seeking  an  open- 
ing to  get  through  it,  she  met  on  the  I4lh  four  vessels  of  Hudson   Bay 
endeavoring  to  get  in,  and  continued  with  them  till  the  19th,  when   they 
parted  in  thick  weather,  in  latituile  62  o  30'.     The   thick  weather  lasted 
till  August   7.      The   Hudson's  Bay   men   before  they  were  separated 
f'om  the  Argo  computed  the  distance  to  the  western  coast   of  Hudson's 
Bay  at  forty  leagues. 

The  Argo   ran   down   the   ice    from    about   63  "•    to  57  o   30',  and 

137 


MiHiM 


I— WlililWIilw 


i 

m 

m, 

1 

1 

138 


SEARCH  FOR  NORTHWEST  PASSAGE. 


after    repeated    attempts    to    enter    the    Straits   relinquished    the    vain 
endeavor,  tlie   more   as  the  season  for  making  discovery   on   the  west- 
ern side  of  the  bay  would  be   over   lieforc    they  could  hope  to   reach  it. 
Swaine  now  directetl  his  vessel  to  the  coast  of  Labrador,  and  explored  it 
perfccdy  to  latitude  54  ^  .     He  found  no  less  than  six  inlets,  all  of  which 
he  thoroughly  explored,  making  an  excellent  chart  of  the  coast,  and  as- 
certaining all  he  could  of  the  soil,  produce,  and  people  of  Labrador.     He 
thou"-htit  much  like  Norway,  and  satisfied  himself  there  was   no  water- 
way  across  it  to  Hudson's   Ray.     It   had  been  conjectured   that  such  a 
route  could  be  found,  but  Swaine's  careful  survey  settled  that  point.     He 
found  there  was  a  high  mountain  range   which  traversed   the  land  from 
north  to  south,  about  fifty  leagues  inland.     In  one  of  these    harbors  they 
found  a  deserted  wooden  house  with  a  biick  chimney  wliich  they  judged 
had  been  built  by  Englishmen,  as   appeared   evident  from   sundry   relics 
left  behind.     Afterward  in  another  of  the  inlets  they  met  Captain  Golf  in 
a  bark  or  snow — so  called  from  the  Low-German   snau,  or  snout— from 
London.     He  informed  them  that  the   same    vessel   hail  been   there   in 
1753,  and  had  landed  some  Moravian  brethren  who  had  built  the  house, 
intending  to  remain  there.     But  the  captain  and  six  of  his  men  had  been 
artfullv  coaxed  away  by  the  natives  under  pretence  of  Irallic,  to  some  dis- 
tance in  their  boat,  and  unarmed.     After  waiting  their  return,  for  sixteen 
days  in  vain,  the  remainder  concluded  to  sail   for  En.uland,  accompanied 
by  the  Moravians,  who  were  necessary  to  work  the  vessel,  and  were   dis- 
couraged in  their  benevolent  undertaking  by  tiie  unexpectetl  treacheiy  of 
the  natives.     Part  of  GofT's  business  on  this  voyage,  he  said,  was  to  learn 
what  he  could  of  the   fate   of  these   men.     As     a     pleasant    addition    to 
Swaine's  good  fortune,  who  seems  not  to  have  lost  a  man  or  any  part  of 
his  ship's  equipment,    he  discovered   a    line   fishing-bank  about  twenty 
miles  offshore  and  stretching  57  ^    to  54  C"  .      Vessel  and  crew  arrived  in 
safety  at  Philadelphia  about  the  middle  of  ?>Iovember. 

In  1772  the  biig  Diligence  was  dispatched  by  a  company  of  private 
gentlemen  of  Virginia  to  search  for  liie  Northwest  Passage.  She  was 
placed  in  charge  of  Captain  Wilder,  who  followed  the  route  of  Swaine, 
but  succeeiied  in  entering  Hudson's  Bay,  the  season  being  more    favora- 


111 


i: 


the    vain 
the  west- 
reach  it. 
cpldicd  it 
of  which 
,  ami   as- 
clor.     lie 
lo  water- 
lit  sucli  a 
oint.     He 
land  from 
bors  ihcy 
ey  judged 
dry  rchcs 
in  Goir  in 
lut — from 
there   in 
he  house, 
liad  Ix'cn 
I  some  dis- 
for  sixteen 
:ompanied 
were   dis- 
eachery  of 
as  lo  learn 
ildition    lo 
iiy  pari  of 
lut  twenty 
arrived  in 

of  private 

She  was 

>f  Swaine, 

re   favora- 


EXPEDITION  OF  HEAtiNE.  139 

ble.  The  Diligence  plied  about  the  broad  expanse  of  the  great  bay,  es- 
pecially to  the  north  and  west,  which  were  now  the  accredited  points  of 
search  for  the  Northwest  Passage.  They  were  finally  driven  back  by 
the  ice,  and  retreated  through  Hudson's  Strait  to  Davis'  Strait,  which  they 
ascended  to  the  latitude  of  Disco  Island  in  6^  O  j  r,  whence  they  returned 
to  Virginia. 

ARCTIC  EXPLORATION   BY  HEARNE. 

Samuel  Ilearne  had  entered  the  English  navy  as  a  midshipman  in 
Captain  Hood's  vessel,  at  the  age  of  eleven.     At  the  close  of  the  French 
war  in    1763,   he   took   service   under   the   Hudson's  Bay  Company  as 
quartermaster,  at   Fort  Churchill.     In    1768  he  evinced  special  ability  in 
his  exploration  of  the  northern  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay,  and  the  improve- 
ment of  the  fisheries  in  that  quarter.     The  same  year  the   Indian  story 
of  copper  mines  to  the  north,  which  had  lured   Knight  to  destruction  in 
1719,  and  which  had  been  repeated  to  Captain  Scroggs  in  1722,  was  put 
beyond  all   question  by  some   rich   specimens  of  ore   brought  by  Indian 
traders  to  Fort  Churchill.       Hearne   was  now  sent  out  with  a  twofold 
commission,  lo   search  for  the  Northwest  Passage  and  the  mines  of  cop- 
per.    He  left   Fort   Churchill  November  6,  1 769,  accompanied  by  two 
wiiile  men   and   some   Indians.       When   he   had    proceeded   about  two 
hundred  miles  his  provisions  began  to  fail,  and  the  native  guides  deserted 
him,  when  he  was   obliged  to   return.     In   the   beginning  of  February, 
1770,  being  again    ready  to  start,  he   resumed   his  journey,  taking  with 
him  no  white  men  and  only  five  Indians.     He  had  found  that  the  natives 
ridiculed  his  two  while  companions  because  of  their  inability  to  endure 
the  hardships  of  the  trip  as  well  as  they  could.      Some  white  men  have 
been  known  to  pride  themselves  on  similar  qualifications.     When  they 
had  gone  about   i\\Q  hundred   miles  they  began  to  suffer  great  distress 
from    exposure    to    the    severity    of    the    weather,  and    the   scarcity    of 
pi'<)\isions. 

-Ilwas,"  says  Hearne,  "either  all  feasting  or  all  famine;  some^ 
times  we  had  too  much;  seldom  just  enough;  frequently  too  little;  and 
often  none  at  all.     It  would  be  only  necessary  to  say  that  we  have  fasted, 


m 


liia 


140 


FIGHT  BETWEEN  ESQUIMAUX  AND  INDIANS. 


many  limes,  two  whole  ilays  and  nights;  twice,  upward   of  three  days, 
and  once,near  seven  days,  during  which  we  tasted  not  a  mouthful  of  any- 
thing,  except  a   few  cranberries,  water,  scraps  of  old   leather,  and  burnt 
bones."      Finally,  in  August,  he  arrived   among   a   tribe  of  friendly  In- 
dians, in  latitude  63°  10'  and  longitude  10"  40'  west  from  Fort  Churchill, 
where  he  i)roposed  to  winter.      One  day  a  gust  of  wind  upset  hi'-.  :-Mnd- 
rant,  breaking  it  to  pieces,  and  the   brave  explorer   picked  up   h.~  *   >■:    ■ 
and  started  back  to  the  English  settlement,  notwitiistanding  all  the  ^  .; na- 
tion he  had  undergone  on   the  way   out.     Equippeil    once   more  at  Fort 
Churchill,  he   set  out  on  the  7th  of  December,  accompanied   among  the 
rest  by  an    intelligent    Indian   named  Motaunabi.     They   proceeded  this 
time  in  a  less  northerly  direction,  and  in  latitude  60".     After  having  trav- 
eled about  600   miles,  they  came  to  a  lake;  here   they  built  a  canoe,  and 
pushed  noithward,  by  a  chain  of  lakes  and  streams,  until,   on  the  13th  of 
Tulv,  1771,  they  struck  the    Coppermine   River,  which    he  descended  to 
its  mouth   in  the  Arctic  Ocean,  or  rather  in   C(      .lation   Gulf,  one  of  its 
inlets,  in  latitude   6S°   30'.     Meanwhile,  Ilearne's  band  of  Indians   had 
been  increased  by  the  accession  of  some  tramj^s  of  the  forest,  friendly  to 
each  other,  but  all  hostile  to  the  Esquinnuix.    Seeing  a  small  encampment 
of  their  detested  enemies  on   the   bank  of  the   great   !-iver,  they  attacked 
them,  on  the  17th  of  July.     "  Finding  all  the   Esquimaux    .juicL  in  their 
tents,"    says  Hearne,  "they  rushed  xbrth  from   their  ambuscade,  and  fell 
on  the  poor,  unsuspecting  creatures,  unperceived  till  close  to  the  eaves  of 
their  tents,  when   they  soon   began   the   bloody  massacre,  while   I  stood 
neuter  in  the  rear."      They  spared  neither  age  nor  sex,  and  of  the  twenty 
or  more  inmates  of  the   hut,  but   few  escaped.     An    old    woman    whom 
thev  found    peacefully  fishing   was  tortured   by  having  her  eyes   plucked 
out  before  she  receiveil  her  death  blow.     A  young   girl    sought  the  pro- 
tection of  Hearne,  which  he  was  powerless   to  give;  ami   the  miscreants, 
soon  after  their  horrid  work  of  slaughter,  "sat  down,"  says  Hearne,  "and 
made   a   good    meal    of  fresh    salmon,"   the   fruits,   perhaps,   of  the   old 
woman's  industry.      The  "  Arctic    Ocean,"  as  describeil  by  Hearne,  was 
full  of  islands  and  shoals,  as  far  as  he  could  discern  with  a  good  telescope, 
lune,    I'T'Ti.   atter   an    ansence  of  one  ""  '   ' 


On   the    3c 


■J' 


'77- 


ree  days, 
ul  of  ail y- 
iiul  Imrnt 
cndly  In- 
l^hurchill, 

his    r-'i;ul- 

the  .!»a- 
c  at  Fort 
inong  the 
ceded  this 
ving  trav- 
anoe,  and 
he  13th  of 
scended  to 

one  of  its 
dians  had 
Eriendly  to 
campment 
y  attacked 
ec  in  their 
le,  and  fell 
le  caves  of 
le    I   stood 

he  twenty 
uiM  whom 
;s  plucked 
lit  the  pro- 
miscreants, 
arne,  "and 
of  the  old 
earne,  was 
I  telescope. 

and   seven 


ENLARGEMENT  OF  THE  ENGLISH  NA  VT,  U\ 

months,  lacking  one  week,  Hearne  arrived  in  safety  at  Fort  Churchill,  of 
which  he  was  made  governor,  in  1775.  On  its  capture  by  a  French 
squadron,  under  Perouse,  in  1782,116  returned  to  England,  where  he 
died  ten  years  later,  in  his  forty-eighth  year.  His  "  Voyage  to  the  Cop- 
permine River,"  was  published  in  1795. 

ARCTIC   VOYAGE   OF   PHIPPS. 

Since  the  loss  of    Knight  in  1719,  there  had  been  by  common  con- 
sent a  virtual  abandonment  of  voyages  of  exploration  in  the  Northwest. 
At  intervals  some  slight   revival  of  interest  arose,  but  only  to  be  damp- 
ened by  repeated  failures.     In    1743  Captain  Middleton  discovered  vVa- 
ger"  River  "or  Bay,  opening   westward  from  Rowe's   Welcome,  and 
for  a  time  he   must   have  fancied  he  had  made  the  great  discovery,  but  it 
was  soon  found  to  be  a  land-locked  inlet  into  an  uninhabited  wilderness. 
A  few  years  later,  in  1746,   Moore  and   Smith,  after  a  fruitless  search  in 
the  same  direction,  pronounced  the  quest  of  "  a  Northwest  Passage  as 
chimerical    as    Don   Quixote's    projects."       But    now    the    successe^'s    of 
Captain   Cook    and   the    growing    power   of    England    gave   a   fresh 
impetus   to  voyages  of  discovery  on  a   scale   commensurate   with    her 
greatness.      It  has    not   escaped   the   notice  of  our    reader    how    insig- 
nificant and  paltry   were  the   outfits  of  the  early    English    navigators. 
He  has  also  doubtless  divined  the   reason.     While  under  more  arbitrary 
governments  such  enterprises  were  usually  controlled  by  the  state,   and 
inaugurated  with   the  eclat  and  fullness  of  equipment  which  are  wont  to 
characterize  government  ventures,  in  England  they  were  almost  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  private  merchants.     Occasionally  the  use  of  one  of  the 
King's  ships  was  obtained,  but  even  then  the  equipment  was  supplied  by 
private  persons.     This  was  in  accordance  with  the  genius  of  free  institu- 
tions and  constitutional    liberty;  and  the  Englishman  felt   more  pride  in 
the  growth  of  freedom   than  in  big  ships.     The  necessities  of  war  had 
just  brought  the  crown   a  navy  worthy  of  the  name,  and  the  succeeding 
epocli  of  peace  left  it  at  fhe  disposal  of  the  ministers  for  the  furtherance 
of  the  pursuits  of  science  and  commerce.     The  British  government,  full 
of  anticipation  of  the  glory  to  be  achieved  among  the  nations  of  the  earth 


Mhi 


U  .1  ■  fill 


143 


VOrAGE  OF  PHIPPS. 


by  the  discovery  of  the  Northwest  Passage,  the  dream  of  her  merchants 
for  nearly  three  centuries,  proceeded  first  to  dispatch  an  expedition  due 
north  to  investigate  the  possibilities  of  that  route. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  1 773,  Captain  Constantine  John  Phipps,  who 
was  raised  to  the  peerage  as  Lord  Mulgravc  in  17S4,  received  formal 
instructions  for  a  voyage  to  the  North  Pole,  or  as  far  toward  it  as  j-ossi- 
ble.  He  was  to  prosecute  the  voyage  as  nearly  as  ice  and  other  obsta- 
cles would  permit,  on  a  incridian.  His  observations  were  to  be  such  as 
might  prove  useful  to  navigation,  and  promote  science.  Should  he  reach 
the  Pole  and  find  open  sea  beyond  he  was  not  to  suffer  himself  to  go  on, 
but  was  to  get  back  to  the  Nare  before  winter.  A  discretionary  clause  was 
added,  empowering  him  to  follow  his  best  judgment  in  such  unforeseen 
circumstances  as  might  arise.  He  was  to  command  the  Racehorse,  and 
to  her  was  joined  the  Carcass  under  Capt.  Lutwidge,  who  was  sub- 
ject to  his  orders,  with  the  proviso  that  should  evil  befall  the  Racehorse 
he  was  to  assume  command  of  the  Carcass. 

They  got  fairly  under  way  on  June  4,  and  anchored  in  a  small  bay 
between  Magdalena  and  Hamburgher  Bays,  off  Spitzbergen,  on  July  4. 
On  the  9th  they  were  as  high  as  80°  36',  and  were  caught  in  the 
ice  on  the  31st.  They  forced  their  way  southward  through  the  ice, 
reaching  Seven  Islands'  Bay,  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Spitzbergen, 
Aug.  6,  and  the  Nare  on  Sept.  24.  In  1774  Captain  Phipps  published  a 
detailed  account  of  this  Arctic  expedition  under  the  title  of  a  "Journal 
of  a  Voyage  Toward  the  North  Pole." 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

cook's  enterprise  for  mSCOVEKING  NORTHWEST  PASSAGE—LEAVES 
PLYMOUTH-  EXTENSIVE  UARTER  WITH  NATIVES  —  ARRIVE  AT 
SANDWICH  ISLANDS  — OUTRAGES  OK  THE  HAWAIIANS  —  CAPT. 
COOK  MURDERED— APPROVAL  OF  COOK  IIY  ROYAL  SOCIETY  — 
CAPT.  CLERKE  TAKES  CHARGE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION  —  MAIIKET 
FURS    IN    CANTON. 

Phipps'  failure  due  north  did  not  extinguish  the  hope  of  finding  a 
route  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  in  the  northwest.  The  famous 
Captain  Cook  had  won  fresh  laurels  as  a  navigator  in  1772,  and  had 
hce.i  awarded  the  Copley  medal  for  his  success  in  preserving  the  healt'i 
of  his  men  (luring  his  voyage  around  the  world.  His  courage,  sagacity 
and  experience  pointed  him  out  as  the  man  for  the  contemplated  search 
voyage;  and  having  volunteered  his  services  he  was  gladly  appointed  to 
the  conuTiand.  His  instructions  were  to  proceed  to  the  North  Pacific,  to 
commence  his  search  on  the  northwest  coast  of  America  in  latitude  65  °  , 
:ui(l  to  waste  no  time  in  instituting  researches  in  lower  latitudes.  The 
Resolution  and  Discovery  were  speedily  fitted  out,  and  the  latter  p.aced 
under  the  suhordinate  command  of  Captain  Edward  Clerke.  Bayley 
and  Anderson,  companions  of  his  former  voyage,  accompanied  Cook  as 
astronomer  and  naturalist. 

July  13,  1776,  Captain  Cook  left  Plymouth,  England,  and  was 
joined  ])y  Captain  Clerke  in  Table  Bay,  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
some  weeks  later.  It  was  the  last  day  of  November  before  they  left  the 
Cape,  whence  they  proceeded  eastward  through  the  Indian  Ocean,  pass- 
ing Prince  Edward's  Island  December  12,  and  reaching  Kerguelen 
Land  on  the  24th.  Here  Cook  rectified  the  mistake  of  the  discoverer 
Kerguelen  by  ascertaining  it  to  be  an  island,  not  a  continent,  and  charac- 
terized it  as  the  Island  of  Desolation.     For  three  hundred  leagues  east  of 

143 


iil9 

P 

144 


COOK  DISCOVERS  SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


Kcrguclcn  they  were  so  beset  by  fog  that  it  was  necessary  to  fire  signal 
guns  to  avoid  getting  separated  in  the  (hirk.  They  arrived  at  Adventure 
Bay  on  the  south  coast  of  Van  Diemen's  Land,  now  Tasmania,  on  tiie 
26th  of  January,  1777,  and  in  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound,  New  Zealand,  on 
the  1 2th  of  February.  On  the  25th  they  proceeded  northward,  reaching 
Mangaia  and  Atioo,  two  of  the  Cook  Islands  or  Hervey  Archipelago,  on 
the  29th  of  March.  The  season  was  now  considered  too  far  advanced 
to  venture  into  unknown  seas  with  the  prospect  of  achieving  anything 
important,  and  Captain  Cook  decided  on  further  exploration  in  tiie 
tropics,  postponing  his  northward  trip  until  the  following  year.  They 
spent  nearly  three  months  in  peaceable  intercourse  with  the  natives  of 
the  Tonga  and  Feejee  groups,  to  which  Cook  gave  the  collective  name 
of  Friendly  Islands.  On  the  I3th  of  August  they  arrived  at  Tahiti  or 
Otahcite,  one  of  the  Society  Islands,  to  the  southeast  of  the  Friendly 
Islands.  On  the  8th  of  December  they  again  directed  their  course  to  the 
northward  from  Bolabola,  the  most  northern  of  the  Society  group;  and 
on  the  iSth  of  January,  177S,  they  discovered  the  islands  of  the  Hawaiian 
Archipelago.  Cook  named  these  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in  honor  of  he 
first  lord  of  the  British  admiralty,  John  Montague,  Earl  of  Sandwich,  the 
chief  promoter  of  the  voyage  in  which  he  was  now  engaged. 

After  a  stay  of  several  weeks  Cook  now  directed  his  course  for  the 
mainland  of  America,  reaching  the  New  Albion  of  Drake,  in  latitude  44° 
33',  on  March  7.  Coasting  north,  they  arrived  at  Nootka  Sound  in  lati- 
tude 49"  35' .  The  inhabitants  were  found  clad  in  furs,  which  they  offered 
for  sale,  and  were  civil  to  the  strangers.  They  evinced  an  almost  Eng- 
lish appreciation  of  the  rights  of  property,  expecting  pay  for  everything 
that  was  taken,  even  the  wood  and  water  necessary  for  the  ships.  They 
were  acquainted  with  iron,  but  preferred  brass,  whence  it  came  to  pass 
that  the  sailors  bartered  all  their  buttons  for  furs.  In  latitude  59°  the 
natives  were  found  to  resemble  the  Esquimaux  of  Hudson's  Bay  in  lan- 
guage as  well  as  in  physical  appearance;  and  were  not  so  grasping  in 
their  dealings.  In  wliai  has  since  been  named  Cook's  Inlet  they  thought 
to  have  found  a  passage  to  the  Northern  Ocean,  but  found  it  penetrated 
only  about  200  miles.     Cook  then  sailed  westward,  and  on  the  9th  of 


COOK  SURVETS  HAWAII.  ^^ 

August  made  the  extreme  northwestern  point  of  America,  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  Cape  Prince  of  Wales,  distant  from  the  northeast- 
ern  point  of  Asia,  at  Cape  East,  only  thirteen  k  agues,  as  ascertained  by 
hun.  They  landed  among  the  Tchuktchi,  but  d.d  not  tarry  long,  as  they 
were  anxious  to  push  to  the  north  before  the  close  of  the  season. 

On  the  .8th  of  August,  in  latitude  70°  44',  they  came  abreast  of  the 
.ce,  which  they  found  six  feet  high  on  the  edge,  and  extending  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach,  an  impenetrable  mass,  covered  with  walruses.     Of  these 
the  sailors  killed  a  considerable  number,  glad  to  exchange  the  monotony 
of  salt  provisions  for  the  fresh  but  coarse  flesh  of  these  animals.      Cook 
now  concluded  to  turn  from  the  impracticable  Northern  Ocean   and  turn 
his  attention  for  a  season   to  the  further  exploration  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands.     On  the  26th  of  November  they  arrived  at  Mowee  or  Maui,  an 
island  of  that  group,  which  they  had  not  before  visited,  in  latitude  -o^so' 
and  on  the  30th  the  large  island   of  Owhyh.c  or   Hawaii,  which  Cook 
spent  seven   weeks  in   circumnavigating   and   surveying.     They  finally 
anchored  in  Kealakeakua  Bay,  about  the  middle  of  January,  1779,  and 
were  visited  by  crowds  of  natives.      The  relations  of  visitors  and  visited 
otcv.hzed  English  and  semi-barbarous  Hawaiian,  were  mutually  pleasant- 
nothuig   occurred    to   mar  the   harmony   of  their  intercom-se;    and   the' 
op.n.ons  formed  by  each  party  of  the  other  grew  daily   more  favorable, 
as  weeks  of  acquaintance  passed  into  months,  and  the  English  still  lin- 
gered on  their  hospitable  shores.     Captain  Cook  very  justly  felt  that  the 
failure  to  penetrate  the  Northern  Ocean  was  more  than  compensated  for 
by  the  discovery   of  these  islands,      u  To  this  disappointment,"  says  he 
"we  owed  our  having  it  in  our  power  to  visit  the  Sandwich  Islands   and 
to  enrich  our  voyage  with  a  discovery,  which,  though  the  last,  seemed  in 
many  respects  to  be  the  most  important  that  had  hitherto  been  made  by 
Europeans  throughout  the  extent  of  the  Pacific  Ocean." 

Provisions  M^ere  procured  in  abunrjance  for  the  "  floating  islands,"  as 
the  Hawaiians  called  them;  and  Cook  was  quite  successful  in  saltin<.  a 
quantity  of  pork  for  sea  stores.  Finally  he  prepared  to  sail  arotmd  The 
.slands  to  make  an  accurate  survey  of  the  whole  group,  and  wciffhed 
^th  of   September.     But  a  storm  arose  soon  aftc 


10 


-'hich 


Mirm"""""'^- 


] 

Kim  ili^ 

ij 

t 

146 


MUHDEK  OF  COOK. 


seriously  sprimj;  tin-  mainmast  oltlu-  Resolution,  and  tliey  ix'-cntcrcd  the 
harbor  for  necessary  repairs.  In  the  shorl  interval  that  had  elapsed,  the 
better  disposed  of  the  native  populati(v.i,  with  most  of  their  leaders  or 
chiefs,  hail  withdrawn  into  the  interior.  The  crews  now  came  in  con- 
t.Ht  witli  the  more  thicvisli  and  unprincipled  of  the  llawaiians,  and  ([uar- 
rels  became  almost  incessant.  A  serious  feud  arose  throui^'h  the  theft  ot 
a  pair  of  ton-,'s  from  the  for«,'e  of  the  ship's  smith  by  an  unprincipled  na- 
tive. The  Kn-?lish  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  diief  were  rou<,'hly  handled  by 
a  mob,  and  on  the  heels  of  this  redoubled  outraj^e  followed  the  tiu'ft  of 
one  of  the  ship's  boats.  Captain  Cook  hereupon  determined  to  sci/e  the 
kin<?,  Tcreeoboo,  and  hold  him  as  a  hosta<,'e  for  the  jjfood  behavior  of  his 
people,  and  the  return  of  t  lie  stolen  property. 

On  the  14th  of  February,  1779,  he  landeil  with  a  body  of  armed  ma- 
rines to  carry  out  this  resoluliDn.    The  kint,'  oflered  no  resistance,  but  with 
his  two  sons  peacefully  accompanied  the  Kn',dish  to  the  shore,  when  the 
excited  natives  {gathered  in  crowds  and  prevented  the  embarkation.     An 
accident  precipitated  the  impending'  conflict,     (^ne  of  the  armed  Enjrlish- 
mcn  at  the  other  end  of  the  bay  fired  a  jjfun  to  stop  a  native  canoe  that 
was  about  to  quit  the  shore.     Unfortunately,  throujjh  misdirection  of  aim 
or  oscillation  of  the  canoe,  the  shot  that  was  intended  to  pass  overhead, 
killed  a  chief  named   Kareemoo.     The  natives,  taking  this   for  a  <rage 
of  battle,  prepared  for  war,  brandished  their  knives,  and  put  on  their  war 
mats.     Captain  Cook  restrained  his  men,  and  they  held   back  their  fire 
till  it  was  too  late.     Threatened  by  a  native,  Cook  himself  fired  his  mus- 
ket loaded  with  small  shot,  which  only  rendered  his  assailant  more  furi- 
ous.    The  marines  and   the  crew  now  fireil  on  the  mol),  but  these  were 
so  closely  packed  at  the  water's  edge  that  they  crowded  each  other  on 
toward    their    assailants,    and   in  the    melee   four  of     the    English  were 
killed,      i  i.e  jam    became  so  great  that  firearms  were  of  but   little  use, 
and  Cook  was  at  the  mercy  of  his  enemies.     He  was  seen  to  make  an 
efFort  to  reach  the  boat,  with  one  of  the  natives  in  close  pursuit,  who, 
dealin"-  him  a  stunning  blow  on  the  head  with  a  club,  precipitately  re- 
treated.     Cook  fell  on  one  knee  and  dropped  his  musket,  atul  as  he  was 
risin*'-,  another  native  stabbed  him  in  the  back  of  the  neck  with  a  dagger. 


ll 


iteicd  the 

iipsfd,  the 
leaders  or 
lie  in  eoii- 
and  (|uar- 
le  tliett  ot 
eipled  iia- 
aiulted  hy 
le  tlu'ft  of 
)  sci/c  the 
/\ov  of  his 

irined  ma- 
j,  but  with 
when  the 
ition.  All 
d  Enj;lish- 
:anoe  that 
;ioii  of  aim 

overhead, 
for  a  j^agc 
1  tlieir  war 
c  their  fire 
:d  his  mus- 
morc  furi- 
thcse  were 
h  other  on 
'r\hh  were 

little  use, 

0  make  an 
ir'^uit,  who, 
pitately  re- 

1  as  he  was 
1  a  dagger. 


HULULir  ON  COOK. 
11^'  "i^"  liJI  int..  the  water,  when  others  erowded 
down.     He  was  within    twenty  feet  of  the    ho.-.l    I 


147 


ass 


;iil.i"ts  was   so  (h-iise,  and    the  ere 


ii|'"n  liim  to  keep  liim 
"If    the   mass  of  his 


llial  hi-  I'ould    not    I 


)e  re 


w  so  confused  and  panic-strick 


;,nit  his   head   above   vvat 


scued.     He  struggle.1   bravely  with   h 


en. 


<MiMti'r  \iolenc( 


■I-,    when  they  a^raj, 


is  foes  and 
pounced    upon  him    with 


\\a 


'  P"shin;C  liim    into  deeper   water.     A.rai,,  h 


y  to  (he   surface,  but  only  to  be  struck  d 


'"inatclthestru-jric.     They  thn,  hauled  his  I 


own   with  a  dub. 


ic  forced  his 
which  tor- 


s'u'( 


with 


fel 


victim. 


each  other  in    inllicting  unnecess; 


<-'ss   remains  ashor 


c  and 
;iry  wounds  upon  their  fallen 


nK":,„vc,wcros..„„„fter,II,pc.r,,c.,l,,co,„i„«  .„,.„.  «,„.u,l  .lu.,. 

;■""" ';: "-  't:  -"'  '"^  -■*-"-.v  --,1  „„„„. ,  .,„■ ,  .h.  „;:i 

—  a  .,„s,..„e„„,ie.,,,  „,,„,,     Cap ,  c„„k  w,.  spec,,,,,,  .„    , 

:"v" ""  :;'";'7  ""r  ""■"■  '"  '"-''• "'-"  ^^  --  v~i  with  .1  e 

C.,,l,v,,,c.,,al,.,.,,,,,,.n,,,...,.,.,Mc,u..r,,,o    R„,a,    Socie.,,  .,„„  ^ 
l,lK,.m,[  l„,  MK-iil  in  ih,„  particular: 

"  VVha,i,K,„iry  can  l,c  s,,  „s„„, 'as  „,,,.  which  ha,  fori,.  „hjcc.   M,c 
--.  .he  hvcs  „f  .„.,.>     A,„l  „,,crc  shall  wc  ,i,u,  one  ,„„ro  s,ccc,^ 

"..h.. core  us      [Cook's  acc.u,,.  of  hi.  ,ne.ho<,   for  prcsorviZ 
'-'■"  "'  l"«  |n-.J     „ere  are  „o  vain  boas,i„.s  of  .he  empiric,  ,„; 
■; "  ■ ':"'r  '''""-  '"  '"=  "°""'-i-^  ""'  »  concise  an    ar.,: 

C.  ,..  Cook,  w,.h  a  company  of ,  „S  ,„cn,  pcrforn,e,l  a  voyage  of  .hrecyen 
...  c,.Mcon.iays,hro,.,ho„,al,.he  cli.aecs  fron,  s'c'noreh  .o  , 
0  ,    e.  „.,.     .He  ,„„  of  only  one  ,na„  hy  sickL.     ,  won,.,        w 

'nm    „    ho  mos.  conversant  with  .ho  bil,s  of  mor.„,i.y,  whether  in  the 
.-.  healthy  e,in,a.e  an.,  the  hest  con.iition  of  ,ife,  they    ave  ever  I 
os.,.a    a  nnn,her  of.,ea,hs  wi.hin  that  space  of  tin,e?     How  ,."„t 
».«.,.  c,  then,  „,„s.  oar  s.nprise  he,  after  pernsin,  the  history         , I 

tol....lthean-oftheseaacq„itte<,ofa„   ma,i„„itv  ,„.,     i„  fi„e    -I 

™^"- ■' "-  --'"  ■"">■  ^^-  ""--^en  ;i.h  less  1;  "U;: 


iiittia..»i*i  "^- 


mm 


i:iil:'lflil.'BII<ll'S  i    'J    ; 


148 


CLERKE  ASSUMES  COMMAND. 


r^M 


to  health,  than  a  common  lour  iu  Europe."  And  it  may  be  added  that 
with  all  the  modern  atjpliances  of  preserved  meats,  carefully  preparctl 
pemmican,  canned  fruits,  lime-juice  and  sundry  other  anti-scorbutics  no 
navigator  has  succeeded  in  leaving  a  better  record.  He  not  only  cared 
for  his  men,  but  he  also  knew  how  to  elicit  their  confidence  and  esteem. 
He  was  kindly  and  considerate,  but  also  decided  and  energetic,  and  knew 
how  to  rule  as  well  as  conciliate.  He  probably  erred  in  attempt- 
ing to  enforce  the  rigiil  rules  of  stern  discipline  against  the  savages  of 
Hawaii,  and  paid  the  penalty  with  his  life.  Holding  races  of  infantile 
simplicity  mixed  with  adult  cunning  to  the  responsibilities  of  civilized 
men  was  an  error  of  the  times,  which  has  not  even  yet  been  quite  out- 
grown. And  the  fame  of  Cook  cannot  be  dimmed  by  an  error  of  judg- 
ment.    Such  criticism  would  rob  humanity  of  all  its  heroes. 

Captain  Clerke  now  assumed  command  of  the  expedition,  intrusting 
his  ship,  the  Discovery,  to  the  immediate  command  of  Lieutenant  Gore. 
They  proceeded  to  the  Northern  Ocean,  touching  at  Petropaulevsky,  in 
Avatcha  Bay,  on  the  coast  of  Kamchatka,  where  they  were  received  by 
the  Russians  with  marked  hospitality.  Passi.-g  thence  through  Behring's 
Strait,  they  reached  latitude  70^  33',  where  they  encountered  tlie  ice  some 
twenty  miles  lower  than  on  the  previous  occasion.  They  relinquished 
all  further  attempt  in  that  direction,  and  set  sail  for  the  homeward  voy- 
age. When  they  again  reached  Kamchatka,  Captain  Clerke  died,  and 
was  bin-ied  on  shore.  The  command  of  the  expedition  then  devolved 
upon  Captain  Gore,  with  Lieutenant  King  in  charge  of  the  second 
vessel.  They  arrived  at  Macao,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Canton  River,  in 
China,  December  third,  when  they  learned  of  the  war  between 
England  and  her  American  colonies,  aided  by  the  French;  and  at  the 
same  time  of  the  generous  order  of  the  latter  government  that  the  vessels 
of  Cook's  expedition  should  be  treated  as  neutrals  by  the  cruisers  of 
France. 

In  Canton  the  English  seamen  enjoyed  an  episode  that  formed  an 
agreeable  contrast  to  their  late  experience.  They  fountl  an  unexpected 
market  for  the  furs  for  which  they  had  bartered  knives,  trinkets,  and 
even   their   brass  buttons  two    vears   before   on  the   northwest  coast  of 


uiKKMummiM^iWI^SS 


yoURNET  HOME  WARD 


America.     "  One  of  our  seam 


aloDc  for  $Soo;    and  a  fe 

well 

value 


w 


it^n,"  says  Lieutenant  K 
prime  skins,  which  were  cl 


140 

g,  "sold  his  stock 


preserved,  were  sold  for  $120  each.       Th 
:pccie  and  goods,  that  was  got  for  the   fu 


ean  and  had  bee 


n 


in  s 


confident  did  not  fall  short  of  £ 


sooo  sterlin 


whole   amount  of  the 
'■s  ill  both  ships,  I 


am 


po»<l  that  „t  lea».  tw„.,hi,,i,,  of  the  „u„.,i  :'  ',  ":"  »™"^'">'  -P- 

o-hcwise  Ui„po,o„  of  i„  K„.,„.,,..      W,    „     ,    .';•';■  ""■"   ••'"^'^-  "■■ 
ie  i»  remembered  .h,,t  ,he  f,„,  „.„„  „  ,,    ,       1        '  '"  '°  ""'^'=  '"'"'' 

an-ViUeaof  .„.r  re.  ..,.,  .,:     e:!  *:::;;'"""' ^  "-'"^ 

preserved  .i.H  n„,e  e„re,  „„.,  ,,„,„„,,^  „,^,i  ,t  ,„r  i'""";'"' 

purposes,  and  ,h„.  p,.obablj.  „e  had  not  reeeived  the  f  I  T 

China;  .he  a.lvantage,  .ha,  migh.  be  deriv       r^  "     "  '"''  ""  "'  "' 

oi  .he  Amerlea,.  eoas,  „„der.a;e.,  wi      Z  .      li' 7"^''  '"  '""'  ""' 

-  ..r  a  .ie,ree  of  Impor.anee  ,„ffleie,„  .„  ea     I      ,      T/  """"™'   '" 

public."  *"'    ^'^^   attention    of  the 

A  few  of  the  seamen  were  so  di^o^iw  • 

vic.io„  .ha.  .he,  de,er.ed  .he  sh         ndCr^"'   T  ''"  '""'^'   "- 

*.  .  ^       ^  wcie  amon^thp  firef  t?.,    i-  i 

to  engage  in  the  Pacific  fur  trude  Enghsh.nen 

...«™!:;:;::rt^:;~::::-'r''- ■'•» 

Discovery  had  not  lost  a  man.  '  ^'"'"^   ^"^'^^"^^''    ^h^' 


;^.4»ali!ty4«tl«iW«S!«i»«9 


CHAPTER   XVII. 


ENGLISH  AND  DANISH  VOYAGES— FROBISHER—I'OND— MACKENZIE — 
DISCOVERS  MACKENZIE'S  RIVER— GODTHAAH  COLONY  KOUNDED— 
SCORESBY  MAKES  FIRST  VOYAGE   TO  GREENLAND— WM.  SCORESBY, 


JR. 


BEGINS  SEAFARING  LIFE— VOYAGE  TO  SI'ITZBERGEN  SEAS- 
NUMEROUS  REMAINS  OF  ANIMAL  LIFE  —  SCORESBY  PUBLISHES 
ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  TRAVELS  —  NECESSITY  THE  MOTHER  OF  IN- 
VENTION-DISCOVERS CAPE  HOPE  — INAUGURATES  THE  USE  OF 
BOATS    AND    SLEDGES. 

In  1775  Joseph  Frobisher,  en.njaged  in  the  fur  trade,  reached  the 
Mississippi  or  Churchill  River,  in  the  interior,  thr()u<,'h  tlie  region  north- 
west of  Lake  Superior,  and  made  a  second  successful  trip  the  ensuing 
year.  His  brother,  in  1777,  reached  Lac  de  hi  Croix,  now  Lacrosse 
Lalce,  at  the  head  waters  of  tlie  Churchill;  and  in  1778,  a  Mr.  Pond 
following  in  their  footsteps,  and  proceeding  farther  north,  had  discovered 
Lake  Athabasca. 

From  Fort  Chippewyan  at  the  west  end  of  Lake  Athabasca,  Alex- 
ander Mackenzie  set  out  on  the  third  ofjune,  1789,  attended  by  a  party  of 
Canadians  and  some  Indians,  to  discover  another  great  river  to  the  north- 
west, of  which  he  had  heard  from  the  natives.     One  of  the  Indians   had 
been  in  the  service  of  Hearne  eight  or  ten  years   before.     Having  found 
the  river,  he  proceeded  to  descend  it  to  its  mouth.     On  th*^  I3th  of  July 
they  entered  what  they  took  to  be  a  lake,  from  the  shallowness  of  the 
water,  though  they  saw  no  land  ahead.      "  At  a  few  leagues  from  tlic 
mouth  of  the  river,  my  people,"  says  Mackenzie,  "could  not,  at  this  time, 
refrain  from  expressions  of  real  concern  that  they  were  obliged  to  return 
without  reaching  the  sea."     But  noticing  a  rise  of  eighteen  inches  in  the 
water,  they  concluded  they  had  reached  the  occ-n,  as  it  could  only  be  as- 
.  cribcd  to  the  tide.     This    opinion  was    confirmed  by  the  appearance  of 

150 


GODTHAAB  FOUNDED.  jgj 

several  whales  sporting  on  the  ice.     He  ascertained  the  latitude   to  be 
9      14  ,  and  named  the  island  on  which  they  had  camped  Whale  Island. 
1    c  nver  has  been  called  by  his  name,  and  its  mouth  is  now  determined 
to  be  u.   autude  68  °   50',  an  error  of  34',  which,  considering  the  imper- 
fecfou  of  h.s  instruments,  must  be  regarded  as  a  very  creditable  approxi- 
.nafon.     W.th  this  discovery  and  that  of  the  great  interior  cnain  of  lakes 
and  nvers  w.th  which  the  Mackenzie  connects,  the  Hudson's  Bay   Com- 
pany  s  territory  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  may  be  said  to  have  been 
outlined,  and  the  Arctic  Ocean  proper  reached  for  the  first  time  by  land 
o.  the  American  coast.     In   1793  Mr.    Mackenzie  ascended    the  Peace 
R.ver,  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  descended  the    Simpson  River 
■n  1793,  reaching  the  Pacific  Ocean  just  south  of  the  Prince  of  Wales 
Islands,  where  he  registered  his  nan.e  on  the  face  of  a  rock_«  Alexander 
Mackenzie,  from  Canada  by  land,  the  33d  of  July,  .793  >._,he„ee  he 
.eturned  by  the  same  route,  arriving  at  Fort  Chippewyan  on  Lake  Atha- 
basca,  on  the  24th  of  August. 

DANISH  VOYAGES  TO  GREENLAND. 

BciJes  the  voyage,  previously  me„t,o„eJ_of  the  Norsemen  toward 
h=  Co.  of  the  tenth  eentury,  and  those  under  the  auspices  of  Christian 
IV.  u  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth-there  were  a  few  noteworthy 
Da„,sl,  e.po<l,tions  to  Greenland  in  n,oro  recent  times.     TIrat  of  Hans 
tgodc  n,  ,7a,,  though  mainly  Inspired  with  the  hope  of  finding  traces 
of  the  lost  Norse  colonies,  and  his  missionary  .e.al,  is  of  interest,  as  it  1:^ 
tothe  estabhshment  of  the  first  modern  European  settlement  on  thecoast 
of  Green  and.     By  the  sacrifice  of  hi,  personal  fortune  and  with  the  aid 
of  a  few  frtends,  Egede  succeeded  in  forn  ing  the  Greenland  Company 
w.th  a  cash  capital  of  $9,000;  .and  an  annual   endowment  of  $300  from 
.he  m,,s,o„ary  fund,  to  which  were  added  $.00  hy  King  FerdinanJ  IV. 
who,  however,  died  nine  years  later.     Egede  left  Bergen  M.ay  ,2,  and 
-.ved  on  the  western  coast  of  Greenland  in  Davis'  Strait,  latitude  64  " 
'">>ly3,  ^m,l  founde,!  the  settlement  of  Godthaab  with  forty  Dalh 
»lon,sts.    On  the  death  of  his  royal   patrons,  the   Danish  goLnmen 
".»PP".nted  in  its  anticipa.ions  of  a  b.cra.iv.  ,rade  w,t„  thcr.atives  ad 


152 


CLA  VERING-GHAAM. 


the  failure  to  find  any  trace  of  the  old  colonists,  not  only    withdrew  its 
paltry  endowment,  but  ordered  the  colony  to  be  broken  up. 

In  1733,  through  the  zeal  of  the  celebrated  Count  Zinzendorf,  King 
Christian  VI.  was  induced  to  countermand  the  order  for  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  Godthaab  Colony.  Not  confining  himself  to  this  act  of  jus- 
tice,  he  endowed  the  mission  with  an  annuity  of  $3,000,  and  intrusted  it 
to  the  care  of  three  Moravian  bretiiren,  members  of  the  religious  com- 
munity founded  by  Zinzendorf.  With  his  mission  thus  strengthened 
and  its  permanence  assured,  Egede  returned  to  Denmark  in  1735,  where 
he  died  in  1758,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  He  had  been  able  to  find 
ruins  of  churches  and  other  buildings  here  and  there  along  the  coast,  but 
no  trace  of  survivors  of  the  old  Norse  settlements,  nor  any  tradition 
among  the  Esquimaux  that  they  had  ever  existed.  Fifty  years  after  his 
return  an  expedition  was  sent  out  in  1786,  under  command  of  Capt. 
LOwenorn,  to  search  for  tiiem  on  the  east  coast.  But  neither  he,  nor  the 
Scoresbys,  in  their  many  voyages  to  those  coasts  from  1791  to  i8j2,  nor 
Clavering  in  1833,  were  ever  able  to  discover  any  traces  of  European 
settlements  in  Greenland.  The  explorations  of  the  Scoresbys  and  Clav- 
erings  were,  howover,  too  far  to  the  north,  but  there  yet  remained  to  be 
examined  the  southeastern  coast,  north  of  Cape  Farewell.  This  was 
undertaken  in  1828,  under  the  auspices  of  King  Frederick  VI.  who 
commissioned  Capt.  Graah  to  make  a  careful  inspection  of  that  coast. 
Proceeding  from  the  most  southern  point,  in  1839,  he  made  frequent 
landings  as  high  as  65  °  iS'.  It  was  deemed  useless  to  prosecute  the 
search  farther,  as  it  was  believed  no  colony  could  have  existed  farther 
north.  The  result  of  his  careful  investigations  was  the  conclusion  that  no 
Norse  settlements  had  ever  been  founded  on  that  coast.  Not  a  trace  of 
church  or  other  building,  not  the  faintest  tradition  among  the  natives,  not 
a  wo*d  in  their  language,  not  a  tool  or  implement  in  their  hands,  could 
be  found  to  furnish  the  slightest  suspicion  that  the  country  had  ever  had 
any  European  inhabitants.  It  was  inferred  that  the  "east  bygd"  (or 
bighf)  of  the  old  chroniclers  was  therefore  not  the  cast  coast  of  Green- 
land, but  only  the  most  eastern  portion  of  that  part  which  was  known  to 
them.     The  "  east  bygd  "  was  probably  identical  with  the  extensive  dis- 


i 


withdrew  its 


EARLT  LIFE  OF  SCOREHBT.  ,53 

trie,  now  knovvn  by  the  name  of  the  station  orsettlement  of  Julianshaab; 
and  the  "west  bygd,"  with  Fiskernaes,  to  the  northwest. 

VOYAGES  OF  THE   SCORESBYS. 

Capt.  William  Scoresby,  the  elder,  made  his  first  voya<.e    to  Green 
land  m  179s  and  made  thirty  distinct  voyages  to  Arctic  Seas,    but  they 
were  all  of  a  commercial  character;  and  only  incidentally   of  c,eo-raph 
ical  or  scientific  value.     In  1806  he  reached  as  high  as  Sx^  13'  in   Green 
land  Sea,  a  higher  latitude  than  had  been  reached  by  any  preceding  nav- 
igator, where  he  saw  "a  great  openness  or  sea  of  water."     Bein-  enc.a<.ed 
.n  a  whaling  voyage  only,  he  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  go  forward  loathe 
north,  thus  losing  an  exceptional   opportunity  perhaps   of  reachino-  the 
Pole.     Again,  in  1S17,  deviating  from    the  usual   northern  route  Tf  thcf 
whalers,  he  steered  west  through  the  ice   to  the  coast  of  Greenland 
which  he  reached  some  minutes  north  of  70°.     Here    he    could    easily 
have  landed,  but  his  business  being   whale-catching,  not  exploration,  he 
sailed  back  again  into  the  open  sea  to  secure  a  cargo.     In    one    of    his 
whaling  ventures  he  is  said  to  have  taken  the  large  number  of  thirty-six 
whales.     H.S  name  was  given  to  Scoresby  Sound,  where  he  landed  on 
one  of  his  later  voyages.     He  made  some  improvements  in  the  details  of 
whaling;  and  is  credited  with  the  invention  of  the  form   of  observatory 
known  as  "the  round  top-gallant  crow's-nest,"  used  as  a  lookout  station 
He  died  in  1839,  '"  his  seventieth  year. 

Capt.  William  Scoresby,  the  younger  son  of  the  preceding,  was  born 
m  1790,  and  began  a  seafaring  life  when  in  his   eleventh  year.     In    his 
seventeenth,  he  was  first  mate  to  his  father  in  the  famous  voya^^e  of 
1806,  to  which  we  have  already  referred.     Before  he  was  quite   twenty- 
one,  he  was  in  command  of  the  whaler  Resolution.     In  one  of  his  voy 
ages  to  Spitzbergen  seas,  he  landed  near  Cape   Mitre,  and  ascended  a 
mountain  3,000  feet  high.     At  a  certain  point  of  this  laborious  ascent  the 
ndge  was  so  narrow  and  the  sides  so  precipitous  that  he  could  advance 
with  safety  only  by  straddling  it  and  working  forward  with  his  hands 
and  legs.     It  cost  him  several  hours  of  hard  work  to  reach  the  summit 
and  very  often  a  single  false   step  would    have  precipitated  him  to  his 


««3iltiHSK!it!!«e@H»tl«<<:!ni«4>M^?!;MM^^ 


WiUtii 


154 


NUMEROUS  REMA/NS  OF  ANIMAL  LIFE. 


St'  A.      .    -.    .^ti   ) 


death  in  the  abyss  beneath.  But  he  was  delighted  with  the  result  of  his 
achievement. 

«  The  prospect,"  says  he,  "was  most  extensive  and  grand.  A  fine 
sheltered  bay  was  seen  to  the  east  of  us;  an  arm  of  the  sea  on  the  north- 
east; and  fhe  sea,  whose  glassy  surface  was  unruffled  by  a  breeze, 
formed  an  immense  expanse  on  the  west.  The  icebergs,  rearing  their 
proud  crests  almost  to  the  tops  of  the  mountains  between  which  they 
were  lodged,  and  defying  the  power  of  the  solar  beams,  were  scattered  in 
various  directions  about  the  sea-coast  and  in  the  adjoining  bays.  Beds 
of  snow  and  ice,  filling  extensive  hollows,  and  giving  an  enameled  coat 
to  adjoining  valleys — one  of  which,  commencing  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain where  we  stood,  extended  in  a  continued  line  toward  the  south  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach;  mountain  rising  above  mountain,  until  by  dis- 
tance they  dwindled  into  insignificance;  the  whole  contrasted  by  a  cloud- 
less canopy  of  deepest  azure,  and  lightened  by  the  rays  of  a  blazing 
sun,  and  the  eiTect  aided  by  a  feeling  of  danger — seated  as  we  were  on 
the  pinnacle  of  a  rock,  almost  surrounded  by  tremendous  precipices — all 
united  to  constitute  a  picture  smgularly  sublime. 

"  Our  descent  we  found  really  a  very  hazardous,  and  in  some  in- 
stances, a  painful  undertaking.  Every  movement  was  a  work  of  deliber- 
ation. Having  by  much  care  and  some  anxiety  made  good  our  descent 
to  the  top  of  the  secondary  hills,  we  took  our  way  down  one  of  the  steep- 
est banks,  and  slid  forward  with  great  focility  in  a  sitting  posture. 
Toward  the  foot  of  the  hill,  an  expanse  of  snow  stretched  across  the  line 
of  descent.  This  being  loose  and  soft,  we  entered  upon  it  without  fear, 
but  on  reaching  the  middle  of  it  we  came  to  a  surface  of  solid  ice,  per- 
haps a  hundred  yards  across,  over  which  we  launched  with  astonishing 
velocity,  but  happily  escaped  without  injury.  The  men  whom  we  left 
below  viewed  this  latter  movement  with  astonishment  and  fear.  " 

In  his  further  explorations  along  the  east  he  found  many  skulls  and 
large  bones  of  whales,  narwals,  sea-horses,  seals  and  foxes.  Two  Rus- 
sian lodges,  giving  tokens  of  recent  habitation  by  quantities  of  fresh  chips 
and  other  tokens  lying  around,  and  the  ruins  of  an  older  one,  were  found 
imon  a  shingly  ridge  adjoining  the  sea.     Amid  the  boulders    which  had 


-ijinjilTiaiiM,   5,;:^ 


result  of  his 


BIGHTEENTH   VOTAgE  OF  SCukESBT.  15ft 

in  the  process  of  ages  nxlled  clown  upon  the  shore,  or  heen  conveyed 
thither  by  icebergs  and  ice-floes  in  great  numbers,  sea-birds  had  built 
their  nests  and  laid  their  eggs,  which  they  defended  with  great  co«ra..e 
and  much  clamor  against  their  enemies,  the  gulls.  The  only  insect  seen 
was  a  species  of  green  fly,  but  medusa  and  shrimps  abounded  in  the 
water  along  the  coast.  He  found  two  species  of  fucacea^,  a  sub-order  of 
the  algae,  or  sea-weeds. 

A  dead  whale  was  found  stranded  on  the  beach,  which,  notwithstand- 
ing its  swollen  and  half-putrid  condition,  proved  worth  about  $3  000 
Scoresby  inferred  from  the  harpoon  with  which  it  had  been  killed  .nd 
which  sfll  stuck  where  it  had  been  driven,  that  it  had  been  attacked  by 
fishermen  at  the  mouth  of  the  Elbe  and  had  worked  its  way  north  not 
w.thstanding  its  wound,  to  the  spot  where  it  was  found.  It  was  a  labori 
ous  task  to  take  the  oil  and  blubber  aboard  the  ship  which  stood  off"  the 
shore  some  two  miles,  and  was  driven  still  farther  by  the  wind  before 
they  had  secured  all  the  products.  With  the  sixth  boat-load  they  had  to 
chase  the  ship,  which  they  found  great  difliculty  in  overtaking 

After  Scoresby  had  made  seventeen  voyages  to  Arctic  seas,    he  pub- 
hshed,  in  1820,  '^An  Account  of  the  Arctic  Regions."    This  work  added 
largely  to  the  rather  scant  stock  of  general  information  on  that  subject 
and  constituted  a  valuable  contribution  to  the  hydrography,  meteorology' 
and  natural  history  of  northern  lands  and  seas.     In    1822    he     made    i;is 
o.,hteenth  voyage,  arriving  on  the  coast  of  Greenland  in  the  vicinity  of 
Scoresby's  Sound,  where  his  father  had  been  some  years  before      He    ex 
plorcd  the  coast  to  the  north,  which  has  been  named  Scoresby's  Land  in 
i-s  honor,  and  which  he  described  as  the  most  grand  and  majestic  he  had 
ever  seen.     Ti,e  mountains  of  this  coast  he  named   Roscoe,  in  honor  of 
W.lham   Roscoe,  poet,   historian,  member    of  parliament,    and  banker. 
They  consist  of  a  number  of  peaks  about  3,000  feet    high,  and    a  still 
greater  number  of  lower  pyramidal  elevations  and  a  chaotic  mass  of  ]... 
.ed  ioot-h.lls  with  their  rough  declivities  and    narrow  ravines.     On    tl^ 

n!ldV"''^\'"''?"  '  -cky  promontory  at  70^  30',  which  he 
name  Cape  L.ster,n.  honor  of  the  famous  London  merchanfand  opti- 
can,  Joseph  J.ck.on  Lister.     H.  climbed  to  its  summit  to   examine    he 


Bbjitiiai, 


156  ESQUIMAUX  CAMP. 

flora  of  this  coast,  which  he  tiescribed  in  his  account  of  the  voyage  and  its 
results,  published  in  1823  at  Edinburjjh. 

A  little  farther  on — at  what  he  named  Cape  Swainson,  in  honor 
of  the  distinguished  naturalist,  William  Swainson  —  he  descended 
to    the    shore.      Here    he    found   a    recently    deserted    camp    of   the 


WILLIAM  SCORESBY. 


Esquimaux.  Charred  driftwood  and  ashes  lay  on  the  hearths  of 
the  several  huts.  No  land  animals  were  seen,  but  a  number  of 
great  auks  and  other  sea-fowls  animated  the  waters.  Mosquitoes, 
butterflies,  bees,  and  some  other  less-known  insects  flew  about  amonof  the 


iirt^AuisjgyprwirH?Pfi!sas«fi,Tr:Ri!{7Tr3.'^.  -^r- 


voyage  and  its 


JAN  MAT  EN  ISLAND. 

187 

crags  on  the  hillsides,  in  this  the  solif-.r,, 

.he  „„,,  one  in  .hich  .here  ,3 1    t^^' '^ri  '""""'  "f  *''^=*"''- 

e.ce.ive,,  severe,  ,pcei„,  proe^Uon  ..,„i  ,  j.,  ^J  ;  7",  "':'"=" 

by  Ihe  simple  natives.   "Necessitv  „m„    ,  ,    uu  "^  ''*'™«' 

.Here  as  e,se.Hete,  a™o„,  tr:X:  1 : '  V:r r'r  "'T'" 
ion.  and  ope„i„,  .„  .he  sc.H.  was  fot.,„  J^X     e      „     Th-  '''■ 
b..t  shghtly  raised  above  the  level  of  the  ground   h  ■  " 

.he  stnnted  Es,„i,„at.  are  con,pe„ed  for'.";!:,  ^  """'  T'" 
hands  and  fee..  !«»  bctom  is  usually  a  little  low  r  .rt  ""  T^ 
hut  to  wh..h  it  leads,  and  is  further  Ipressed  abou      he  *' 

...e  colder  a,.d  heavier  outer  air  is  keptfron,  the   l    i    .eaT  7'br 
duectly  through  on  the  same  level.     ExDerl,„      ,  "'"« 

zensof  latitude  7,  0  what  n.eu    „  ,      ''"'"":^'  '""'  ""■S'"  'h«e  deni- 
.»ges  of  sehooU  and    :  ^         nd".hr'^  T'""  ""'  "=  ^''-"- 

-redin  booK  reeo,,i.e  asT'fu^:     Jr;::  ^  1:^"^  "  '^'^■•' 
physics.  principle   in  the  science  of 

nope,  a  disti„,ui.hed  writer  ofTepeHr  "r  :  T"\  "  ""'™'^ 

h^.cesofEs,uim.™_bo„esof.heLre,.;„d"r::i:r:;rT:r,! 

ot  a  dog  was  raised  on  a  small  mounfl   iM    •  c  '^"" 

i-  -  -  do.  Who  everywnrrc::  '^t::^?^ 

eaven.orda,„ed  guide  of  deeeased  children  .0  the  Z  of  so  s  T^ 
heat  was  now  so  great  that  many  of  the  nhnts  had  sh  ',.""'•  ^''= 
sonte  were  already  shriveled  a-u  dead      tT^  "■"'''  """ 

ward,  .and  this  was  his  last  voy.,;!:' A 'Z st  ""^  ''"^~'^''  "°- 

seldom  be  disturbed  were  it  „„,  ,„r  ,h    ,    t   /        "'"'^  '"'""''"  "■""" 

frequent  its  i„..bound  shore,      B,"""'  ""'  "•*"'  ""*'^ 

shore,.     Bears  and  sea.fowls  are  its  only  inhabi- 


W 


1R8 


LAST  DATS  OF  SCORESBr. 


tants;  iiiul  the  characteristic  features  of  its  landscape  are  the  seven  great 
glaciers  which  sweep  down  its  sides  to  the  water's  edge. 

When  the  failure  of  Capt.  Buchan,  in  1818,  had  ajjain  damped  the 
ardor  of  Arctic  exploration,  and  the  impossihilil^  reaching  the  Pole 
had  begun  to  be  accepted  by  the  general  public  as  a  fact,  Scoresby  en- 
deavored to  prove  that  there  was  no  such  impossibility  as  alleged.  He 
claimed  tiiat  a  voyage  to  the  Pole  did  not  necessarily  involve  great  diffi- 
culty or  danger.  He  pointed  out  that  the  chief  obstacle  was  the  altenia- 
tion  of  ice  fields  with  open  sea;  and  proposed  that  to  meet  the  difficulty 
it  was  only  necessary  to  be  ready  to  use,  alternately,  boats  and  sledges. 
This  suggestion  attracted  attention,  and  has  since  been  acted  upon,  no 
Arctic  expedition  being  considered  fully  equipped  without  such  double 
appliances. 

Scoresby  afterward  became  ;•  clergyman  in  the  Church  of  England, 
receiving  the  degree  of  B.  D.  in  1834,  and  D.  D.  in  1839.  In  the  prose- 
cution of  his  researches  in  terrestrial  magnetism  in  relation  to  navigation 
he  made  a  voyage  to  the  United  States  in  1847,  and  to  Australia  in  1853. 
He  died  at  Torqu..v,  in  England,  in  1S57.  That  portion  of  the  north 
coast  of  Greenland  which  he  explored  in  1822,  was  named  Scoresby's 
Land,  in  his  honor. 


J  ,1 


**t^ 


seven  great 

clamped  the 
ing  the  Pole 
Scorcsby  cn- 
allcged.  I  If 
'C  great  ditFi- 
s  the  altenia- 
thc  difficulty 

and  sledges, 
tt'd  upon,  no 

such  double 

of  England, 
In  the  prose- 
to  navigation 
tralia  in  1853. 
of  the  north 
d   Scorcsby's 


PART    III. 


THE  FIRST  flHCTin 
VnYflEES  OF  THE  leth  EENTUHY.. 


MMii 


SMiJi^ 


<-i'0''cr  the  glad  waters  of  the  dark  blue  sea. 
Our  thoughts  as  boundless  and  our  souls  as  free; 
Far  as  the  breeze  can  bear    the  hillo-w's  foam, 
Survey  our  empire,  and  behold  our  home.'''' 

BY  RON. 


"Go  forth  and  prosper,  then,  emprising  band. 
May  He  who  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand 
The  ocean  holds,  and  rules  the  whirlwind's  sweep. 
Assuage  its  wrath  and  guide  thee  on  the  deep.'''' 

— ANON. 


«^»''»****" 


CHAPTER    XVIir. 


BUCHAN  m  DOROTHEA  AND  TKKNT-DOaOTUEA  NEARLY  DESTKOYPD 
m  THE  ICE -ISABELLA  AND  ALEXANDER  UNDER  COMMAND  OF 
BOSS  AND  PARRY- ENCOUNTER  ESQUIMAUX  _  PHENOMENON  OP 
RED  SNOW-E.'TER  LANCASTER  SOUND  _  rosS  ORDERS  A 
RETURN. 

Since  the  failure  Of  Cook  and  Clerke  in   1776-9,  nothing  had  been 
done  by  the  British  government  toward  the  solution  of  the  problem  in 
wh.chthe  ministry  were  so  much  interested  in    1773.     The  An.erican 
W  ar  of  Independence,  1775-83,  and   the   Continental   or  French   War 
1793-1S15,  left  them  little  leisure  and  less  inclination   to  prosecute  vov' 
ages  of  exploration  in  the  Arctic,  or  elsewhere.     Soon  after  peace  was 
firmly  established  by  tlie  Treaty  of  Vienna,  in   ,815,  encouraged  by  the 
information  which  had  been,  meanwhile,  gathered  through  the  Scoresbys 
and  other  whalers,  the  ministry  resun.ed  the  consideration  of  ..eo^r^ph 
ical  nnd  scientific  voyages  under  the  auspices  of  the  crown.       "     '^ , 

In  iSiS  two  Arctic  expeditions  were  fitted  out  to  seek  a  passage  be- 
tween  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific-the  one  by  the  north  and  east,  and 
the  other  by  the  northwest  route-each  comprising  two  vessels. 

Captain  David  Buchan  was  put  in  command  of  the  northern  expedi- 
Hon,  and  his  vessels  were  the  Dorothea  and  Trent,  the   latter  under  the 
.mmed.ate  command  of  Lieut.  John  Franklin,  now  better  known  tn.der 
his  later  title  of  Sir  John  Franklin.     Buchan's  instructions  were  to  make 
due  north  for  Spitzbergen,  and  doubling  its  northernmost  headlands  to 
sad  eastward  through  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  reach  the  Pacific  through 
Behring's  Straits.     This  route  is  easy  to   trace  on  any  good  map,  but 
the  achievement  has  hitherto  defied  the  best  navigators.     If  the  region 
could  only  be  brought  under  the  equator  for  a  generation,  this  difficultv 
would  be  removed;  but  the  ice,  the  in.penetrable,  lung  accumulating  ice, 
"  161  *       ' 


itt^WtfMMM 


M  I- 


ill. .ill  ij 


i  \i 


162 


liO.SS  AND  PARRT. 


is  there  supreme,  and  likely  to  be  so  henceforward,  unless  some  potent 
cosmical  revolution  should  change  its  relative  position. 

On  the  30th  of  July  both  ships  were  caught  in  a  storm  to  the  north- 
west of  Spitzbergen,  and  the  Dorothea  was  so  much  injured  by  contact 
with  the  ice  that  it  was  thought  advisable  to  return  to  England,  and  her 
consort  accompanied  her.  Tliis  failure,  though  free  from  serious  disaster, 
had  a  most  discouraging  effect  upon  the  public  mind. 


SIR  JOHN  ROSS. 

Meanwhile,  the  other  expedition  had  set  sail  on  the  i8th  of  April. 
It  consisted  of  two  ships,  the  Isabella  and  Alexander,  under  command  of 
Captain,  afterward  Sir  John  Ross,  with  Lieut.  William  Edward  Parry  in 
charge  of  the  Alexander.  Ross'  instructions  were  to  make  for  Davis' 
Straits  and   Baffin's  Bay,  and,  if  possible,  to  penetrate  into  the  Arctic 


_.j>.>  ntmiim^s^Wii:.-,! 


41 


some  potent 

to  the  north- 
ed hy  contact 
land,  and  her 
irious  disaster, 


iSth  of  April, 
er  command  of 
Iward  Parry  in 
lake  for  Davis' 
into  the  Arctic 


DORQTJIKA  AND   TltllNT. 


m 


'^i^mmmmtiismmm^mmmammmmm  - 


164 


ASTONISHED  NATIVES. 


i  •■■  s. 


I 


Ocean  by  that  route,  after  which  he  was  to  reach  the   Pacific  by*  way  of 
Behring's  Straits. 

Reaching  the  west  coast  of  Grecnhmd  they  encountered  much  ice, 
and  were  told  by  a  Danish  official  that  the  winter  had  been  exceptionally 
severe.  Beyond  Disco  Island  Ross  was  enabled  to  make  some  correc- 
tions in  the  observations  previously  made,  finding,  among  others,  an  error 
of  5°  of  longitude  in  the  location  of  Waygat  Island  as  it  appeared  on 
the  charts  of  the  British  admiralty.  He  determined  with  greater  exact- 
ness the  northwest  coast  from  Melville  Bay  to  Smith's  Sound.  Having 
passed  Upernavik  in  72'' 40',  the  most  remote  of  all  the  Danish  settle- 
ments on  this  coast,  they  were  not  a  little  surprised  when  they  encoun- 
tered some  Esquimaux  three  degrees  farther  on,  in  75^54'.  They  had 
some  difficulty  in  striking  an  acquaintance  with  these  isolated  and  coy 
representatives  of  humanity. 

Their  astonishment  was  very  great  on  finding  that  this  people  did 
not  even    know    that   there  were  other   denizens  of  the  earth  besides 
themselves.      They   were   as  ignorant   of  the   Danish  settlements   200 
miles  away  as  of  the  Danish  and  other  nations  beyond   the  Atlantic. 
Their  idea  of  the  English  navigators  seemed  to  be  that  they  were  super- 
natural beings,  inhabitants  of  another  world.      One  of  them,  with  much 
reverence  and  solemnity,  addressed  the   moving  and  apparently  living 
ship,  asking,  "Who  are  you?     Whence  come  you?     Is  it  from  the  sun 
or  moon?"     They  had  ho  canoes,  and  seemed   to  have  no  conception  of 
the  nature  of  the  ship.     It  was  not  to  them  as  to  others  of  the  same 
race,  a  big  canoe,  but  something  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  their  intel- 
lect-, to  grasp.     And  yet,  though  behind  many  of  the  aboriginal  tribes  in 
this  respect,  they  were  ahead  of  most  in  their   knowledge  of  the  u^e 
of   iron,   which   tends   to    show    that    the    ages    of  the   archjcologists 
are  to  be  understood  as  stages  of  progress  in  the  development  of  human- 
ity, but  by  no  means  synchronous  nor  successive  over  the  whole  earth. 
They  had  rude  knives,  the  manufacture  of  which   they  explained  in  this 
way :     They  had  found  a  huge   masr.  of  it— which  the  interpreter,  per- 
haps,  erroneously  translated  a  mountain,   but    which  was  probably  a 
meteoric  body— and  had  chipped  off  the  pieces  which  they  had  ham- 


tiiiPfflll'i?;- 


ClilMSOuY  CLfFFS.  jgg 

mered  with  stones  into  the  shape  in  which  they  saw  them.     Ross  named 
them  the  Arctic  Highlanders. 

Proceeding  farther  „p  ehe  coast,  they  entered  the  phenomenon  of  red 
snosv,  wh,ch  the  great  Swiss  naturalist,  Saussure,  had  observed  in  the 
Alps  at  least  thirty  years  before,  bat  which  was  none  the  less  strange  to 
oar  explorers.      When  melted,  it  presented  the  appearance  of  mud.ly 
port  wme.     For  eight  mile,  along  the  Greenland  shore  of  Baffin's  Bay 
the  elias  were  covered  with  this  peculiar  snow,  and  in  some  places  to  the 
depth  of  twelve  feet.     In  ,8,9,  some  months  after  their  return  to  Eng- 
I..nd,  the  coloring  matter  of  the  red  snow  was  subjected  to  careful  analy- 
s,s  by  Robert  Brown  and  Francis  Bauer,  who,  however,  differed  slightly 
.n  op,„,on.    Brown  pronounced  it  a  one-cell  plant  of  the  sea.weed<^der- 
Uauer  named  it  the  snow-uredo,  a  species  of  fungus.     Aftc-ward  Baron' 
Wrangen,  the  Russian  explorer,  declared  it  to  be  a  lichen.     Later  still, 
n.shop  Agardh,  the  Swedish  naturalist,  and  Dr.  Robert  Kaye  Greville 
a  fa,nous  British  botanist  of  Edinburgh,  have  given  the  weight  of  thei,^ 
rec„,„,.c,l  authority  in  support  of  the  opinion  of  Brown.     These  have 
l«n  lollowed  hy  several  other  .scientists,  and  the  minute  plan,  is  now 

r""  w  f.  T  "  ""'f"'"''"-  """'-^  "  "«le  snow-palm,  given  it 
l.y  .S,r  Wdhan,  Hooker.  The  motions  of  this  microscopic  object  i„  the 
ear.er  stages  of  its  existence  have  led  some  eminent  naturalists  to  regard 
.1.0  c„loru,g  matter  in  red  snow  as  animalcul.,  not  plants.  And  it  is 
..o  .n,p„ss,ble  that  such  may  have  been  observed;  but  the  essential  char! 

I°cl  -I    r'  '^  "'"""""    "■  '■"  """""  ='•■"=  "  ^°--''»  "f  brilliant 

u,c.s.eh„e  garnets,  seated  on,  but  not  immersed,  in  a  gelatinous 

...s.    Saussure  h.ad  nghtly  conjectured  that  the  red  color  was  owing  to 

dc  presence  of  some  vegetable  substance,  but  wrong  i„  supposing  Tt  to 
be  tlie  pollen  of  a  plant.  »        ^ ' 

Captain  Ross  was  an  experienced  naval  commander,  having  been  in 

veserv,ce,n  the  Continental  War,  but  he  w..s  somewhat  op- .ionated 

.    .1-  ..»  first  Arcttc  voy.age,  and  inclined  .0  follow  the  old  school.     He 

-  e    l,y  h,s  personal  opin.ons  questions  of  geography  which  required 

"       ..scerta„,ed,  „„,  prejudged,  an,l    ,„  which  a    little  actual  l„vc  ,i..a. 

..on  would  have  furnished  a  different  answer.     He  sailed  by  Wolst^ 


iMHii 


166 


CHOKER'S  MOUNTAINS. 


I 


holm,  Whale  and  Smith  Sounds  without  deigning  to  examine  them, 
arbitrarily  declaring  them  to  be  bays,  the  heads  of  which  he  thought 
were  visible  in  the  distance.  But  a  worse  mistake  of  the  same  kind  was 
still  to  be  made  by  the  otherwise  blameless  Captain  Ross.  Passing  to 
the  west  side  of  Baffin's  Bay,  the  sea  was  found  clear  of  ice,  and  the  land 
free  from  snow,  except  on  the  distant  mountain  ranges.  The  tempera- 
ture rose,  and  the  chance  was  favorable  for  achieving  some  great  result. 
On  the  39th  of  August  the  ships  entered  Lancaster  Sound,  so  named  by 
Baffin  in  honor  of  a  distinguished  English  navigator  in  other  seas,  but 
who  had  always  shown  great  interest  in  the  discovery  of  the  Northwest 
Passacre,  and  had  made  a  collection  of  documents  tending  to  prove  its 

feasibility. 

Into  this  spacious  sound,  nearly  fifty  miles  wide  at  its  eastern 
entrance,  now  passed  the  ships  of  Captain  Ross,  but  they  had  advanced 
only  thirty  miles  when,  to  the  wonder  and  disappointment  of  officers  and 
men,  he  ordered  the  vessels  to  turn  back.  Deceived  by  refraction  or 
some  atmospheric  illusion,  he  thought  he  had  seen  a  mountain  range  at 
a  distance  of  about  twenty-five  miles  ahead,  which  he  inferred  was  the 
head  of  the  bay,  and  which  he  even  named  Croker's  Mountains,  in 
honor  of  John  Wilson  Croker,  then  at  the  height  of  his  fame.  It  is  but 
justice  to  the  memory  of  Ross  to  remind  the  reader  that  though  the  body  of 
water  in  question,  as  well  as  the  more  northern  ones  known  as  Jones' 
and  Smith's  Sounds,  had  been  discovered  and  named  by  Baffin,  it  had  not 
been  yet  ascertained  that  they  were  sounds.  It  was,  however,  a  ques- 
tion that  had  been  discussed,  and  opinions  were  divided.  Some  of  Ross' 
own  officers  believed  that  this  water  in  which  they  were  was  a  channel 
communicating  with  a  larger  body  or  sea  to  the  west,  if  not  with  the 
Arctic  Ocean  itself;  and  his  error  consisted  in  not  making  the  test  when 
circumstances  were  favorable. 

Passing  down  Baftin's  Bay  along  its  southern  coast,  of  which 
but  little  was  known,  he  failed  to  explore  it;  and  reaching  Cum- 
berland Sound  he  exhibited  the  same  fatal  indifference.  The 
aggravation  of  the  unconscious  offense  lay  in  liie  fact  that  the  season 
was  an  exceptionally  favorable  one  for   making  a  thorough  examuuition 


-lfS«5i4asS 


1st,  of  which 
caching  Cuin- 
2ience.  The 
lat  the  season 
1  examination 


JfOSS  ORDERS  A   RETURN.  1^7 

Of  tiiat  coast.  For,  notwithstanding  what  he  had  been  told  by  the  Danish 
commandant  some  months  before,  the  fact  was  that  up  to  that  time 
Baffin's  Bay  had  not  been  so  open  for  exploration.  Here  again  his  inex- 
perience of  northern  latitudes  put  him  at  a  disadvantage.  They  left 
Cumberland  Sound  for  England  early  in  October,  and  arrived  in  safety, 
without  having  effected  anything  of  consequence,  and  added  to  the  gen-' 
eral  discouragement  created  by  the  more  excusable  failure  of  Buchan. 


it  its  eastern 
had  advanced 
of  officers  and 

refraction  or 
itain  range  at 
erred  was  the 
VIountains,  in 
me.  It  is  but 
^h  the  body  of 
)wn  as  Jones' 
lin,  it  had  not 
A^ever,  a  ques- 
lome  of  Ross' 
was  a  channel 

not  with   the 
the  test  when 


tm 


niuaMliwi"'"-:"*"'-  '•' '"  "•----~"- 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


FIRST     VOYAGE    OF    PARRY OBJECT    OF    THE     VOYAGE  —  ENTER     THE 

ARCTIC    CIRCLE — RESET    IN    THE    ICE  —  REACH    POSSESSION    BAY — 
PRINCE    REGENT    INLET    NAMED — CAPE    YORK. 

Among  those  who  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  Lancaster  Sound 
opened  into  a  larger  body  to  the  w jit,  and  perhaps  communicated  with 
the  Arctic  Ocean,  was  Lieutenant  Parry,  second  in  command  to  Ross. 
He  had  entered  the  navy  in  1S03,  wh'le  yet  a  lad,  having  been  born 
Dec.  19,  1790.  He  devoted  his  spare  time  on  board  to  self-educa- 
tion, and  especially  to  the  mastering  of  the  nautical  and  astronomical  sci- 
ence of  his  day.  He  received  his  commission  of  lieutenant  in  iSio,  and 
was  given  command  of  a  vessel  to  the  Arctic  regions  for  the  double  pur- 
pose of  affording  protection  to  British  whalers,  and  perfecting  the  admi- 
ralty charts  of  those  seas.  In  18 1 3  he  was  recalled  ;uid  sent  to  join  me 
British  fleet  then  blockading  the  ports  of  the  United  States,  and  after  the 
war,  continued  attached  to  the  North  American  squadron  till  1S17. 
Wiiile  with  Ross  in  1S18,  he  was  impressed  with  the  great  depth  and 
high  temperature  of  the  water  in  Lancaster  Sound,  and  was  dissatisfied 
with  the  conclusion  arrived  at  by  his  chief.  Though  modest  in  the  ex- 
pression of  his  dissent,  it  reached  the  ears  of  the  ministry,  and  to  him 
was  now  intrusted  an  expedition  to  go  over  the  same  ground.  Though 
the  general  public  had  about  given  up  all  hope  of  a  Northwest  Passage 
being  ever  found,  the  leaders  of  thought,  and  the  authorities,  as  well  as 
Parrv  and  some  other  of  Ross'  officers,  were  not  disposed  to  give  up 
the  search  until  Lancaster  Sound,  at  least,  had   be'.>n  properly  explored. 

The  new  expedition,  like  so  many  others  of  the  recent  ones,  con- 
sisted of  two  ships — the  Hecla  of  375,  and  the  Griper  of  180  tons  burden. 
Both  were  victualed  for  two  years   and  amply  provided  with  stores  o( 

all    kinils,  including    canned    meats    and    extra    clothing   for    the    men. 

168 


SEAR  KILLED. 


169 


Though  the  main  object  of  the  voyage  was  to  search  for  the  Northwest 
Passage,  and  especially  through  Lancaster  Sound,  yet  any  uew  informa- 
fon  that  could  be  gleaned  in  relation  to  geography,  natural  history,  me- 
teorology or   other  science,  was  to  be   carefully  noted   and    preserved 
After  passing  latitude  65^  they  were  to   throw  overboard  from  time  to 
..me  a  sealed   bottle,  containing  a  record  of  the  date  and  position  where 
.t  had   been  consigned   to  the    deep.     And  wherever  they  should  land 
on  the  coast  of   North  America  they  u  ere  to  .rect  a  fla.^-staff,  hoist  the 
union   jack,   and    deposit   at    the 
foot  a  record  of  what  they  had 
achieved,  and  their  future  inten- 
sions, in  a  similar  sealed  bottle. 

Parry's  expedition  left  London 
JVfay  5,  1819,  but  did  not   clear 
the  Orkney  Islands  until  the  20th. 
On  the  30th  they  took  soundings 
for  the  alleged  "  Sunken  Land  of  ' 
Buss,"   on    the    direct    route    to  ^ 
Greenland,  but  failed  to  find  any 
evidence    of   its    existence.      On 
the   15th    of  June    they    sighted 
Cape  Farewell,  but   at  the   dis- 
tance of  perhaps  130  miles.     On 

the    i8th    they   encountered    the  s«  w,.u.m  h.w^„„  p.„., 

first   ice   stream    of    floating    ice,    and    saw    several    icebergs.       They 

nofced    several     kinds    of    sea    fowls    and    in    greater    nun.bers    than 

usual,   and    found   the  water  3°    lower  in  temperature,  and  of  a  dirty 

brownish    tinge.       On  the  24th    the  ice  was    seen    extending    clear   to 

the  western  horizon;  and  on  the  250.  they   were  towed  slowly  along 

by  then-   boats    through   the  ice-floe.      An    easterly    wind    now   closed 

the  ,ce  around  them  so  that  thoy  were  forced  to  desist  from  their  rowin<>-. 

and  the  vessels  remained  ice-locked  until  the  29th,  making  such  progress' 

as  the  ice  m.-ule,  and  nn  more. 

They  saw  a  whale  and  a  bear,  the  latter  of  which  they  killed,  but  the 


■  .S'feS^.SMfflBBSStaWBIWBBjfeifc 


170 


ENGAGED  /N  ICE. 


living  and  the  dead  disappeared   beneath  the   iee.     On  the   30th,  alter 
eight  hours  of  incessant  labor,  they  were  enabled  to  work  the  ships  into 
clear  water  to  the  east.     They   skirted    these   ice-packs  for  three  days 
looking  in  vain  for  an  opening  to  the  west  side  of   Davis'  Strait;  and  in 
constant  danger  of  being  driven   into  the  ice   by  the  east  wind.     On  the 
3d  of  July  they  entered  within  the  Arctic  Circle  off  the  northern  penin- 
sula of  Cumberland,  having  passed  not   less  than   fifty  icebergs  during 
the  day.     Toward  midnight  a  chain  of  icebergs  appeared   to  the  north, 
and  the  wind  dying  down,  the  ships  were  in  imminent  danger  of  coming 
into  close  quarters  with  them,  being  carried  forward  by  a  southerly  swell, 
and  unable  to  change  their  direction   in  the  calm.     By  putting  out  their 
boats  they  succeeded  in  towing  back  the   llecla,  which  was  ahead,  into 
open  water,  and  out  of  the  way  of  the  icebergs  on  the  morning  of  the 
4th,  and  at  noon  were  in  the  middle  of    Davis'  Straits,  with  the  ice  to 
the  westward.     A  day  or  two  later  they  killed  a  walrus,  and  saved  its 
blubber  for  lamp-oil.     On  the  tenth  they  killed  a  bear  and  succeeded  in 
getting  it  aboard.     On  the  17th  they  took  the  ice,  that  is  they  sailed  into 
it,  in  order  to  keep  as  close  to  the  westward   as  possible,  the  commander 
being  still  bent  on  not  going  too  far  from  that  side  of  the  strait.     They 
succeeded  in  getting  twelve  miles,  when,  on  the    iSth,  they  encountered 
a  body  of  ice  right  across  their  bows.     This  they  attempted  to  bore,  or 
push  through,  but  the  wind  not  being  favorable,  they  stuck   fast   after 
having  penetrated  it  about  300  feet. 

For  five  hours  they  labored,  hither  and  thither,  backward  and 
forward,  before  they  could  succeed  in  crossing  this  ice-belt  of  only 
300  yards'  width.  The  fog  by  which  they  had  been  long  beset 
having  lifted  on  the  21st,  they  descried  on  the  distant  coast  of 
Greenland,  the  headland  just  south  of  Upernavik,  and  which  Davis 
had  named  Sanderson's  Hope,  in  15S7.  TIm  commander  again  grow- 
ing uneasy  at  the  distance  he  was  compelled  to  keep  from  the 
western  shore  of  Baflin's  Bay,  determined  to  make  another  effort 
to  push  through  the  ice  to  the  west.  The  struggle  so  bravely 
entered  on,  lasted  seven  days,  and  after  prodigies  of  -ndurance  and 
long-continued   exertions,   sometimes   lasting    without    intermission   for 


mm 


DISAPPEARANCE  OF  CROKEIVS  MOUNTAINS.  171 

eleven  hours  .-.t  a  stretch,  l,y  backing  and  towh.g,  sawing  through 
the  .ce-packs,  an.l  other  devices,  they  succeeded  in  getting  into 
clear  water  on  the  wcster.i  shore  of  Baffin's  Bay.  Thev  had  traversed 
eighty  miles  of  almost  continuous  ice-floe  from  aln.ut  the  middle  of  the 
hay,  which  they  had  left  on  the  22d,  an<l  now,  at  six  o'clock  on  the  29th, 
they  found  themselves  sailing  in  an  open  sea,  free  from  all  ohstructions! 
Here  they  saw  not  less  than  eighty-two  whales  in  a  single  .lay.  The 
sea  was  deep-they  were  unable  to  reach  bottom  with  a  line  of  310 
fathoms;  the  temperature  of  the  water  was  found  six  degrees  higher, 
and  they  soon  carr.e  in  sight  of  land. 

On  the  last  day  of  July,  1819,  the   commander  and   a  few  of  his  men 
went  ashore  in  Possession  Bay,  where  on  the  previous  year   Capt.  Ross 
had  raised  a  flag-staff.     This  they  found  mnnjured,  and  the  tnurks  made 
in  putting  it  up,  unefl-aced,  whence  they  inferred    that    it  had  remained 
unvisited  since  its  erection.      A  small   party  was   detached    a  short  dis- 
tance to  ascertain   if  the   land   was    a   wood-bearing    one,    as  had    been 
claimed   because  of  some  birch-bark  picked  up   on  the  previous  voyage, 
b„t  .>o  ^  race  of  wood  couUl  be  discovered.    Appointing  a  rendezvous  whh 
Liddon  in  case  the    vessels  beca.ne  separated.  Parry    now    prepared   to 
pusli  forward    in  the  Ilecla  as  rapidly  as  possible.     The  wind  becoming 
favorable  Aug.  3,  they  crowded  sail  and  sped  rapidly  through  Lancaste" 
Sound.     "It  is  more  easy  to  imagine  than  describe,"  says  Parry,  '4he  al- 
most breathless  anxiety  wiiich  was   now  visible  in    every    countenance, 
while  as  the   breeze   increased  to  a  fresh    gale,  we    ran    (juicklv    up   the 
soiuKl.     The  mast  beads  were  crowded    by  the  officers  an<l  men  during 
tiie\vh<.le  afternoon;  and   an  unconcerned    observer,   if  any  could   have 
l.ce,.  unconcerned. on  such  an  occasion,  would  have  been  amused  by  the 
eagerness  xvith  wliich  the  various  reports  from  the  crow's  nest  were  re- 
ceived; all,  however,  hitherto  favorable  to  our  most  sanguine  hopes." 

Before  night  they  had  passed  the  point  reached  the  previous  year;  and 
soon  attained  longitude  83=  12',  with  the  channel  about  forty  miles 
wide,  and  as  deep  as  at  the  entrance.  The  water  had  the  color  of  the 
ocean,  with  a  perceptible  swell  from  the  south  and  east.  They  saw  noth- 
ing of  Crokcr's  Mountains  which    thenceforth  disappeared  from  geo- 


iHii 


S 


m 


CAPP.    YORK. 


.r*  I 


m 


pH' 


graphical  nomenclature.  'Micy  hc<jan  to  iinaijiiic  they  liatl  alreaily 
reached  the  open  polar  sea,  a.ul  were  on  the  \  .  \  >■>•  of"  solving  the 
(louhle  i)rohlem  of  fnuliufj^  the  Northwest  Pas'-ago  and  the  Pole.  They 
were  soon  inuleceived,  for  thou^^ii  the  fancied  mountains  had  disappeared, 
they  encountered  a  verv  real  obstacle  in  an  ice-pack.  To  the  south  they 
observed  an  openin<jf  thirty  miles  wide,  which  tiiey  enteretl  in  the  hope 
of  still  pushinj^  westward.  In  tiiis,  however,  they  were  disappointed, 
finding  themselves  in  what  Parry  named  Prince  Regent  inlet,  which, 
with  its  wide  continuation,  the  (Julf  of  Boothia,  stretched  away  to  the 
south,  some  (.50  miles.  In  descendiniif  tlie  inlet  the  ships'  compasses 
lost  their  wonted  energy,  and  they  witnessed  for  the  first  time  "the  cu- 
rious phenomenon  of  the  directive  power  of  the  needle  becoming  so 
weak  as  to  be  completely  overcome  by  the  attraction  of  tiie  ship;  so 
that  the  needle  might  now  be  properly  said  to  point  to  the  north  pole  of 
the  ship." 

They  sailed  through  tiie  inlet  to  where  it  widened  int  he  gulf  already 
mentioned,  and  finding  the  northwest  corner,  which  was  the  direction 
they  sought  to  take,  blocked  by  an  impenetrable  ice. barrier,  they  re- 
traced their  course.  On  the  13th  they  discovered  on  the  cast  shore  of 
the  inlet  a  harbor  one  mile  wide  and  three  deep,  which  they  named 
Port  Bowen.  The  narwals  were  here  found  in  great  numbers,  antl  also 
dovekies  and  ducks.  They  landed  on  what  Parry  describes  as  the  most 
barren  spot  he  had  ever  seen.  Being  here  detained  two  days  by  the  ice, 
they  made  some  slight  exploration  of  the  barren  coast,  and  deposited  on 
a  little  hillock  a  record-bottle,  which  they  covered  with  a  pile  of  schis- 
tose limestone.  Of  this  there  was  an  abundance,  but  there  was  neither 
soil  nor  vegetation  to  be  found.  On  the  17th  they  reached  the  head- 
land at  the  northeastern  point  of  the  junction  of  Prince  Recent  Inlet 
with  Lancaster  Sound,  to  which  Parry  gave  the  name  of  Cape  York. 
At  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  i8th, after  beating  around  forseveral 
hours  among  ice-floes,  they  reached  clear  water  near  the  north  shore  of 
Lancaster  Sound.  In  a  few  days  they  found  the  channel  so  clear  of  ice 
that  it  was  impossible  to  believe  it  to  be  tiie  same  part  of  the  sea,  which 
but  a  da}'  or  two   before  b.ad    been   completely  covered   with  floes  to  tiie 


ESQUIMAUX  HUTS.  j^g 

Utmost  extent  of  our  vi.  u."  Here  tlu-y  picked  up  a  spar  which  a  sea- 
man  had  dropped  overboard  some  two  weeks  before,  iuiheatin-  the 
absence  of  current  and  the  extent  of  their  di<,Mession. 

Entering  the  continuation  of  I  ar.caster  Sound,  to  which  Parry  gave 
the  name  of  Barrow    Strait,  in  honor  of  Sir  John  Harrow,  second   lord 
of  the  achniralty,  they  passed  Bcechey  Island,   Cape   Hotham  a..d  Cape 
Bowden.    On  the22d  of  Anj,n,st,  in  lo,,;ritude  92''  i«:',  they  saw  a,     nlet 
aboiK  twenty-five    miles  in    .vidth,  which  opened   to  the  north,  and  in 
which  they  could  see  neith   r   land    nor  ice  from  the  masthead.     To  this 
Parry  gave  the  name  uf  Wellington  Channel;  and  this  break  in  the  con- 
tinuity  of  the  coast  on  that  side  had  the  effect  of   making  him  ,    Ink  that 
he  "had   actually  entered   the   Polar   Sea.      Though   two-thirds  of  the 
monlh  of  August    had   now  elapsed,  I  had  every  reason  to  be  satisfied  " 
hes;,ys,  "with  the  progress  we   h.-,-^   hithe     ,  made.     I  calculated  upon 
the  sea  being  navigable  for  six  weeks  to  come,  and  probably        -e,  if  the 
stati  of  the  .e  would  permit  us  to  edge  away  to  the   southward  in   our 
progress  westc  rly.     Our  prospect.,  indeed,  were  truly  exhilarating;  the 
ships  had  suffered  no  injury;  we  had  plenty  of  provisions;  crews  in  high 
health  and  spirits;  a  sea,   if   not  open,  at  least   navigable;  and  a  zealous 
and  unanimous  determinatio.),  in  both  oflkers  a,  d  men,  to  acoomplish  by 
all  possible  means  the  grand  object  on  which  we  had  the  happiness  to  be 
employed." 

Still  sailing  westward  through  Barrow's  Strait  along  the  s.;uth  oast  of 
Cornwallis  Island,  they  reached  Grillith,  now  Bathurst  Islan,  T'  ■• 
former  has  since  Leen  ascertained  to  be  a  peninsula  of  the  latter,  hut  they 
were  supposed  at  this  time  to  be  distinct  islands.  Here  they  found  traces 
of  an  Esquimaux  encampnu  which  Captain  Sabine  examined  with 
care.  He  found  six  huts  "on  a  level,  mdy  bank,  a^  the  side  of  a  small 
ravme  near  the  sea,"  and  constructed  "  of  stones  rudely  place  1  in  a  cir- 
cular  ,.,  elliptical  form.  They  were  from  seven  to  ten  feet  .  diameter; 
tlK-  broad,  flat  sides  of  the  stones  standing  vertically,  and  the  Nvhole' 
structure,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  hung  exactly  similar  to  that  of  the 
summer  huts  of  the  Esquimaux  which  we  had  seen  at  Hare  Island  the 
IMccedin^  year.     Attached  to  each  of  th.m  wa»  a  smaller  .  ircle, generally 


174 


MEN  LOST. 


four  or  five  feet  In  diameter,  which  had  prohably  been  the  firephicc. 
The  small  circles  were  placed  iiulilleicntly  as  to  their  direction  from  the 
huts  to  which  they  helonjjed;  and  from  the  moss  and  sand  which  covered 
some  of  the  stones,  particularly  those  which  composed  the  floorinjj  of  the 
huts,  the  whole  encampment  appeared  to  iiave  been  deserted  for  several 
years." 

The  magnetic  observations  made  here,  compared  with  tliose  of  Prince 
Regent  Inlet,  already  noted,  "  led  to  the  conclusion,"  says  Edward  Sa- 
bine, the  mathematician  of  the  exijcdition,  "that  we  liad  in  sailing  over  the 
space  included  between  the  two  meridians,  crossed  immetliately  to  the 
northward  of  the  magnetic  pole,  and  had  undoubtedly  passed  over  one  of 
those  spots  upon  the  globe  where  the  needle  would  have  been  found  to 
vary  i8o°,  or,  in  other  words,  where  its  nortli  pole  would  have  pointed 
due  south.  This  spot  would,  in  all  probability,  at  this  time  be  somewhere 
not  far  from  the  meridian  of  too''  west  of  Greenwich." 

Continuing  their  voyage  to  the  westward,  without  diverging  to  the 
south  in  the  wide  expanse  of  Melville  Sound,  they  skirted  the  coast  of  a 
yet  larger  island,  whicli  Parry  named  Melville  Island.  On  the  4th  of 
September  they  passed  longitude  I  lo*' west,  thus  becoming  entitled  to 
the  reward  of  ^^5,000  offered  by  order  of  council  "  to  such  of  His 
Majesty's  subjects  as  might  succeed  in  penetrating  thus  far  to  the  west, 
within  the  Arctic  Circle."  They  named  the  neighboring  headland 
Bounty  Cape,  and  continued  their  course  to  the  wes*-yard.  Checked  by 
the  ice,  they  made  several  excursions  on  shore  in  search  of  game,  an<l  for 
pui'poses  of  exploration,  from  the  Sth  to  the  13th.  In  one  of  these, 
seven  of  the  men  got  lost,  and  afterward  separated  into  two  sections  of 
three  and  four.  The  four  returned  in  three  days,  bi  ing  guided  by  a  tbig- 
stafF  which  the  commander  had  ordered  raiseil  for  that  purpose;  and  the 
other  three  after  an  absence  of  ninetv-one  iiours.  Relavs  of  search 
parties  were  sent  out,  day  after  day;  and  ail  the  wanderers  were  finally 
brought  safely  to  the  ships.  By  the  care  and  attention  of  their  comrades 
and  the  medical  staff,  tliey  soon  recovered  from  their  exhaustion. 

On  the  20th  a  council  of  ofl^icers  was  held,  who  concurred  with  the 
commander  in  the  opinion  tliat,  as  tiie  ice  continued  to  close  in  upon  them, 


4 


li^i 


WINTER  QUARTERS.  ,^ 

and  there  was  hut  little  prospect  of  makinj;  any  headway  to  the  west  it 
was  time  to  seek  for  winter  quarters.     Two  days  later  they  retraced  thlir 
course,  an<l  hejjan  to  n,ake  their  way  slowly  eastv^ard,  t<,  Bounty  Cape 
They  had   previously  nanu-d  a  neiyhhorinj?  inlet  the   JJay  of   the  Ilccla 
and  Griper,  an<l  here  they  now  determined  to  seek   rcfu-e.     To   reach 
the  hea.l  of   the  hay  the)  ha.I   to  cut  a  canal  nearly  two^u).!  one-third 
m.les  throu,^.h   the  new  ice,  the  averaj^e  thickness  of  which  was  seven 
.nches.      This  they  eftected  i:-.    three   .lays,  and    at  a  .jnarter-past  three 
o  clock   on   Sunday,  Septemher   26,  they  ha.I   reache.1   their  m.,orin..s  in 
what  they  namc-.l    Winter  Harhor,  in   lon-itu.le  i  .cW  48'  2'  ^vc8t^nnd 
latitude   74"  47'.     I^ereupon   the   men   cheere.l    lustily,  and  with   some 
reason,  as   they  were  now  relatively  safe.     The  ships  H.>ated  in  a  land- 
locked  harhor  in    five  fathoms  of  water  an.l  at  a  cable's   length  from  the 
lan,I,  where  the  ice-fioe  coul.l  not  imperil  them.    And  yet  one  can  hardly 
refrain  from  reflecting  what  a   d^.ry  refuge  it  was  over  which  they 
rejoiced. 

But   human  joy    is  always  a    matter    rather   of   comparative    .han 
absolute  comfort      These   men    ^vere  on   the  eve  of  an  Arctic  winter  of 
perhaps  nine  months'  .inration,  an.l   .luring  three  of  these   they  were  to 
be  bereft  ..f  sunlight;  an.l   yet  they  make  the   welkin  ring   with  their 
cheers!    Were  they  seeking  to  find  relief  from  the  heart-sickenin<.  which 
the  situation  was  so  well    calculate.l   to    pr.Kluce?     More  probably  the 
sense  of  having  cnquered  the  s.  a  an,!  the  ice,  an.l   asserted  once  a<^ain 
the   human    i>rerogative  .,f  sulxluing   a.lverse  circumstances,    naturally 
awakene.1  this  gleam  of  exultation.     Some  time  before,  Parrv  had  given 
expression  to  a  sentiment  which  no  .loubt   ha.I  its  influence  on  this  occa- 
t.on:     uit  ,,eate<l  in  us  no  .>r.linary  feelings  ..f  pleasure,"  says  he,  "to  see 
the  Br,fsh   flag  waving  for  the  first  time   in  these   regions,  which   had 
been  hitherto  considered  beyond  the  limits  of  the  habitable  world." 


I 


CHAPTER    XX. 

TRIALS    AND    PASTIMES    OF    AN    ARCTIC     WINTER HEALTH    REGULA- 
TIONS  AN    ARCTIC     NEWSPAPER AN    ARCTIC    THEATER DAILY 

OCCUPATIONS — TOTAL    ABSENCE    OF    THE    SUN — THE  APPEARANCE 

OF    SCURVY — MOCK    SUNS— MORE     THEATRICALS EXTRACT    FROM 

AN    ARCTIC   JOURNAL — A    SHOWER    OF    RAIN. 

No  time  was  lost;  the  security  of  the  ships  and  the  prest^rvation  of 
the  stores  and  provisions  received  prompt  attention.  The  vessels  were 
unrigged,  and  partially  dismasted ;  the  lower  yards  were  lashed  fore  and 
aft,  to  support  the  planks  which  vere  to  constitute  the  outer  shell  of  an 
extemporized  house  on  shijihoard.  Boats,  spars,  sails,  ropes,  and  every- 
thing not  likely  to  be  needed  were  stored  away  on  shore,  and  the  house 
on  each  shin  was  covered  with  a  cloth  by  way  of  roof.  Parry  next  gave 
his  attention  to  providing  every  possible  safeguard  -against  sickness.  For- 
tunately the  men  had  hitherto  shown  no  symptoms  of  that  scourge  of 
seamen,  the  scurvy;  and  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  to  anticipate 
its  approacii  by  the  use  of  all  known  preventives  that  were  accessible. 
The  first  care  was  directed  toward  utilizing  the  heat  from  the  galley- 
range  and  copper-boilers  of  the  ships,  and  by  some  ingenious  but  simple 
contrivances  this  was  made  to  warm  the  sleeping  berth-  of  the  men.  A 
large  stone  oven,  cased  with  cast  iron,  used  for  baking  their  bread,  was 
placed  in  the  main  hatchway,  and  the  pipe  carried  fore  and  aft  on  the 
lower  deck,  the  smoke  ascending  through  tiic  forward  hatchway.  With 
an  ordinary  fire  and  these  appliances  they  were  able  to  secure  a  temper- 
ytureof87''  Fahrenheit,  at  a  distance  of  seventeen  feet  from  the  lire- 
place.  The  steam  from  the  coppers  was  intercepted  on  a  curtain  of 
dreadnaught  reaching  to  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  deck,  which  suf- 
fered the  heat  to  pass  beyond,  while  the  steam  was  condensed  into  water 

on  *^he  hanging  cloth.      I'rovision  was  made  for  the  distribution  of  suffi- 

170 


M 


ARCTIC  yoURNALISM.  ,^ 

cienl  food,  but  reduced  onchird  from  the  atated  allowance.  The  d,ilv 
,a..o„  of  ll„,e-j„iceand  sugat  .nixcd  toge,he,-,a„d  with  a  proper  quantity 
of  water,  wa,  drank  in  presence  of  an  officer,  to  insure  compliance  with 
,h,s  precaufonary  regulation  of  the  contmander.  Once  a  week  the  n,e,l. 
ical  staff  exammed  the  men  for  symptoms  of  scurvy 

Parties  were  sent  out  to  hunt,  who   at   first  found   an  abundance  of 
grouse  and  re.ndeer,  but  before  the  close  of  October  these  had  all  migra- 
,e,l  from  Melvdle  Islan.l;  b„,  wolves  and  foxes  remained   all   wilr 
Th,s  fresh   meat,  when   obtainable,  was  served   instead  of  the   renin' 
rations,  to  insure  its  consumption ;  for,  although  often  less  palatable,  i^was 
more  wholesome.     To  promote  contentment  among  the  nten,  no  par- 
h,,l,ty  n,  quantuy  or  quality  of  food  of  any  kind  was  shown  to  officer, 
Dunng  the  day  the  nten  were  employed   in    banking   up  the  ship  with 
snow,  and  when  this  resource  was  exhauste,!    tl,ey  were  sent  on  short 
exc„rs,ons  u.land  and  along  shore  for  sake  of  exercise.     In  bad  ^vea.her 
they  were  marched  around  the  deck  to  the  time  of  a  barrel  or-.an 

Rocogni.ing  the  value  of  hygienic  cheer,-,.lne,s  and  laugh.lr,  the 
con,man,ler  n,  concert  with  his  principal  officers,  now  projec,:,  a  s;ries 
of  thc«ncal  .opresentations,  a,  intervals  of  about  two  weeks.  .  I„  these 
.nnusements,"  says  Farry,  .  I  gladly  undertook  a  part  myself,  conside 
.ng  t  at  an  example  of  cheerfulness,  by  ,iving  direct  c-oun.  t  t 
-eryt  „,g  t  at  could  contribute  to  it,  was  not  the  least  essen.i.al  par.  If 
my  ,lnty,  un.ler  the  peculiar  circumstances  under  which  we  were  placed 

"  In  or  cr  still  farther  to  prontote  goo „„,  .,„„„^,  „„  ^^^s 

"dl  as  to  furn,sh  an,„sing  occupation  during  .he  hours  of'cons.an    ,    'r 
-,  we  se.  on  foo.  a   weekly  newspaper,  which  w.as  .o  he  calle     the 

North  Ge„rg,a  Ga«..,e.  (he  had  „ ed  .he  islands  now  W  ^ ^    'by 

.Msna,ne,the  North  (Jeorgian  Islan.ls)  an.l  .Winter  Chr„„-  1    .       , 

was  to  he  supported  by  original  contributions  front  the  ,'ffice  ^ 

:*.;"■         7' .-'^"^ -^ '"-  "-  weekly  contributions  ha,l    1 

OH.. 0  itself  on  the  It  :      L^""''  '^"'""^' "'""  "°""'  -"^""■- 


<^ 


mssmmi 


<i 

I 


178 


DA/L  r  OCC  UFA  TIONS. 


Meanwhile  Capt.  Sabine  *iad  erected  an  observatory  about  700  yards 
to  the  west  of  the  ships,  and  .1  house  for  the  instruments,  made  with  a 
double  sheeting  of  planks.  The  intervening  space  being  packed  with 
moss,  this  house  could  !)e  kept  comfortably  warm  m  the  worst  weather 
bv  a  single  stove.  They  had  expected  to  make  important  observations 
on  the  4th  of  November,  the  last  day  of  the  sun's  appearance  above 
the  horizon;  but  the  weather  was  too  foggy,  and  they  were  unable  to 
calculate  the  amount  )f  refraction  as  anticipated.  On  the  5th  they  pre- 
sented to  an  admiring  and  enthusiastic  audience  their  first  play,  "  A  Miss 
in  Her  Teens,"  which  was  loudly  applauded.  Besides  alTordingthe  antici- 
pated amusement  to  the  men,  it  was  f')und  that  putting  the  play  on  the 
boards,  as  well  as  running  the  machinery  and  properties  afterward, 
afforded  pleasant  and  exhilarating  occupation  to  a  number  of  them, 
which,  perhaps,  was  not  the  least  beneficial  result  of  the  original  design. 
The  commander  wisely  "dreaded  the  want  of  employrm-nt  as  one  of  t't^: 
worst  evils  that  was  likely  to  befall  them." 

In  pursuance  of  this  idea  the  men  were  so  busily  engaged  that  they 
complained  of  not  finding  time  to  mend  their  clothes,  whereupon  the 
commander  set  apart  one  afternoon  in  each  week  for  that  jnnposc,  "  The 
officers  and  quartermasters  were  divided  into  foin-  watches,  which  were 
regularly  kept  as  at  sea,  while  the  remainder  of  tlie  ship's  comp.my 
were  allowed  to  enjoy  their  night's  rest  undisturbed.  The  hands  were 
turned  up  at  a  quarter  before  six,  and  both  decks  were  well  rubbed  with 
stones  and  warm  sand  before  eight  o'clock,  at  which  time,  as  usual  at 
sea,  both  officers  and  men  went  to  breakfast.  Three-quarters  of  an  hour 
beincr  allowed  after  breakfast  for  the  men  to  prepare  themselves  for  mus- 
ter,  we  then  beat  to  divisions  punctually  at  a  (juarter-past  nine,  when 
every  jjerson  on  board  attended  on  the  (juarter-deck,  and  a  strict  inspec- 
tion of  the  men  took  place  as  to  their  personal  cleanliness,  and  the  good 
condition  as  well  as  warmth  of  their  clotinng." 

While  the  commander  examined  the  lower  deck  ..nd  visited  the 
sick,  those  he  had  left,  occupied  themselves  with  a  walk  or  run 
about  the  vessel;  and  on  his  return  were  dismissed  for  a  trip 
ashore     until     noon.       These    stated     walks    afforded     no     amusement 


iimscinctit 


TWILIGHT  AT  NOOtf.  „, 

:..Kl  b,H  ,,„e  interest.  The  dreary  .a.eness  of  .,,e  scene,  the 
s,lcn.  and  unchansntg  landscape,  tne  glanng  ice  and  snow,  could  no. 
prove  otherw,sc  than  mono.onons.  It  was,  however,  „„ch  bener  than 
s,..n,gsl,nand  moping;  its  recurrence  served  to  arrest  attention,  and  its 
execution  aflforded  the  jrratification   nf    n   ^..f  r 

t,'""ncanon  of   a  duty  performed.     « We  had 

rcciuon,  occasion,"  says  Parry,",,  our  walks  on  shore  to  remark  the 
.Iccepfon  wh,eh  takes  place  in  estimating  the  distance  and  magnitude  of 
object,  when  vowed  over  an  unvaried  surface  of  snow.     It  was  not  un- 
comu,ou  for  us  to  direct  our  steps  toward  what  we  took  for  a  lar^e  mass 
of  stone  at  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  us,  bu.  which  we  were'able  to 
a  e  up  n,  our  hands  after  one  minute's  walk.     This  was  more  particu- 
arhthe  case  when  ascending  the  brow  of  a  hill,  nor  did  we  find  that 
.hedc.ccpt,<,„  became  lesson  account  of  the  frequency  with  which  we 
experienced  its  efFects." 

Tte  afternoons  were  devoted  by  the  men  to  making  the  plaited  cords 
or  gasket,  use.!  ,„  furling  sails,  or  similar  shipwo.-k.     At  six  they  were 
a,am  snmnK^I  f«.  general   inspection,  after  which  they  took  supper 
au     then  amus«)  themselves  as  best  they  might  with  various  game,' 
ant    „u,e  o  clock,  when  they  went  to  bed.     The  watch  visited  the  lower 

cc  every  hah-W  to  «e  that  .11  was  safe,  and  to  be  re.adv,  should 
h.o  break  ont,  a  hole  w-  c«  twice  a  day  in  the  ice  near  each  ship.  On 
S„nda,s  d,vn,e  service  w«  r.^ularly  held  on  each  ship,  and  a  sermon 
a,,        I  hcse  rel,g,ous  exercises,  aside  from  their  ordinary  salutary  effect, 

...Ik     uman  mn„l  and  conduct,  are  recognised  .as  of  speckal  ,Jency  in 

<...nqu,l,.ng  the  spnats  an.l  sustaining  the  conr.age  of  lar-^e  bodie   of 

nieu  i..  dilliciill  situations.  "      '""'°*' "' 

Thougl  they  were  n<,w  in  continuous  "  uight,"  it  should  he  n«ed  that 

T ■"'".*""  "°™  '"^-^  ""J'»-""  »  ™»'"^.We  twilight  for  abou     w 

-«.  ..ftccn.   uot  only  to  enable  them  ,o  take  their  accu,„^d  Zl 
«        ...ntort,    but  even  ,o    rca.l  ordinary  ty,>e  without  artificial   l„ht 
No.  cv™  „,,  the  shortest  d.ay,  the  ..d  of  December,  were  tlK-y  .Jl 

read  ,or  a  short  time  on  th.,,  .lay,  but  i,  was  necessary  ,„  hold  th 
' "'  ""^'-  '"^■=«'>'  '"-™  ■-  — h.     rndced.  the   use  If  .he  word 


V,  ^■^ 


"ttiiiiii n  II  III 


ii^mmmiiium'm  mmnmmm*!  «i»mW* 


1         f 


•i 


180 


A    WELCOME    VISITOR. 


nicrht  in  this  connection  is  liable  to  convey  a  wrong  impression.  The 
reflection  of  light  from  the  snow  and  the  moonlight  were  sufficient  even 
in  the  thickest  weather  to  dispel  the  feeling  of  gloom  that  accompanies 
a  dark  nig'^t  in  temperate  zones.  They  observed  Christmas  on  board 
with  as  near  an  approach  as  possible  to  the  customs  of  their  country,^ 
and  the  playsvrights  and  actors  prepared  and  performed  a  Christmas 
piece,  expressly  adapted  to  tlie  audience  and  the  circumstances.  During 
January  the  thennomc-ler  ranged  from  30^  to  40^^  below  zero,  and  occa- 
sionally sank  to  50^',  so  that  in  going  ashore  the  change  of  temperature 
was  sometimes  1 30",  but  by  using  the  necessary  precautions  no  injury 
was  received,  and  they  kept  up  their  daily  rambles. 

At  length  the  gunner  of  the  Hecla  was  taken  down  with  scurvy, 
contracted     through     the    moisture    deposited    by    the    steam    on    his 
bedclothes,    notwithstanding    all    the    care    that    had    been    taken    to 
guard    against  this    evil.     By  the  free  use  of  the  recognized   remedies, 
especially    the     fresh     mustard    and     cresses,    which     the     commander 
with    his    usual    foretliought    had    procured,    the    gunner    was    restored 
to    health.       A    few   others   were    slightly    affected,    and    more    easily 
cured.       It    was    found    that    the    men    became    easily    frost-bitten    in 
their  feet,  and  with  his  customary  spirit  of  investigation  the  comman- 
der sought  out  the   cause  and   tiie  remedy.     It   was  found  that  the  hard 
thick  leather  of  which  their  boots  were  made   cramped  their  feet  and 
prevented  the  circulation,  thus  inducing  frost  bites  of  the  joints.     "  Being 
ver)'  desirous,"  says   Parry,  "  of  avoiding  these   accidents,  which,  from 
the  increased  sluggishness  with  which  tlie  sores  healed,  were  more  and 
more  likely  to  affect  the  general  health  of  the  patients   by  long  confine- 
ment, I  directed  a   pair  of  canvas  boots,  lined  with   blanketing  or  some 
other  woolen  stuff,  to  be  made  for  each  man,  using  rawhide  as  soles;  this 
completely  answered  the  desired    purpose,  as  scarcely  any  frost  bites  in 
the  teet  afterward  occurreil,  except  under  circumstances  of    very  severe 

exposure." 

At  noon  on  Feb.  3d  the  sun  was   seen  fifty-one  ieet    above  the   hori- 
zon from   tiie   maintop  of  the   Hecla    for  the   first  time  since  Nov.  u; 
a  the  same  hour    on  the   7th  it.  M\  orb   was   fir^t  visible  above  the 


ana  ai 


f 


m.  The 
lent  evt'u 
ampanics 
on  board 
■  country,^ 
Christmas 
During 
and  occa- 
npcrature 
no  injury 

h  scurvy, 
1     on    liis 

taken    to 

remedies, 
)mmandcr 
,  restored 
)re  easily 
-bitten    in 

comman- 
t  the  hard 
r  feet  and 
,  "  IJeing 
lich,  from 

more  anil 


Of  confine- 


g  or  some 
soles;  this 
st  bite-  in 
'ery  severe 

:  the   liori- 

:  Nov.  1 1 ; 

alH)ve  ll'.e 


181 


1 1  rimififMtfMlMKiiiiiiiwitfiiii 


A  BLAZE. 

horizon,  with  a   mock-sun  22^  to  the  east.     The  dayUght  was  sufficient 
from  eight  to  four  o'clock  for  outside  work,  and   they  hegan  the  task  of 
preparation  for   their   departure.     They  collected  stones   for   ballast,  of 
which  the  Hecla  would  require  seventy  tons,  besides  twenty  of  additional 
water  to  replace  the  weight  of  provisions   and   stores   consumed  tluring 
their  stay.     February  proved  the  coldest  month,  the  mercury  descending 
to  55?  below  zero  on  the  night  of  the  14th.    But  even  then  no  inconven- 
ience was  suffered  from  exjwsure  to  the  open  air  in  calm  weather.     If, 
however,  there  was  occasion  to  face  even  a  light  wind,  severe  pains  in  the 
face  and  head  were  sure  to  ensue.     On  the  i6th  a  mock  sun  appeared  on 
each  side  of  the  sun,  visible  for  half  an  hour.      On  the  24th  the  house 
which  had  been  built  on  shore  for  astronomical  instruments,  was  <liscov- 
ere(?  to  he  on  fire.     The  men  from  both  ships  hastened  to  the  rescue,  and 
by  tearing  off  the  roof  and  throwing  snow  oti  the  burning  interior,  they 
extinguished  the  flames  without  injury  to  the  more  valuable  instruments. 
The  thermometer  was  at  44^  below  zero,  and  they  were  at  work  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour.     "  The  men's  faces  presented  a  singular  spectacle; 
almost  every  nose  and  cheek  was  frost-bitten,  and  became  quite  white  in 
five  minutes   after  being  exposed  to  the   weather;  so  that  the  medical 
men,  with  some  others  appointed   to   assist   them,  were   obliged  to  go 
constantly  round   wliile  the   men  were  working  at  the  fire,  and  to  rub 
with   snow   the   parts   affected    in   order   to    restore    animation.       Capt. 
Sabine's  servant,  in    his   anxiety   to   save   the  dipping   needle  from   the 
observatory,  ran  out  without  his  gloves;  his  fingers,  in  consequence,  were 
so  completely  frozen  that  on  his  hands  being  plunged  into  a  basin  of  cold 
water,  the  surface  was  immediately  covered  with  a  cake  of  ice  from  the 
intensity  of  the  cold  thus  communicated  toil;  but  animation  could  not 
be  restored  in  this  instance,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  resort  to  ampu- 
tation."    This  hero  of  duty  and  victim  of  Imprudence  was  John  Smith. 
He  lost  parts  of  four  fingers  on  one  hand  and  three  on  the  ctber. 

Sunday,  the  5th  of  March,  was  the  first  day  to  which  they  could  at- 
tach the  idea  of  spring,  and  they  noticed  with  peculiar  gratification  the 
thawing  of  a  little  snow  on  the  stern  of  the  Hecla,  which  lay  due  south, 
this  being  the  first  time  such   a  thing   had    occurred  for  more   than   five 


EXTRACT  FROM  AN  ARCTIC   JOURNAL.  183 

months.     On  the  8th,  "it  will  scarcely  be  credited,"  says  Parry,  "that  we 
rcnoved   about    loo  buckets  full  of  ice,  each  containing  from  five  to  six 
gallons,  being  the  accumulation  which  had  taken  place  in  an  interval  of 
loss  than  f,n.r  weeks;  and  this  immense  quantity  was  the  produce  of  the 
tnon's  breath  and  of  the  steam  of  their  victuals  during  meals,  that  from  the 
coppers  were  being  effectually  carried  on  deck  by  the  screen  which  I  have 
before  mentioned."     iJut  though  March  "came  in  as  a  lamb,"  before  the 
middle  of  April  the  weather  again  grew  very  cold.     The  i6th,  however, 
was  .nil.l  and  pleasant,  and  is  worthy  of  mention   as  being  the  date  of 
tlicir  last  theatrical  performance,  consisting  of  two  farces— "The  Citizen" 
and  "The  Mayor  of  Garratt"_with  an  (.rigin;.!  epilogue   by  one  of  the 
ship's  poets.     A  week  later  they  tested  the  newly  formed  ice  in  Winter 
Harbor.     The  depth  of  wa'.er  was  only  twe.ity-five  and  a  half  feet,  and 
the  ice  was  found  to  be  six  and  a  half  feet  thick.     This  had   been   pro- 
(luced  in  six  months,  and  allowing  for  six  weeks  more  to  the  close  of  the 
season  it  was  thought  fair  to  estimate  the  rate  of  formation  as  seven  feet 
and  a  half  for  the  whole  winter.     Toward  the  close  of  April  the  weather 
again  grew  mild  and  genial,  but  on  the  first  of  May  under  the  influence 
of  a  strong  gale  from  the  north,  it  suddenly  became  as  cold  as  before. 

"The  Winter  Chronicle  and  North  Georgia  Gazette"  appeared 
daily,  Sundays  excepted,  from  the  first  of  November,  1S19,  to  the  20th 
of  March,  1S20.  It  reported  the  different  excursions,  hunting  expedi- 
tions,  explorations,  discoveries,  accidents,  and  adventures.  It'contained 
criticisms  of  the  latest  theatrical  performance  and  announce.nents  of  the 
next  one.  Stories,  original  and  otherwise,  correspondence  and  poetry, 
were  not  wanting;  and  altogether  it  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
successful  ventures  in  Journalism  ever  attempted.  It  was  eagerly 
perused  by  the  whole  comaiunity ;  such  as  could  not  read  had  it  rell  to 
thein;an<l  thci-e  wasnota  single  resident  of  Winter  Harbor  who  did 
not  take  the  Gazette.  The  following  letter,  which  appeared  in  the  first 
number,  grapiiically  describes  the  interest  awakened,  anil  therefore  is 
given  ill  full: 

"  Mii.  Ei>iT()K:_Your  proposition  to  establish  a  journal  has  been  re- 

ceivetl  by  us  with  lln>    •'•r'^atest   s'ltisf-u-tio!!        !    i.,-.    --.,»•..      11  1 

—   =>'— "■'-'"^  s.u)si,i(.uou.     1  MXi  Lonvmced  that,  under 


lain 


L'     W 


muH 


I 


184 


ARCTIC  TRIBULATIONS. 


your  (Jjrection,  it  will  be  a  great  source  of  amusement,  and  go  a  long 
way  to  lighten  our  hundred  days  of  darkness.  The  interest  I  take  in 
the  matter  myself,  has  led  me  to  study  the  effect  of  your  announcement 
on  my  comrades,  and  I  can  testify — to  use  reporters'  language— that  the 
thing  has  produced  an  immense  sensation.  The  day  after  your  pros- 
pectus appeared,  there  was  an  unusual  and  unprecedented  demand  for 
ink  among  us,  and  our  green  tablecloth  was  deluged  with  snippings  and 
parings  of  quill-pens,  to  the  injury  of  one  of  our  servants,  who  got  a 
piece  driven  right  under  his  nail.  I  know  for  a  fact  that  Sergeant  Mar- 
tin had  no  less  than  nine  penknives  to  sharpen.  It  was  quite  a  novel 
sight  to  see  all  the  writing-desks  brought  out,  which  had  not  made  their 
appearance  for  a  couple  of  months;  and  judging  by  the  reams  of  paper 
visible,  more  than  one  visit  must  have  been  made  to  the  depths  of  the 
hold. 

"I  must  not  forget  to  tell  you,  that  I  believe  attempts  will  be  made  to 
slip  into  your  box  sundry  articles  which  are  not  altogether  original,  as 
they  have  been  published  already.  I  can  declare  that  no  later  than  last 
night,  I  saw  an  author  bending  over  his  desk,  holding  a  volume  of  the 
'Spectator'  open  with  one  hand,  and  thawing  the  frozen  ink  in  his  pen 
at  the  lamp,  with  the  other.  I  need  not  warn  you  to  be  on  your  guard 
ao-ainst  such  tricks,  for  it  would  never  do  for  us  to  have  articles  in  our 
'Winter  Chronicle'  wliich  our  great-grandfathers  read  over  their  break- 
fast tables  a  century  ago." 

"Arctic  Tribulations — To  go  out  in  the  morning  for  a  walk,  and  the 
moment  you  put  your  foot  outside  the  ship,  find  yourself  immersed  in 
the  cook's  water-hole. 

"  To  go  out  hunting,  and  Hill  in  with  a  splendid  reindeer,  take  aim, 
and  find  your  gun  has  gone  off  with  a  flash  in  the  pan,  owing  to  damp 
powder. 

"To  set  out  on  a  march  with  a  good  supply  of  soft  new  bread  in 
your  pocket,  and  discover  when  you  want  to  eat,  .that  it  has  frozen  so 
hard  that  you  would  break  your  teeth  if  you  attempted  to  bite  it  through. 

"  To  rash  from  the  table  when  it  is  reported  that  a  wolf  is  in  sight, 
and  on  coming  back  to  find  the  cat  has  eaten  your  dinner." 


liiS 


itf 


THE  IIECLA  BECOMES   FREE. 


18S 


«  To  be  returnincr  quietly  home  from  a  walk,  absorbed  in  profitable 
meditation,  and  suddenly  find  yourself  in  the  embrace  of  a  bear." 

On  the  6th  of  May,  with  the  thermometer  at  only  Sj^"  above  zero, 
they  began  to  cut  the  ice  from  about  the  ships,  the  men  as  usual   beinj? 
caiefully  looked  after,  and   supplied   with  special  equipments  to  protect 
then  against  the  weather.     On  the  I3th,  the  first  ptarmigan  appeared, 
and  on  the  13th,  the  northward  tracks  of  reindeer  and  musk-oxen  were 
noticed.     On  the  15th,  two  or  three  flocks  of  ptarmigans  were  seen,  and 
thence  on  "a  brace  or  two   were  almost  daily  secured  for  the  sick,  for 
whose  use  they  were  exclusively  reserved."     They   had   worked  twelve 
day.  in  cutting  the  ice  from  around  the  Hecia  when  she  disengaged  her- 
self, like  a  thing  of  life  bursting  its  lighter  bonds  after  the  chief  "obstruc- 
tions had  been  removed.     Seven  days  later  they  had  a  shower   of  rain 
which  created  as  mucii  surprise  as  if  they  had  never  seen  one,  every  one 
hurrying  on  deck  to  revel  in  the  almost  forgotten  sensation.      With  the 
cutting  of  ice  to  liberate  the  ships;  the  hauling,  the  breaking,  weighing, 
and  stowing  of  stone  to  ballast  them;  the  making  and  repairing  of  sails 
and  cordage;  and  the  various  labors  of  carpenters,  coopers,  caulkers,  and 
armorers,  the  vessels  and  the  shore  now  presented  an  animated  appear- 
ance; and  the  general  health  was  promoted  by  the  abundance  of  work 
and  the  change  in  temperature.     On  the  last  day  of  May,  the  commander 
took  a  survey  of  the  landscape  from  an  adjoining  hill,  but  it  was  not  very 
encouraging.     "The  sea  still  presented  the  same  unbroken  and  continu- 
ous surface  of  solid  and  impenetrable  ice,  and  this  ice  could  not  be  less 
than  from  six  to  seven  feet  in  thickness,   as  we  knew  it  to  be   about  the 
ships.     When   to    this  circumstaiice   was  added   the   consideration    that 
scarcely  the  slightest   symptoms  of  thawing  had   yet  appeared,  and  that 
i>i  three  weeks  from  this  period  the  sun  would  again  begin  to  decline  to 
the  southward,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  most  sanguine  and   enJiusi- 
astic  among  us  had  some  reason  to  be  staggered  in  the  expectations  they 
had  formed  of  the  coipplete  accomplishment  of  our  enterprise," 

On  the  first  day  of  June,  leaving  orders  to  Liei'ts.  Liddon  and  Beechey 
to  prosecute  the  work  of  preparation,  the  commander,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Sabine,  Messrs.  Fisher,   Nias,  Reid  and  seven  others,  proceeded 


Ml 


186 


HS^  UIMA  UX  II U  TS. 


to  explore  Melville  Island  tovvanl  the  north.     Their  provisions  and   sup- 
plies weiglied  Soo  pounds, and  were  borne  on  a  cart  made  for  the  purpose, 
and  drawn  by  the  men.     In  addition  to  this  <<eneral  eciuipnient  each  man 
carried  a  knapsack  containing  clothing  and  blankets,  and  weighing  about 
seventeen  pounds.     Having  reached  the  northern  coast  of  the   island  on 
the  eighth,  they  erected  a  cairn,  twelve  feet   wide  and  as  many  high,  in 
which  was  deposited  a  tin  cylinder  containing  an  account  of  the  trip  and 
a  few  English  coins.      On  the  9th  they  crosseil  a  small  running  stream, 
the  first  they  had  seen.     Four  days  later   they  discovered  in   the  north- 
west of  the  island  the  remains  of  six  Esquimaux  huts.     "  They  consisted 
of  rude  circles,  about  six  feet    in    diameter,    constructed   irregularly  of 
stones  of    all  sizes  and  shapes,  and  raised  to  the   height  of  two  feet  from 
the  ground.     They  were  paved  with  large  slabs  of  white  schistose  sand- 
stone, which  is  here  abundant.     The  moss  had  spread  over  this  floor,  and 
appeared  to  be  the  growth  of  three  or  four  years.     In  each  of  the  iiuts  on 
one  side  was  a  small   separate  compartment  forming  a  recess,  projecting 
outward,  which  had  probably  been   their  store-room ;  and  at  a  few  feet 
from  one  of  the  huts  was  a  smaller  circle  of  stones,  which  had  composed 
the  fire-place,  the  marks  of  fire  being  still  jicrceptible  upon  them."    Dur- 
ing the  trip,  which   occupied    just  fourteen  days,  they  had   been  able  to 
kill  some  game,  thus  securing  a  healthful  and   pleasant  change  from  the 
preserved    meats  which  formed  their  regular  fare.     Their  oidy  mishaj) 
was  the  breaking  down  of  their  cart  in  descending  the  side  of  a  ravine  on 
the  loth,  after  which  they  carried  the  remainder  of  their  provisions  and 
supplies  on  their   backs,  the  officers   being   burdened   with   about  fifty 
pounds  each,  and  the  men,  as  more  robust,  taking  some  twenty  pounds 
more. 

On  his  return  to  the  ships  Parry  found  the  preparations  had  pro- 
gressed favorably  in  his  absence;  and  what  was  equally  gratifying,  that 
the  indigenous  sorrel  plant  was  so  far  advanced  as  to  be  fit  for  eating. 
The  men  were  sent  out  for  an  hour  or  two  every  afternoon  to  collect  the 
leaves  of  this  plant,  which  was  found  growing  all  around  in  great  abund- 
ance, and  of  which  they  consumed  a  great  quantity  as  a  preventive  of  the 
scurvv.     On  the  30th  of  June  their  only  chronic  patient,  William  Scott, 


# 


liCfRIAL   OF  SCOTT. 


187 


(lied;  ami  on  Si.nrl  >  e  2d  of  July,  ii.-  was  hurled  on  land  with  jrreat 
solemnity  and   lespc  f)„  the  17th  the  them,. .meter   reached  60"']  the 

hijfhcst  point   mark.       dicing  their  e..Jre  '     y  in  ter  IIarbor;*and 

tiic  month  of  J   ly  was  dec  lared  to  be  the  .,1  the  year  which 

could  be  said  to  i,e  ...  all  comfortable  in  that  ciim,.;  And  yet  the  ice 
held  them  captive  until  the  ,^oth  <'-  \x\y,  when  the  whole  body  began  to 
move  out  of  the  harbor. 


STli 


^# 


s»rw 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


// 


.// 


'i<   #. 


%" 
^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


2.8 


I<5 

■  3  0      ""'=^ 

It    110 


2.5 

IP 


2.0 


L^  III  1.6 


^ 


O'^i' 


Photographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


V 


iV 


'^ 


N> 


■    <f- 


^'^'^l^    t^     '^^^ 


o 

<*     ^     /////  ^ 


CHAPTKR   XXI. 


il 


I'm 


M 


I      ,! 


STRUGGLE    WITH    ICE HANKS'    LAND    DISCOVERED  —  PROVISIONS    DE- 

STROYKD— OUT  OK  DANGER— PARRY  ORDERS  FULL  RATIONS  FOR 
HIS  CREW— THE  RETURN  HOMEWARD -VISIT  FROM  ESQUIMAUX 
—DESCRIPTION  OF  NATIVE  DRESS  AND  MANNERS— ARRIVE  IN 
ENGLAND. 

At  length  they  were  permitted  by  the  outward  movement  of  the    ice 
to  pass  into  the  straits  and  renew  the  effort  to  proccetl  farther  west.     But 
immense  quantities  of  floating  ice  and  the  narrowness  of  the  channel  left 
open  between    the   ice-Hoe  and  the   island,  made  their  progress  slow  and 
diflicult.     At   I   o'clock   in    the   afternoon   of  the    ist  of  August,    1820, 
they  weighed    anchor,   and   went   hopefully  on    to    contend    with    their 
old  enemy,  the   floating  Ice.     The  channel  was  found   open   to  within 
a  mile  or  two,  and  at  intervals  somewhat  more.     In   a  few   instances 
the   ice    had    been    driven    so  far  south    as    to  leave  a  short  strctcii  of 
open    water    five  miles  wide,  which  was   the   utmost   breadth   they  had 
found    at    any   time    or.    that   coast.      With    the    wiml    from    the    west- 
ward,   and    the    ice-floe    ever    and     anon    driven    more    or    less    across 
this  channel,    their    advance    could    not    be    rapid.       On    the    2d,    tiie 
wind  veering   to  the  south,  a   heavy  floe  was  driven  clear  to   the   coast 
ahead  of  the  ships,  which  made  it  necessary  to  stop  short  and  seek  a  tem- 
porary harbor.     This  they  found   in  the  slielter  of  some  heavy  shore  ice, 
which  protected   them  against  the  main   body  of  the  fl(xiting   ice.     Mere 
the  crews  of    both  ships  went  ashore  to  collect   sorrel,  which  was  found 
to  be    too  old  to  be  of  much  value.     They  heard  the  growling  of  a  soli- 
tary bear,  being  only  the  second  that  tliey  had  any  knowledge  "of  in  those 
regions  during  a  stay  of  over  ten  months. 

On    the    4th,  a  mass  of  ice    five  miles    long    and   one    and    a    half 
wide   was    driven    toward     them    by    the    wind,   but    was    checked    by 

188 


I 


r 


"^""r  DECWBS   TO  SA,L  MAST»r^„n.  ,„ 

laile<l  them,  ami  though  thcv  could  »e,.  .,  ,  """''  ''°°" 

boyoud,  the,  were  „„  bie  to  re  it  ;:;:;;""':""  °'  ■"""  ""'=■■ 

"i...,  .h=,  landed,  and    aseende  1 1     ,  .h  ch  ,h  '  °"''"  '""  "'"'- 

re.,  ahove  the  .a   le.el,  when  a  fil:    t  :  r:::?::'  '^  «« 
aboard  and  scudded  to  the  west  for  .         .  l  "'      ""^  ^"''"^^^^ 

•  A.ain  the  floe  loo.ed  t  ZlZ  f^H  l""  T'"  "'""''  '''- 
--'  -he,  had  o„l,  thne  to  see.  ZZ  ^21^  '"  'Tr'  ""  '"""• 
»ho..e.  Here  the,  were  detained  h/the  c  1  d/""  , '"  """■^■ 
^3-1.     It  -vas  the  most  westerly  „oi,«  1'  [  1  ""'"'^  ""'''  ""= 

ascertained  to  he  in  latitude  Z'^:'^^Z''T^  "'  ''""«-'  "- 
I"  view  of  the  difflcdties   lit  hese^the'm     „      f        '  "  '3°  +«'  43". 
for  effort  in  those  water,  the  ,  """"'''  ■"■  ""=  ''='"'°n 

-■  -  -  fui, :::::;:::::::  ir.tt ":—  °"  '^^ 

was  to  sail  to  the  east   before  it  was  too  te'     It  """  """"  "" 

•he  channel  to  the  north  coast  of  Am  rica  if  \„         "  "'''"'^'  '"  "°- 
i"  the  ice,  ;„  the  hope   that   no    .,  '       ""  "P™"':' "»'"  I"' fo,u,d 

c"-.yet  procec.,::,,:;': :::::, :;,;7  :t'"  '""'■■"  "-^ 

l-~l  ho  had  discovers  on  th-  -,l,Tf  A  '  '■""^'''''-     T"  "'» 

which  he  couM  not  r  a        I  .     *•'"'•  '^'"^  '"  '""  "«--"'l.  '>■" 

-.^rosephn„n.s,;::l::t^:;::-l^^^^^^^^^ 

-cnrinKthehe  Uh  ft-  "  ''  """^'""htess  of  .he  commander  in 
.he  .raHficatio:  l:'^:::^  ^  '"^  '"r  ""'"  '"''■  "^'  """ 
."0"<1   health  as  when     h"         'l  i^^"":  '""'  ^""'""'""^  "'  ^  ' 

before.     They  had  ?. '"•"''="   ^""'''"'  "'""^   >l,an  fifteen    month, 

"--3  .ni-l  n  t:  ;. s'tr'T '"°""'  ^•'"  -■■*  "^  '■-" 

-.anvan,l,  as  has  be,  see    'they  Xtl-'^  T'  ''  ""''  """  '  '^  i^'"'" 
I'raeticable.     But  the  stocT  r  .  ant-scorhutic  plants  whenever 

^=^-..  -ousiy  i:;:ir  ;■■?:  :r  rrr ,"  "^  ^^-^  -' 

y        pecul.ai    accident   which   befell   their 


190 


FULL  RATIONS  ORDERED. 


stores  of  lime-juice.  In  the  early  part  of  the  winter  it  was  found  that 
over  two-tiiirds  of  the  stock  had  been  lost  by  the  bursting  of  the  bottles, 
and  the  remainder  had  been  rendered  almost  worthless  by  the  frost. 
Where  the  juice  had  been  frozen,  only  a  small  jjortion  of  concen- 
trated acid  remaining  in  the  center,  and  when  thawed,  the  juice  was  but 
little  better  than  water. 

As  to  the  ships,  in  the  last  refuge  sought,  the  Hecla  got  one  serious 
nip  from  an  ice  floe  forty-two  feet  thick,  and  the  Griper  had  her  stern 
thrown  up  two  or  three  feet  by  a  cake  of  ice  forced  in  beneath  her  by 
the  outer  floe;  but  they  were  substantially  as  effective  as  when  they  left 
home.  It  was  therefore  -Arisely  decided  not  to  jeopardize  the  measure  of 
success  already  obtained,  and  especially  the  freedom  fron*  disaster,  by 
remaining  another  winter  on  that  dreary  coast,  with  only  the  prospec't  of 
a  few  weeks  of  uncertain  effort  and  inadequate  results,  after  ten  months 
of  weary  waiting. 

Sailing  east,  they  encountered  the  same  difficulties  as  on  the  previous 
season,  in  getting  into  winter  quarters;  but  by  careful  handling  they  made 
some  headway,  and  on  the  38th  were  abreast  of  Cape  Hearne,  the  west- 
ern   headland  of  the  Bay  of  the  Hecla  and  Griper.     In  five   hours  they 
reached  the  opposite  headland  of  Cape  Bounty,  i.nd  five  hours  later  the 
channel  was  free  of  ice  to  the  width  of  five  miles  from  the  land.    On  the 
evening  of  the  29th  they  were  within  four  or  five  miles  of  where  they 
had  been  at  the  same  hour  twelve  months  before,  going  west;  a.,d  could 
not  help  reflecting  on  the  vicissitudes  they  had  since  experienced.     Passing 
Prince  Regent  Ii.let,  which  they  had  explored  the  previous  year,  and  find- 
ing no  other  entrance  to  a  more  southern  latitude,  the  commander  now 
definitely  announced   that  they  were  bound  for  England,  and  placed  the 
men  on  full  rations.     For  eleven  months  they  had  been  restricted  to  two- 
thirds  of  the  regular  allowance  of  the  British  navy,  and   had  also  been 
very  sparing  in  the  use  of  fuel,  which  contributed  even  more  to  their  dis- 
comfort.    Both  restrictions  were  now  removed.     They  had  searched  in 
vain  through  twenty-four  degrees  of  longitude,  from  114°  to  90°,  for  an 
opening  through  the  ice  and  land  to  a  more  southern  latitude,  and  Parry 
now   concluded  to   proceed  homeward   to  report   results,  and,  if  duly 


I 


VISIT  FROM  ESQUIMAUX.  ,„j 

authorised,  to  refit  for  anotlK-r  voyage.     The  month  of  Septe.nher   how 
ever,  they  would   devote  on  the  way  to  a  careful  scrutiny  ot  the  1  teTn 
shore  of  Baffin's  Bay,  still  in  the  hone  of  fin  r  •  , 

y,  tne  nope  of  findnig  an  inlet  that  would  lead 

in  some  future  vova^-e.  to  i  mnr,.  ..rn^f     ui  vvuuiu  leaa 

fh      K    ,  »-  .  practicable  westward    route  than   that 

they  had  been  exploring.     • 

The,  left  P„„e«,„,..  Ba,  o„  the  ,st  of  September,  resuming  the  use 
of  the  ,.,r.„e,  .  compass,   which   ha,>  been  discontinued  abou!  twelv 
mo    hs  before  on  account  of  it,  inactivity  and  sluggishness  in  the  17^ 
-  hern  reg,ons  they  bad  traveled.     On  the  3d  they  passed  some  0^1: 
h,ghes.  .ccbergsthey  had  seen,  being  nearly  two  hundL  feet  above   the 
sarface  of  the  water.     The  ne.t  ,>,ay,  having  „„ded  .0  make  some  lb 
servat,ons,  they  saw  over  sixty  of  those  huge  iceber.,,  in  ,h     dw 

and  from  tl,c  „,asthead  far  more  welcome  obiect-r  '^'' 

^f  M         .    1  rr.  wMcome  objects,  the  masts  and  ris-o-inor 

of  t  e  wh.alers.     These  prove<l  to  be  British,  and  on  the  fifth  they  t2 

another,  whose  cantain  p-ivp  fh„,^  ^    P^^ 

>  v-cipiain  ^A\Q  tnem  some  news  frnm   Tr.,^i     j    ,i 

ehey  had  received  Since  tireir  dep.arture,ust  s^ee"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

On  the  „xth,  from  the  islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  CIvde  ,h 
were   visited  by  four  Esquimau,  who   approached  tb^Hc^-       b:' 
eanoeswthout  any  sign  of  fear  or  hesitation.     They  etssed     b 
»s.o„,shment  at  what  they  saw  with  ioud  cries,  aceom'p  nfer ^   Tl 

wtnter  res.denee  were  found  farther  up  toward  the  head  of  t  e  c  ve  Z 

»  she  ered  spot.     These  were  in  part  excavated  out  of  the  s  de  of  .,  e 

ff,the  ren,a,„derof  each  inelosure  being  constructed  of  s      es  j   r 

J  "-v  us   oreaiitn   trom  seven  to  n  no  fi.f.f  fV,-, 
nevt  thf.  A  ,       .  '  *"^  na'-rowest  part  beinff 

ompo  :,     f    '  """   """^"""^  '"--'  *=  '"""  P-.   -her^  the  bed! 
-mpos«.  of  a  ,uant,ty  of  the   small  shrubby   plant,  the  An,.o„Ja 


!  I  r 


Hf'^iiioiii 


1?W*  ■'*"'* 


192 


^Aj,^rs  EULoar  o^  r„E  .y^rn-Es. 


Tetragona  [a  species  of  heiHi   .,1     .i 

WHO,.  ,.,..ij. ,,,  r  ,t"trrr ;':'  ''"^•'"■"'  °^  '"= 

.ncnccs  and  the  ,a,..,.  is  kep.  scpar,  e  bv    '       "     ""^  '"^  ''°"  ="™- 
tho  ten,  £r„„.  side  to  side      ThTT         ^      "°  ''""""'  °'  '^"'  '""'  •••""- 

for,„ed  of  ..„  pieces  of  bone    w^h'ih"'      '  '""  ""  "■"""=''•  '»  •"'" 

a..<l.heski„s„.e.„detoo     ;.,:,'"""  ""*  ""°"""   '°"-"'-- 
lower  than  .he  inner  end      Th    '  ""     "'  ""'  '^"''  '^'"''^  «  '"-^ 

curve,!  piece.,  of  b„„e  b,'i„.,   '  7"'   "  ""'°"=''  '"  ""'  8«""«1    by 

b.rb,n.iL  were    .„:        \T""'     7^"'^  "'""^  ^'''"^••"     ^heserude 

si,vh.ese  disposition  to  bic,  ::.:"■"' "°"°"'  """"■'"•='  -  "- 

nleies  were  furnisHed  .be.  ::T:::ZZ'":;:^'  '^T  °'"'°"- 
wares  to  the  best  advantaire   hnl  .-       ,      ,  "^  exchanged  their 

.VMi..wben.be,  J;7.C:M    :X'r  ^^  '""  •^'-^ 
What  presents  were  „KuIe  them  w  ^  '  '''''"^''^'^    farther. 

luled.    De.oc,ing  it  ins.an.ly  by  i.,  smell  .h  .  """''  '"'• 

ingly  declined  .o  tas.e  it.  ^  'cspeetfnlly  but  unbesitat- 

The  oldest  of  the  four  men   was  over  sivtv         ,  ,    • 
tout    by  age   ,lid    no.    n,eas„re    quite    five    ^i  ""     ^""'  ""'™'"' 
younger  men  from    Hve  fee.   f„  ,  "'    '"""'"•   ""''   *e 

The  women  were  (our  Let  ^  ^  f  ■""  "  T  '°  '''  "''  ''"  -"- 
both  were  round  and  piulp  /  ,  Z"'"'  '^"  ='^'^="  '"^^  The  faces  of 
con,plexion  not  very  dirk   'e  .h     IrT'"  ""'"""""'»•  »"'"  — ''^ 

«-  .0  deformity,  h'.ir  ^       t  a        ^  ":  '""'"  T"'^  '""''  ""  "•" 
."*s  hanging  |„„,,e  „,„.  ,„:,.  ^^      ^    '  «^"y.  -'.   worn  by  .he  fe. 

fenales  evinced  much   .imidi.y  and  la    ^l  bt  ,    7"^"'  °''  '"'  ^'™"" 

fact  and  the  absence  of  tattooi^gwlmrk^H?  """  "'°"'   ""' 
was  judged  ,0  be  unmarried      Ti,e  e  ,  °*'"'  "'°'"'="'  »''" 

-four  men  and  four  won,  „     '      """'""P''-'  ---'ed  of  eight  aduUs 

women — and  some  ch  Idi-pn      tu  r. 

"were  generally  g„„d  looking,  and  the  eldest  I       ,         "'  '  '"''' 

age,  was  a  remarkably  fine  Z  J     ,       ,  ''  "'^"'  '""'™  >"="«  °f 

»-.l«is.cncewerejud..edro,;   teTr  °  '"•"     '"'^"'^  ^  "f 

be  au,p,e,  and  .hi-e  t:"  HJ        ^r;™"  ■"■■'    "''"  '■"-'-«"-.  '" 

-I-"1V  says  the  en.husias.ic  ^  rr    "l  T  ""■"'"="•    "  "'^  ">= 

^^  fairy,     these  people  may  be  considered  i„ 


ARRIVE  IN  LONDON. 

possession   of  every    necessary  of  life,  as  well  as  of  most   of  I  lie    com- 
forts and  conveniences  whicli  can  he  enjoyed  in  so  rnde  a  state  of  society." 
Leavin<?  their  Esquimaux  friends  of  the  River  Clyde,  with   whom   in 
two  days  tliey  had  an  intercourse  on  ship  and  shore  of  only  seven  hours, 
they  made  hut  slow  pro<,'ress  until  the    i^th,  when    a  favorahlc  hreeze 
sprin<,nn^'  up  from  the  southwest,  they  advanced  toward   tlie  ice.     They 
were  again  cau-i^ht  in  the   floes,   I)ut    trot   loose   aftc-r  the  usual   slru,L,rtrle. 
Four  days  later  in  a  foy^  they  made  the  ships  fast  to  the  Hoes  and  floated 
with  them;  and  on  the  iSth,  to  an   icehcri,',  when  they   were   repeateiUy 
struck  hy  the  loose  ice,  but  sufTered   no   serious  damaiife,  beinj^  stron«^ly 
built.     On  the   24th  they  passed  out  of  the  Arctic   Circle   after  havinjj 
been  within  it   almost  fifteen   months.     All    this  time   they  were  kept 
away  from  the  western  shore  by  the  accumulation  of  ice  on  that  side,  and 
could  seldom  see,  much    less  explore,  the  coast   as   they  had   proposed. 
Finally,  on  the    26th,  finding  all  cfTorts   at  exploration   in  that  quarter 
futile,  the  boats  were  hauled  on  deck,  and  all  sail   made  for   home.     On 
the   2d  of  October  the  ships  parted  company  in  a  gale;  and  on  the  i6th, 
the  Ilecla  lost  her  bowsprit,  foremast  and  maintop-mast;  but   the  wreck 
was  soon  cleared  away,  and  by  the    iSth   they  had  raised   the   necessary 
jury-masts.     On  the  29th  they  made  Buchan  Ness,  on  the  northeast  coast 
of  Scotland,  and  on  the  30th,  the  commander,  accompanied   by  Captain 
Sabine,  left   Peterhead  for   London,  where  they   arrived   on  the   3d   of 
November,  the  Hecla  and  Griper  reaching  the  Thames  about  two  weeks 
later.     Both  ships  and  crew  were  but  little  the  worse   for  their  trip  of 
eighteen  months.     This  alone  would  have  entitled  the  expedition  to  be 
regarded  as  a  success,  but  was  far  from  being  the   only  claim  it  had   to 
consideration.     Great  additions  had  been  made  to   geographical   knowl- 
edge; Lancaster  Sound  had  been  explored;  Prince  Regent  Inlet,    Bar- 
row's Strait,  and  a  number  of  islands,  had   been  discovered;  important 
meteorological  and  magnetic  phenomena  had  been  observed;  and  the  im- 
practicability of  the  route  through  Lancaster  Sound  for  everyday  commer- 
cial   voyages,  at  least,   was    amply    demonstrated.     For,  though    Parry 
thought  he  had  reached  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  may  be  regarded  as  virtu- 
ally having  done  so,  it  was  obvious  that  the  passage  could   not  be  con- 


st  of  the  com- 
tate  of  society." 
with  whom  in 
ily  seven  hours, 
ivorabic  breeze 
tlic  ice.  They 
usual  sliutjjrle. 
oes  and  floated 
/ere  repeatedly 
beinjj  stronj^ly 
le  after  havinir 
hey  were  kept 
n  that  side,  and 

had  proposed, 
in  that  quarter 
"or  home.  On 
id  on  tlie  1 6th, 
but   the  wreck 

the   necessary 

northeast  coast 

!ed   by  Captain 

on  the  3d  of 
)out  two  weeks 
r  their  trip  of 
'vpcdition  to  be 
laim  it  had  to 
iphical  knowl- 
;nt  Inlet,  Bar- 
red; important 
:d ;  and  the  im- 
ryday  commer- 
thoujj^h  Parry 
ardcd  as  virtu- 
d   not  be  con- 


/iAH/S  FOR  ARCTIC  SEARCH. 


sKlered  a  h.^^hvvay  for  ocean  traffic,  which  was  after  nil  th    K    •      . 
lon,-continne<,  search  for  the  Northwest  Pass    ^        j'    '„  T  .     ^'^ 

yond    his  predecessors,  and,  like   Bylot   SZi,    "^    "'  ^'""^  ^^^ '^- 

equipment  two  hundred  years  before   h.  I  ;"  "  '"""''^^ 

-  -^.^  or  crew;  the  delt.  :.^^  :.  i^  '^^l  ^"^  ^^^^^"^  ^'^"^ 
^..  constitutional  weakness  rather  tha!:^^:,^:;::'-  ^"^^^^ 
incident  to  the  voyage.  "Cfe'^<-t,  exjiosurc  or  disease 


■mi 


,<M(r^2_L£JL 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

EARLY  LIFE  OF  FRANKLIN —WOUNDED  AT  NEW  ORLEANS  —  STATE- 
MENT  OK  THE  OHJECTS  OF  FKANKLIN's  THREE  VOYAGES  — 
EMBARKS  ON  FIRST  VOYA(;E  — THE  FIRST  ICEIlERc;  —  INTEREST- 
ING EXPERIMENTS— A  LEAK  IN  THE  SHIP— TRADE  WITH  ESQUI- 
MAUX—ARRIVE AT  FORT  YORK— MAKE  READY  FOR  OVERLAND 
JOURNEY. 

It  is  doubtful   whether,  in   the   history  of  England,  so  proud   of  her 
titles,  and  of  the  pomp  and  magnificence  which   name   and  wealth  can 
give,  there  can  he  found  a   more   remarkable  proof  of  the  possibiliiy  of 
rising  above  adverse  circumstunces  than  is  seen  in  the  life  of  the  personage 
whose  achievements  will  occupy  the  next  few  chapters.     ]iorn  in  com- 
parative obscurity,  and  beginning  life  in  the  performance  of  its  humbler 
duties,  he  rose  to  a  place   in    the  affections  of  his   countrymen,   of  which 
any  Englishman  might  well  have  been  proud.     He  was  born  at  Spilsby, 
Lincolnshire,  April,  17S6,  and  was  intended  by  his  father  for  the  church, 
for  whose  duties  he  entered,  at  an  early  age,  upon   a   preliminary  course 
of  stuily.     While  very  young,  however,  he  showed   a  decided   taste  for 
the  sea;  and  his  father,  thinking  that  a  voyage  or  two  would  cure  him  of 
this  untoward  inclination,  decided  to  let  him  go.     His  first  voyage  was 
on  a  merchant  vessel  bound  to  Lisbon.     His  return   home   found  him  so 
confirmed  in  his  taste  that  he  decided  to  follow  the  life  of  a  sailor. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen,  accordingly,  he  entered  the  Royal  Navy,  and 
sailed  in  iSoi,  to  Australia,  with  Capt.  Flinders.  From  this  point  his 
life  presents  a  constant  succession  of  noble  deeds  and  brilliant  achieve- 
ments. He  served  with  credit  in  the  war  with  America,  in  18 12,  and 
was  wounded  in  the  fata!  attack  upon  New  Orleans,  in  January,  1S15. 
Having  obtained  the  rank  of  Lieutenant,  he  was  appointed  commander 
of  the  Trent  in  the  Arctic  expedition,  which  sailed  under  Capt.  Buchan 


OUyECTS  OF  FfUNKUN's  rur.u.f-s. 


107 

v.,1, ,  services  ,c„l..,.e„     V  '"•"^;  """  «"""^  ^"■«'""'  -  vi.w  „f 

i;i.an„,-  l.„,..i..„,  i„  ,8„,  .;,„,  \ZZ  '"T  ■'""'■'■''"'•  ""  ""'  '""'■•  ">  '^'■»» 

Hi«f"™.Tw.c. in/,:,::";:'  "-••'>-«"ffi,„i„ ,«,«, 

ArcUc  voy,,,-e.  '  '"■  "'■"  '<'"'""  ""'  ""    l.i»  .s.c„ml 

I'ra.iHi.i   was  ihc   |,,„|^,,  „|-,|,         ,. 

^ •'■-'- -:c: :;;::;  c;^;------ 

'nine  the  h.titucic  and  lon-Wtucle  of  th.  P'"t'^»'a.-  ohjcct  t<,  deter- 

A,.u.,i™,  „„,  .„  „,„,,„i„j  ,;;  '■'•'-:  <"■   '"<•■  Arctic  face  „f  N„r,„ 

-^-  c.,,„c,.,„i,.  .„  „„. :::::  ^ :.; ;'  -- '™."  h.^'  .no,,.,, .. 

vc,->  .Icfccivc  ^,co(;ra„l,v  ol'  ,l,i,  .     T  '  """"■>■■"';  >"  <'n.e„d  e,,e 

F,a„kli„,  „,K,sc  al.lc-  „,„„,„,  ,,r„  c„  „,  '„ •  ^  """"  "■""^"■■1   '" 

of  i,'.c:„  s„cccss,  a„.|  ,„„„3.  „„„„  JT  ^""'^';"'"'<  "  l>-vi„„,  cxp,„rcr 
a".l  ,„/"„na.i„„.     F,-,,,,,,,  „v  '""'''*•">'■■ '"™  ''>"^llis;c,itc„„„se, 

„„,„,„,,„„„,  „,, ,,,;::;::,:  r::;;;;'ycc.io,,  „., ,,,,„„ 

"i»  »-".*c.i,>„   „.   „  i  '   '      ";•"■""  '"';  ;'■-■  valuaWo  assistance,  and 


ILIblMI  imJHg^H 


immmmm 


1U8 


CAUTION  OF  NORTH  Eli  N  SAILORS. 


The   whole   party   cmhaikcd   at   Gravcstnd,  on   Sunday,  llic   23d  of 

May,    18 1 9.     The  Prince  of  Wales,  which   was   to  convey  the   out  lit, 

heIon},'ed  to  tiic  Iliidsoirs   Bay  Company,  and  was  accompanied  hy  two 

others,  the  Eddystone  and  the  Weai".     As   the   wind   was   unfavorable, 

the  vessels  anchored  at  Yarmouth  foi  several    lays.    At  this  poiiii    I^ieut. 

Hack  went   on  shore   two  or   three   miles   from   Yarmouth  to  attend   to 

some  matter  of  which  his  presence  there  reminded  hiu),   intending  to  he 

ready,  hy  watchinjj  the  sifrnals,  to   return   as   soon  as  the   vessels  were 

ready  to   leave.     The    vvin<l,  however,  su»ldenly  chanjjed  soon  after  his 

departure,  and  the  Captain,  thinkinjj  it  necessary  to  av.iil  himself  of  the 

present  fortune,  accordinjjly  weighed  anchor,  and   Mr.  Back  was  left  on 

shore.      A  note  was   sent  hy  a  returning  ship   requesting   Mr,  Back   to 

take  the  coach  across  to  Pentland  Frith;  from  thence  to  cross  to  the  Parish 

of  Stromness  on  one  of  the  Orkneys,  and  there  rejoin  the  party.    When 

the  little  fleet  reached  Stromness  several  days  were  spent  in  Avaiting  for 

Mr.  Back,  afTording,  in  the  meantime,  a  good  opportunity  for  testing  the 

instruments,  and  also  of  hiring  more  men,  which  Franklin  foresaw  would 

be  necessary  to  do.     A  notice  to  the  effect   that   men  were  wanteil   was 

posted  up  on  the  church  door  at   Stromness,  this  being  certain   to  strike 

the  attention  of  every  person  in  the  parish.     To  Franklin's  surprise  only 

four  men  were   found   in   the  whole   parish   who    could  be  persuaded   to 

accompany  the  expedition.     Franklin's  narrative  says: 

"I  was  much  amused  with  the  extreme  caution  tliese  men  used  before 
they  would  sign  the  agreement;  they  minutely  canned  all  our  intentions, 
weighed  every  circumstance,  looked  narrowly  into  our  plan  of  route,  and 
still  more  circumspectly  to  the  prospect  of  return.  Such  caution  on  the 
part  of  the  northern  mariners  forms  a  singular  contrast  with  the  ready 
and  thoughtless  manner  in  which  an  English  seaman  enters  upon  any 
enterprise  however  hazardous,  without  inquiring  or  desiring  to  know 
where  he  is  going,  or  what  he  Is  going  to  do."  It  was  late  in  June  before 
the  fleet  was  really  under  way  and  had  come  out  into  the  iVtlantic. 

July  setms  to  have  been  more  favorable  to  their  pn^-ress,  as 
the  twenty-fifth  of  that  month  found  them  at  the  entrance  of  Baffin's 
Bay.     Here  a  whaling   vessel    was  met   whor,c    master   gave    thrilling 


THE  riiisT  I  c  HUE  lid. 


IM 


ly,  the  23<1  of 
cy  the  outfit, 
)anit'(l  l)y  two 
>  iinfavoiahic, 
s  point  Lieut. 
1  to  attciul  to 
itcMuJitij^  to  he 

vessels  were 
soon  after  his 
liinself  of  the 
k  was  left  on 

Mr,  Bacli  to 
■*  to  the  Parish 
party.  When 
in  waiting  for 
for  testinff  the 
"orcsaw  would 
!  wanteil  was 
rtain  to  strike 
i  surprise  only 
persuaded   to 

Ml  used  hefore 
iur  intentions, 
1  of  route,  and 
:aution  on  the 
nth  the  ready 
ters  upon  any 
xwg  to  know 
n  June  hefore 
Atlantic. 

pro;;rcss,  as 
ice  of  Baffin's 
:ave    thrilliiitr 


accounts  of  ,he   thickness  an.l   .lan^c s  character  of  the  ice  encoun- 

"  " '^""'^'  ^''■'^''  •"'«>  the  upper  hay  this  year,  an<I  of  the  loss  of  mv- 

cral  vessels  n.  the  ice.  Both  passengers  .-.nd  crew  now  hej^an  I..  ..tch 
nervously  for  sij^ns  of  iceher^s,  often  n.istakinj.  the  clouds  for  mountains 
of  .ce,  n,  then-  feverish  curiosity.  In  a  short  time  it  became  necessary  to 
tack  the  ships  n,  order  to  avoid  a  large  mass;   an.l  on  the  fifth  of  Au-nist 


SIR  JO||«J    IHANKI  IN. 

a  huffe  iceberg  was  sighted.  Upon  reaching  it,  several  of  the  officers 
.nade  an  attempt  to  climb  up  its  side,  but  were  unsuccessful  on  account 
ul  .ts  steepness  and  smoothness.  The  height  of  this  berg  was  ascertained 
to],e  about  150  feet.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  as  ice  is  nearly  as 
heavy  as  water,  only  a  very  small  portion  of  the  actual  bulk  of  the  ice  is 


fmrrrremwi 


U 


doo 


A   LEAK  IN  THE  SHIP. 


seen  above  the  water.  Allowing  one-eignih,  as  the  portion  of  the  bulk 
visible,  and  supposing  the  average  height  of  this  berg  to  be  125  feet,  its 
wiiole  vertical  side  must  have  been  about  1,000  feet,  or  nearly  one  Hfth 
of  a  mile.  The  peculiar  character  of  the  atmosphere  in  these  regions, 
however,  is  said  greatly  to  magnify  all  physical  appearances,  and  deceive 
the  observer  in  regard  to  the  size  of  objects. 

About    this    time    some    interesting    experiments    were    also    made 
respecting  the  temperature  of  water  at  different  depths.     A  bottle  well- 
corked,  was    fastened    to    the    sounding-line,   and     was    let    down  450 
fathoms.     The    register    thermometer    was   also   fastened    to  the    line 
and  was  supposed  to  descend  a  distance  of  650  fathoms.     The  change  in 
temperature  indicated  by   the  thermometer  during  its  descent  was  from 
46°  to  40.5°,  and  it  stood  at  the  latter  point  when  taken  out  of  its  tin 
case.     The  temperature  of  the  waiter  brought  up  in   the  bottle  was  41° 
— being  half  a  viegree  higher  at  450  than  at  650  fathoms;  and  4°  colder 
than  the  water  at  the  surface   which  was  45°,  while  the  air  was  46°. 
This  experiment  in  showing  the  water  to  be  colder  at  a  great  depth  than 
at  the  surfiice,  and  to  fall    in   temperature  in  proportion  to  the   descent, 
was  in  accordance  with  observations  of  certain  other  voyagers  of  those 
seas,  but  '.3  suited  by  Franklin  to  disagree  with  his  own  previous  experi- 
ments, in  which  he  had  always  found  the  water  at  the  surface  colder  than 
that  at  great  depth. 

On  the  7th  of  August  the  ship  Prince  of  Wales  struck  violently  on 
a  reef  near  the  coast  of  Greenland.  The  ruddei-  was  displaced,  and  there 
being  now  no  way  of  guiding  the  ship,  it  seemed  certain  to  founder. 
Recourse  to  the  tow-boats  was  thought  of,  but  these  would  be  insignifi- 
cant among  the  great  masses  of  ice,  and  the  thought  was  abandoned. 
Moreover,  the  Ghock  had  produced  a  rent  in  the  ship's  bottom,  and  the 
water  poured  in  at  a  great  rate.  Another  shock,  experienced  soon  after, 
fortunately  restored  the  rudder  to  its  proper  place,  but  its  leak  was  still 
a  great  source  of  danger.  To  complete  the  distress  of  the  now  sinking 
ship,  the  gale  just  past  had  separated  her  from  her  associates,  and  even 
in  case  of  the  kst  extremity,  no  aic  jould  be  expected  of  them.  The 
pumps  Were  worked  all  the  time  without  any  apparent  iliminulion  of  the 


re    also    made 


BARTSttlUG   WITH  BS^VIMAVX.  ,„, 

watc-  i.  .he  hold.  Even  ,ho  wo.en  .„  b„a,,,,  ho,,,,.,  f„,  .he  H„,„o„ 
Bay  coo„,es,  a.,„ed,  and  as  F.nkhn  aftcvvard  said,  .heir  e.a„,„e  d  i " 
. m,ch  eo  s.,n„„aee  .he  cew.  A.  ,as,,  j,,..  „,  .h„  ,„„^.h  „,.d  hope  o 
all  see,„ed  abou,  g„„e,  a  Judicious  „se  of  oak„,n  and  canvas  reduced  „"e 
leaK  .0  such  proporhons  .ha.  i.  co„,d  be  easii,  con.roHed,  and  .he  P.il 
of  Wales  was  enabled  to  ,ej„i„  her  ccnrades  in  safety 

On  the  ,ath  of  August  the  ships  la,„led  on  the  coast  of  Greenland 
for  the  purpose  of  .radin,  with  the  natives,  or  rather  of  allowinl 
nat,ves  to  trade   w,.h    them,  which  by  signals  they  had  shown'tley 
were  anions  to  do.     The  Es,ui,nau.  ,„«  the™  in  .heir  .ayaks     „d 
aceo,,,p.a„,ed  the,n  to  the  land.     They  a,  once  evinced  a  desire   c  bar  e 
an      .splayed  no  s,„all  cunnin,  i„  „„,;„„  ,„,i^  "     'j 

not  to  exh,b,t  too  many  articles  at  onee.     Their  orincin,  , 

were  oil,  sea-horse  teeth,  whale  hone,  sealskin  derc'^^rrrbr 
deer  s.ns  and  horns,  and  .models  of  their  canoes;  and         'r       .    " t 
e.c  a„,e  small  saws,  knives,  nails,  tin  kettles,  and    need.i     I,       d 
scr,bed  .as  amustng  to  see  the  exultation   and  to  hear  the     K  \ 
langhter  of  the  whole  pa„y,  when  a  „..ade  was  .Ide  t !  .an    ore":,:;:: 
•  '■"';";'"-r^  '°  -'—  *^'  -.erness  with  which  the  f  ,;;':' 
.on  hcked  each  article  with  hi,  tongue  on  .eceiving  it,  .as  a  finisl     o  th' 

.."...■ough.heeeremo,,y";:t::::::;;:-2:r:r^^ 

women    and     animals,    carved    cirefullv    .  .     .  '"'^'^t.ons  of  men, 

<-es  and  the  hgures'of  the  J:^^.  1^^^  J'^ 
«oe.,.d  to  be  no  at.e,„pt  at  the  delineation  of  counfen::    s  ai-d  ^    . Tf 
the  fig  res  were  „,thout  eyes,  ears,  and  finge,.s,  to  ,nake  ^-hlch  wink 
«have  re,ui,.ed  ,„ore  delicate  instruments  than  any  wHici:::';' 

-X,^::::r:e:i:::,r:r"^'''  --  ^^ 
;;■—...  A..  Old  swo,,i  „,as  .;,ded  :::z  ^::::::z 

l.u.^  of  joy  was  „n,ve,sal  when  the  happy  man  received  it. 

Takn,g  leave  of  their  Mongolian  fiends,  the  vessels  sailed  away  for 


li 


202 


rc/PAT  F AC  Tour. 


I  1    f.s3 
I     I 


i 


Hudson's  Bay,  for  it  was  by  this  route  that  the  party  were  to  arrive  upon 
the  field  of  their  investigations.  At  this  time  the  great  British  fur  com- 
l)anies  were  flourishing,  and  in  the  height  of  their  prosijerity.  Trading- 
posts  had  been  established  all  the  way  from  Canada  to  the  frozen  lakes  of 
the  north,  and  it  was  along  the  line  of  these  posts  that  the  party  liopetl 
to  find  assistance  to  further  the  prosecution  of  their  voyage.  The  prin- 
cipal companies  were  the  Northwestern  Company  and  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  the  previous  kindness  of  whose  agents  has  already  been  men- 
tioned.  The  most  considerable  depot  of  British  trade  was  Fort  York, 
or  York  Factor)',  as  it  was  then  called,  situated  on  the  Hayes  River 
about  five  miles  from  its  mouth.  Remnants  of  the  old  fort  still  remain 
as  a  dim  reminder  of  that  primitive  industry. 

To  this  point,  then,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  having  parted  company 
from  the  other  ships,  took  her  course,  where  a  sciiooner  was  to  be  fur- 
nished to  the  expedition,  and  where  Franklin  hoped  to  obtain  advice,  in- 
structions, and  a  native  interpreter.  Having  reached  York  Flats,  where 
they  were  treated  to  the  honor  of  a  salute,  the  next  step  was  to  supply 
themselves  for  their  northern  tour. 

Failing  to  find  any  Esquimaux  or  Indian  interpreters  here,  they  were 
obliged  to  run  the  risk  of  having  one  sent  to  them,  or  of  picking  one  up 
on  the  way.  As  no  schooner  was  available,  the  best  boat  l)elonging  to 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  was  fitted  out  for  them,  and  duly  supplied 
with  the  necessaries  which  the  combined  experience  of  all  told  them 
the  occasion  would  require. 

The  reader  would  not  thank  us  to  give  the  minute  details  of  this 
journey,  nor  is  it  possible,  within  the  intended  scope  of  the  present  vol- 
ume, thus  to  enlarge  upon  unimportant  experiences.  Only  the  leading 
facts,  therefore,  and  such  of  the  salient  features  of  the  expedition  as  it  is 
possible  to  give  without  the  risk  A  being  tedious,  will  be  narrated. 

Hayes  River  was  ascended  to  its  source— the  confluence  of  the  Sham- 
matawa  and  vSteel  Rivers.  The  latter  named  stream  and  Hill  River  were 
next  successively  ascended.  Owing  to  the  rapidity  of  these  streams  it 
was  necessary  to  walk  upon  the  bank  the  most  of  the  way,  and  haul  the 
boat,  with  its  load,  up  over  the  rushing  current.     At  this  rate  their  pro- 


A  REMARKABLE  ISLAND.  ^/^ 

gre.s  was  only  ten  or  twelve  miles  a  day,  and  even  thus  every  man  sank 
down  exhausted  at  night.  Many  thrilling  episo^les  might  he  related  of 
tl..s  s  ow  an<l  tedious  journey.  At  one  time,  on  the  hank  of  Hill  River 
Frankhn  was  superintending  the  transportation  of  supplies  over  some' 
rapKls  when  a  stratum  of  loose  rock  gave  way  under  his  feet,  and 
he  had    .he  misfortune  to  step  from  the  summit  where   he  was  standing 

into  the  river  below  two  of  the   fills      T-T.'o  „*^  .  . 

oi  me  tails.     His  attempts  to  regain  the  bank 

were  for  a  long  time  unavailing,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  expedition  were 

fated  to  be  deprived  of  its  gallant  leader.     The   roeks  within  his  reach 

were  worn  so  smooth   by   the  action   of  the  water  that,  although   he 

made  desperate  efforts  to  stay  his  downward   course,  it  was   impossible. 

Finally  he  grasped  some  willows,  and  was  able  to  hold  on  until  some 

gentlemen  came  to  his  rescue  in    i  hn-i*^      Tf 

'"  '•  ^"'*^-     It  was  a  very  narrow  escape, 
and  an  experience  which  he  did  not  care  to  repeat. 

We  must  not  omit  to  mention  briefly  a  small  'island  noticed  in  one 
of  these   rivers,  which   is  so  strongly   magnetic  as  to  render  a  common 
compass  entirely  useless  anywhere  in  the  range  of  its  influence.     Havin<. 
been  previously  informed  of  its  existence,  they  watched  their  compassel 
care  ully,  and   found   that   they  were  affected   at  the  distance  of  three 
hundrecl  yarcls,  both  on  the  approach  to  and  departure  fron.  the  center  of 
the  inlet.     On  decreasing  the  distance  the  instruments  were  rendered 
ertirely   powerless,  and  upon  landing   it  was   evident   that  the  General 
magnetic  influence  was  entirely  overpowered  by  the  action  of  the^'ore  in 
the  island. 


'fi(>|*4T|' 


'iM 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

franklin's    journey     to     ft.    CHIPEWYAN  —  PROCURING     GUIDES 

SPEECH    OF    AN    INDIAN    CHIEF THE    RESOURCES    OF    THE    PARTY 

— START  FOR  THE  COPPERMINE  —  THE  CHIEF  REFUSES  TO  PRO- 
CEED   CANOE  PAR^Y  SENT  TO  THE  COPPERMINE  A  PEDES- 
TRIAN   TRIP RETURN    OF    BOTH    PARTIES. 

Swampy  Lake,  Jack  River— all  the  chain  of  rivers  and  lakelets  up 
as  far  as  Ft.  Chipewyan,  were  slowly  and  with  difficulty  ascended.  Some 
terrible  iiardships  were  experienced.    It  was  necessary,  for  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  distance,  to  drag  the  boats   and  canoes,  and    to  carry  by 
land  this  bulk  oi  supplies  over  the  «  porta<^es,"   or  places  where  the 
rapids  were  too  extensive  to  permit  of  navigation.     Those   who   took 
upon  themselves  the  difficult  task  of  supplying  fresh  provisions  from  the 
settlements,  traveled  thousands  of  miles   back  and   forth,  amid   frio'htful 
dangers   from   threatening  famine,  from  unfriendly  natives,  and  from  the 
unfamiliarity  of  the  way.     The  miseries  endured  during  the  first  journey 
of  this  kind  are  said  to  be  so  great  that  nothing  could  induce  the  suflTerer 
to  undertake   a  second  while  unde*  the   influence  of  present   pain.     He 
feels  his  frame  crushed  by  unaccountable  pressure:  he  drao-s   a  eallino- 
and   stubborn  weight   at   his  feet,  and  his  track   is   marked  wilh   blood. 
The  dazzling  scene   affiards   him    uo   rest  to  his  eye — no  object  to  divert 
his  attention  from  his  own  agonizing  sensations.     When   he  arises  from 
sleep  half  his  body  seems  dead,  till  quickened  into  feeling  by  the  irritation 
of  his  sores.     But,  fortunately  for  him,  no  evil  makes  an  impression  so 
evanescent  as  pain.     He  soon  forgets  his  sufferings  when  once  removed 
from   them,  and   at  each  future  journey  their  recurrence  seems  to  be 
attended  with  diminished  acuteness. 

The  arrival  at  Ft.  Chipewyan,  however,  was  but  the  beginning  of  ad- 
ventures and  hardships.     The  plan   was  now  to  journey   northward  to 

204 


^-tpfrf^iPig^Fp^T^iv 


-•y^y^i^imit^gynr  ill  iUHHiJ  "UWilHtt^>a4i«at!ay    «"* 


SPEECH  OF  AN  INDIAN  CHIEF.  g,^ 

Ft.  Providence  on  Great  Slave  Lake;  to  build  a  large  canoe,  suitable 
for  traversing  the  northerr,  rivers;  to  engage  Indian  guides,  and  if 
possible,  Esquimaux  interpreters;  to  proceed  to  the  mouth  of  the  Copper- 
muie,  and  from  that  point  to  address  themselves  to  the  particular  service 
for  wh.ch  the  expedition  was  planned,  viz.,  the  exploring  of  the  Ameri- 
can coast  on  the  north,  and  the  systematic  arrangement  of  the  knowl- 
ed^'C  thus  gained. 

Their  principal  canoe,  when  completed,  was  thirty-four  feet  Ion-  four 
feet  wide  in  the   middle,  and  about   two  feet  deep.     It    was  capaLe   of 
carrymg  about  a  ton  and  a  half,  including  the  weight  of  the  five   or  six 
men  necessary  to  man  it.     Besides  this  there  were  other  and  smaller  ca 
noes,  fitted  for  the  more  r:.pid  and  easy   conveyance  of  the  officers  and 
guKles.      The  agents  of  both  con^panies,  in  the  meantime,  did  the  party 
the  greatest  courtesy  possible-furnishing  them  all  the   necessaries  they 
could  possibly  spare,   and  showing  a  disposition  to  aid  ihem  in  every 
w.y  n.  their  power.     Particularly  was  the  agent  of  the   Northweste  n 
Comj^ny  useful  to  them  in  the  matter  of  procuring  guides  from  amon. 
the    Chipewyan    Indians.     This    was    of   necessity  a  n.atter  requirin: 
he  utn.ost  caution.     It  was  necessary   to  take   every  possible  measur: 
to  gain  the  confidence  of  the  Indians,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  .ettin.. 
out  of  them  all  the  aid  and  information  possible,  but  also  for  t^e  sal^e 
of  safety;  for  among  the  northern  tribes  of  American  Indians  the  least 
eparture  from    truth    or    supposed    consistency   is  esteemed  a  positive 
l.reach  of  faith,  and  is  never  forgotten.     On  the  occasion  of  enc^a^in.. 
.guides  at  this   time,  the  chief  of  the  party  interviewed  advanced  ;ith 
he  utmost  gravit3^  and  began  his  harangue,  which  Franklin  understood 
had  been  several  days  m  preparing.     This  chief  proved  to  be  a  shrewd 
penetratmg  man,  and  left  a  favorable  impression  upon  the  minds  of  the' 
pa.  y  as  to  his  intellectual  qualities.     He  began  by  stating  that  he  was 

glad  so  powerful  a  chief  from  among  the   pale-faces  h./. 
..  „_        ,  ,  ,  .  *      ^   paie-races  had   come   anion"- 

.hem  and  assured  h,m  .ha.  the  In.iian,  loved  those  whose  purpose  it  „" 
.»  ass,,  them.  He  said  that  when  the  pa„v  S.t  an-ived  e  ,™  ! 
>hsappo„,.e  ;  f„,.  he  had  heatd  there  was  „.„,.,„  the,,,  a  „.,,,>;  i' 
c,„e  man  who  possessed  the  power  of  res.o,i„.  to  Ufe  the  de.;  and  de- 


209 


COMPACT  BETWEEN  WHITES  AND  INDIANS. 


parted;  and  he  had  felt  so  great  delight  in  the  prospec*  of  meeting 
with  his  friends,  that  his  sorrow  In  finding  himself  mistaken  could  no^t 
be  described.  He  was  ready,  however,  to  assist  the  new  comers  in 
whatever  reasonable  enterprise  they  might  engage.  He  closed  his 
speech  by  demanding  to  know  miiuiteiy  tlie  object  of  the  adventurers, 
and  their  plans  for  the  future. 

In  his  reply  Franklin  took  pains  to  assure  him  that  their  purpose  was 
nothing  but  good;  that  they  saw  the  tlillkulty  under  which  their  red 
brethren  labored,  and  that  he  hoped  by  becoming  more  familiar  with 
the  coast  and  the  wilds  of  the  north,  to  be  able  to  relieve  not  only  their 
embarrassments  but  those  of  all  the  inhabitants.  He  informed  them  that 
he  came  from  the  greatest  chief  in  the  world,  wlio  was  also  the  sover- 
eign  of  the  companies  with  whom  they  were  in  the  habit  of  trading.  He 
further  warned  them  of  the  folly  of  making  war  with  the.  Esquimaux, 
and  promised  them,  in  case  of  faithful  service,  a  reward  of  cloth,  beads,' 
and  useful  implements  of  iron. 

The  chief  admitted  that  his  tribe  had  made  war  upon  the  Esqui- 
maux, but  promised  to  desist;  recommending,  however,  that  their  ad- 
vances toward  them  should  be  conducted  with  the  utmost  caution ;  and 
signified  at  last  their  willingness  to  accompany  the  party  and  co-oper- 
ate with  them  in  every  particular. 

An  agreement  having  thus  been   arrived  at  with  the   Indians,    the 
expedition  at  once   prepared  to  set  out.     The    Indians   were    sent    out 
ahead,  and  were   to  encamp  upon    the  Yellow   Knife,   a   small   stream 
whose  ascent  lay  in  their  way;  while  the  residue  of  the  party   were  to 
pack  the    provisions  and    supplies.     This    process    could   not    be    gone 
through  with  in  the  presence  of  the  Indians,  as  they  were  in  the  habit  of 
continually  begging  for  everything   they  saw.     The  store  consisted   of 
two  barrels  of  gunpowder,  one  hundred  and  forty  poimds  of  ball  and  small 
shot,  four  fowling  pieces,  a  few  old  trading  guns,  eight  pistols,  twenty- 
four  Indian  daggers,  some  packages  of  knives,  cliisels,  .-.xes,  nails,   and 
fastenings  for  a  boat,  a  few  yards  of  cloth,  some  blankets,  needles,  look- 
ing-glasses, and  beads;  together  with  nine  fisiiing-nets  of  diirerent  six:es. 
The  provisions  included  two  casks  of  Hour,  two  hundred  dried  reindeer 


V  taif 


ijMj»WIII»»!W'8"«AISI*.!.'li|Mii|4|l»>JilS»lllll 


■BSBStilflPOr       "S-^ 


ASCENT  OF  THE  TELLOW  KNIFE.  307 

tongues,  some  dried  moose  meat,  portable  soup,  and  arrow-root  sufficient 
ill  the  whole  for  ten  days'  consumption,  besides  two  cases  of  chocolate, 
and  two  canisters  of  tea.  The  party  now  consisted  of  twenty-eijrht  per- 
sons, including  the  wives  of  three  of  the  Canadian  voyagers  who  had 
been  engaged  at  Ft.  York.  It  had  been  decide<l  best  to  take  the  women, , 
ns  they  might  be  useful  in  the  making  of  shoes  and  clothing,  in  car- 
ing  for  the  sick,  and   in  many  other  ways. 

Over  a  year  had  now  been  consumed  in  reaching  their  present  posi- 
tion.     On  the  2d  of  August,  1820,   the  whole  party,  includmg  the  In- 
dians,  began  the  ascent  of  the  Yellow  Knife.     The  prospect  of  reaching 
the  Coijpermine  that  season,  and  of  exploring  a  portion  of  country  hith- 
crto  untrod  by  white   men,  was  a  source  of  the  greatest  elation  to  the 
party,  and  the  start  was  made  in  high  spirits.    The  character  of  the  rivers, 
whose  course  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  traverse,  was  such  that  fre- 
quent portages,  or  transporting  of  the  boats  and  lading  above  the  rapids 
by  land,  was  the  only  method  of  procedure.     Great  care  was  taken  from 
time  to  time  to  replenish  their  stock  of  provisions  so  far  as  possible,  from 
the  lakes,  and  by  means  of  the  nfles  of  the   hunters.     In  spite  of  this, 
however,  the  journey,  made  longer  by  the  necessarily  slow  progress,  be' 
came  so  tiresome,  that  the  party  suffered   much  from  fatigue  and  lack  of 
food.     They  were  at  last  reduced  to  such  straits  that  the  Canadian  voy- 
agers  absolutely  refused  to  go  farther,  unless  more  food  were  at  once  is- 
sued  to  them.     Franklin  took  occasion  here  to  warn  them  that  in  case 
any  of  them  should   desert   or   refuse  to   accompany  the  expedition,  he 
woukl  certainly   cause  severe  punishment  to  be  inflicted  upon  them;  and 
gave  them  a  tliorough  admonition  not  to  further  hinder  the  progre'ss  of 
the  party.     This  discussion  had   the  desired  effect,  and   thereafter   the 
Canadians  were  models  of  endurance  and  faithfulness.     The  hunters,  in 
the  meantime,  became  more  successful;  fish  was  more  abundant;  and  'the 
spirits  of  the  party  being  raised  by  the  prospect  of  plenty  of  food,  some 
distance  was  completed  in  the  most  cheerful  manner  possible. 

But  a  new  <lifficulty  arose  which  efTectually  thwarted  the  purpose  of 
the  leader  to  approach  the  seaboard  this  season.  On  the  25ih  of  August, 
the  party  havin-  advanced  some  five  hundred  miles  from  Ft.  Chipewyan^ 


11  \; 


208 


!•  I'  ' 


THE  CHIEF  REFUSES   TO  GO  FURTHER. 


and  being  still  some  distance  from  the  Coppermine,  slight  evidences  of 
winter  began  to  appear.     The  little  pools  of  water  by  the  river  side  were 
frozen  over  and  the  vegetation  showed  signs  of  having   been  affected  by 
the  frost.     These  signs  soon  passed  away  with  the  rising  of  the  sun,  and 
would  have  been  forgotten,  had    not  the  Indian  chief  abruptly  declared 
t'lat  he  and  hts  hunters  would  go  no  further.     He  said  that  it  would  be 
a  useless   sacrifice  of  life  to  attempt  to  go  so  far  north  in  the  winter 
months;  that  geese  had  been  seen  flying  south,  and  that  winter  would 
speedily  be  upon  them.     Franklin  replied  to  this  that  he  had  instrume.its 
which  told  the  state  of  the  air,  and   by  which   they  could  predict  the 
weather  beforehand;   and  that  he  was  not  inclined  to  believe  the  winter 
to  be  so  near  at  hand  as  the  chief  apprehended.     He  also  told  him  that 
they  should  at  least  reach   the  river,  in  order  to  take  observations  as  to 
Its  size,  depth,  and  the  character  and  quantity  of  timber  upon  its  banks. 
He  mformed  the  chief,  moreover,  that  an  eclipse  was  soon  to  take  place, 
and  that  it  could  be  much  more  favorably  witnessed  from  the  latitude  of 
the  Coppermine.     These  remarks,  however,  had  no  effect  upon  the  chief, 
who  continued:     "  If   after  all  that  I  have  said  you  are  determined  to 
sacrifice  your  life  and   the  lives  of  your  crew,  some  of  my  young  men 
shall  go  with  you;  for  it  shall  not  be  said  that  we  led  you  hither  and 
left  you  tc  perish  alone.     But  \i   they  go,  I  and  my  friends  will  from  the 
day  they  depart  mourn  them  as  dead."     Finding  the  chief  still  averse  to 
going  on,  and  fearing  a  rupture  with  the  Indians,  which  would  be  disas- 
trous to  them  in  their  great  need  of   guidance,  Franklin  determined  re- 
luctantly to  encamp  there  for  the  winter.     This  arrangement  completely 
satisfied  the  chief,  who  now  renewed  his  professions  of  loyalty  to  the 
expedition. 

After  a  consultation  with  the  officers  it  was  decided  to  send  a  party 
to  the  Coppermine,  to  ascertain  its  distance  and  size.  When  this  plan 
was  communicated  to  the  chief  he  readily  concurred,  and  offered  to  send 
some  of  his  hunters  to  procure  food  for  them.  Mr.  Back  and  Mr. 
Hood,  who  have  already  been  mentioned  in  the  narrative,  were  chosen  to 
take  charge  of  the  party.  An  Esquimaux  interpreter  having  been  in  the 
meantime  secured,  he,  with  one  Indi 


one  Indian  as  guide,  and  eight  Canadiat 


voy. 


mn. 


It  evidences  of 
river  side  were 
een  affected  by 
>f  the  sun,  and 
uptly  declared 
at  it  would  be 
in  the  winter 
winter  would 
id  instruments 
Id  predict  the 
2ve  the  winter 
told  him  that 
I'vatious  as  to 
3on  its  banks, 
to  take  place, 
he  latitude  of 
pon  the  chief, 
determined  to 
y  young  men 
iu  hither  and 
will  from  the 
still  averse  to 
mid  be  disas- 
2termined  re- 
it  completely 
yalty  to  the 

send  a  party 
len  this  plan 
fered  to  send 
:k  and  Mr. 
2re  chosen  to 
I  been  in  the 
madian  voy- 


FORT  SNTSRrKISK. 


209 


310 


A  PEDESTRIAN   TRIP   TO    THE  COPPERMINE. 


agers,  constituted  their  attendance;  fitted  up  with  canoes,  and  furnished 
in  the  most  coinfortahle  manner  possible  imder  the  circumstances,  they 
set  out  toward  the  last  of  Auj^ust.  Franklin's  rcf^ard  for  his  men,  and  his 
wisdom  in  planning,  are  alike  seen  in  his  instructions  to  the  party.  They 
were  to  proceed  as  far  as  the  Coppermine,  and  if  the  weather  was  not 
too  threatening,  to  embark  upon  it  and  descend  it  for  some  distance,  the 
object  being  to  gain  more  definite  knowledge  of  its  rapidity  and  the  best 
method  of  navigating  it.  In  no  case,  however,  were  they  to  go  so  far  as 
not  to  be  able  in  a  short  time  to  return;  and  if  the  water  proved  as  cold 
as  40°  they  were  to  return  at  once,  as  it  was  feared  that  the  canoes  might 
be  frozen  in,  thus  compelling  them  to  return  a  long  distance  on  foot. 

The  portion  of  the  party  that  remained  immediately  prepared  to  es- 
tablish  permanent  winter  quarters  at  the  spot  where  they  were  en- 
camped.  Huts  were  made,  which  in  addition  to  the  tents,  were  to  serve 
as  shelter.  The  flesh  and  skins  of  animals  were  gathered  to  serve  as 
food  and  clothing  which  the  Canadian  women  were  busy  in  preparing; 
and  the  barren,  deserted  plain  presented,  this  winter  at  least,  the  appear- 
ance of  a  bustling,  thriving  village.  Here,  in  the  reach  of  hostile  natives, 
and  greeted  nightly  by  the  howling  of  wild  beasts,  in  a  latitude  20° 
north  of  where  they  were  accustomed  to  spend  the  winter,  these-  hardy 
men  made  ready  to  endure  six  months  of  the  northern  blast.  This  spot 
was  fitly  termed  Ft.  Enterprise. 

Shortly  after  the  party  above  referred  to  had  been  dispatched,  Frank- 
lin  and  Dr.  Richardson  decided  to  take  a  pedestrian  trip  to  the  nearest 
point  of  the  Coppermine.  They  started  off  on  this  daring  project  accom- 
panied by  three  attendants,  carrying  camp  kettles  and  provisions.  Their 
guides  led  them  from  the  top  of  one  hill  to  the  top  of  another  in  as  di- 
rect a  course  as  the  numerous  lakes  with  which  the  country  is  inter- 
spersed, would  permit.  At  noon  of  the  first  day  a  remarkable  rock  with 
precipitous  sides  was  reached,  named  by  the  Indians  Dog-rib  Rock,  from 
a  ferociou^,  tribe  of  Indians  who  inhabit  the  north  and  west.  The  lati- 
tude of  this  place  was  observed  to  be  64°  34'.  They  were  now  trav- 
eling through  a  country  almost  destitute  of  vegetation  or  animal  life. 
One  of  the  guides  killed  a  reindeer,  and  offered  the  rest  of  the  party,  as 


REPORT  OF  BACK  AND  HOOD.  a^ 

a  jf  r  at  treat,  the  raw  marrow  from  the  hind  legs  of  the  animal,  of  which 
all  but  Franklin  partook.  He,  too,  however,  afterward  conquered  his 
fastidious  appetite  and  pronouncetl  it  delicious. 

The  s.nall  quantity  of  bedclothing  brought  with  them,  induced  most 
of  the  party  to  sleep  without  undressing.     Old   Kes   Karrah,  the  Indian 
guKle,  followe.1  a  different  plan.     He  stripped    himself  to  the  skin,  and 
having  toasted  himself  over  the  embers  of  the  fire  for  a  short  ti^   ^  crept 
under  his  deerskin  and  rags,  previously  spread  out,  and  coiled  hu..elf  up 
...  a  crcular  form,  and  was  sound  asleep  almost  instantly.  So  the  journev 
to  the  Coppe.mine  continued,  the  travelers  sometimes  lying,  and  some' 
t..nes  sitting  down  to  sleep  at  night,  according  to  the  accommo<lations 
wh.ch  the  .ough  ground  ufTorded.    The  fall  of  snow  was  almost  constant- 
and,  hindered  and  perplexed  by  this,  and  by  sprained  and  swollen  ankles' 
the  httle  band  were  well  nigh  exhausted  when  at  last  they  arrived  once 
.nore  at  Ft.  Enterprise.     They  had  walked  about  ,50  miles. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  the  winter  quarters  they  found  that  the  party 
headed  by  Back  and  Hood,  had  preceded  them  by  several  days.  This 
party  had  reached  the  shores  of  Point  Lake,  through  which  the  Copper- 
...ne  R.ver  flows,  on  the  first  of  Septe.nber.  They  proceeded  along  its 
shores  westwa.d,  round  a  mountainous  promontory,  and  perceiving  the 
course  of  the  lake  to  be  northwest,  they  encamped  near  some  pines,  and 
enjoyed  their  first  good  fire  since  they  left. 

The  principal  object  of  their  investigation,  now,  was  to  discover 
whether  any  arm  of  the  lake  b.-anched  nea,er  the  fort  than  that  upon 
wh.ch  they  had  fallen,  to  which  the  transport  of  their  goods  might  be 
made  the  following  spring.  Having  satisfied  themselves  by  the  appear- 
ance  of  the  mountains  that  further  examination  on  the  west  was  need- 
less  they  then  p,oceeded  eastward  until  the  6th.  Not  finding  any  part  of 
the  ake  neare.-,  they  encamped  to  observe  the  eclipse  which  was  to  occur 
on  that  day,  but  a  violent  snowstorm  obscuring  that  phenomer  ,  they 
retraced  their  steps  toward  the  fort,  where  they  arrived  the  day  after 
the  other  party  had  set  out. 

Thus  dosed  .he  voyages  of  ,8.0,  ,he  expedition   havin.  traveled 
ntteen  hundred  and  tweni 


A- 


"y 


.nee 


leaving  Ft.  York  in  Sept.,  1S19. 


fM'lf 


1 '  ii 


i  i-li 


CHAPTER  WIV. 

JOURNEY    ro  THK    COPPKKMINE — VISIT    TO   THK    COPPER    MOUNTAINS 

CURIOUS    ADVENTURE    OF    I)R.  RICHARDSON — EMIIARKINO   ON    THE 
POLAR    OCEAN — PT.    TURNAOAIN — THK     RETURN — TERRIBLE    SUP 
KEHINGS    OF    THE     PARTY — DR.    RICHARDSON     RISKS    HIS    LIFE    TO 
SAVE    THE    PARTY — ARRIVAL    AT    FT.    ENTERPRISE. 

In  the  summer  of  182 1  the  party  again  set  out  for  the  Coppermine, 
which  was  reached,  without  accident  or  adventure  o(  note,  in  the  latter 
part  of  June.  The  time  had  now  come  when  they  were  to  reahze  the 
fulfilhnent  of  their  cherished  project,  and  they  soon  embarked  upon  the 
river  and  were  on  their  way  to  llie  Pohir  Ocean.  During  the  journey 
down  the  Coppermine  the  Indians  were  invaluable  in  procuring  food  for 
the  party,  by  their  skill  in  hiuiting.  For  this  service  they  consented  to 
take  notes  on  the  Northwestern  Company,  payable  at  Ft.  Chipewyan, 
an  order  having  also  been  drawn  for  a  small  amount  of  clothing  as  an 
additional  present.  This  method  of  reimbursing  them  was  resorted  to 
because  those  articles  with  which  they  were  accustomed  to  be  paid  were 
growing  scanty,  and  it  was  desired  to  retain  them  for  trade  with  the 
Esquimaux. 

As  the  party  descended,  the  river  gradually  became  contracted  be- 
tween lofty  banks  to  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards  in  width,  and 
the  current  became  rapid  in  proportion  to  the  narrowness  of  the  stream. 
About  the  middle  of  July  they  arrived  at  some  rapids  which  had  been 
the  theme  of  discourse  among  the  Indians  for  several  days  previous,  and 
which  had  been  declared  by  thein  to  be  impassable  for  canoes.  The 
river  here  was  found  to  descend  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  a  deep  but 
narrow  and  crowded  channel,  which  it  had  cut  through  the  foot  of  a  hill 
five  or  six  hundred  feet  in  h<M;(h(,  It  is  confined  between  perpendicular 
cliffs,  resembling  artificial  st<  ,u  'v;ills,  '  .;rying  in  height  from   eighty  to 


?'-:: 


I 

I 


mi'- 


WOUWTAINS— 
h^INO    ON    TUB 
illKIBLE    SUK 
HIS    I.IFK    Ta 

!  Coppermine, 
,  in  the  latter 

to  realize  the 
ked  upon  the 
;  the  journey 
inin<^  food  for 

consented  to 
:.  Chipevvyan, 
:lothing  as  an 
IS  resorted  to 

be  paid  were 
ade  with  the 

ontracted  be- 
in  widih,  and 
if  the  stream. 
ich  had  been 
previous,  and 
canoes.  The 
in  a  deep  but 
foot  of  a  hill 
perpendicular 
om  eighty  to 


DR.  RICHARDSON  S  ADVENTURE  WITH  WOLVES, 


jVf^OLLJDce  : 


213 


214 


ADVENTURE  OF  DR.  RICHARDSON. 


one  hundred  feet,  on  which  lies  a  mass  of  fine  sand.  The  body  of  the 
river  pent  up  within  this  narrow  chasm,  dashed  furiously  around  the  pro- 
jecting rocky  columns,  and  discharged  itself  at  the  northern  extremity  in 
a  sheet  of  foam.  It  is  probable  tliat  the  Indians  in  reality  knew  little  of 
these  rapids ;  for  the  canoes  when  lightened  of  their  burden  ran  through 
this  defile  withou*^  sustaining  an'   injury. 

In  the  course  of  the  tlescent  a  visit  was  made  to  the  Copper  Moun- 
tains. To  these  hills  the  Copper  Indians,  and,  it  was  reported,  the  Es- 
quimaux also,  were  accustomed  to  come  and  search  for  this  metal,  of 
which,  when  found  in  a  free  state,  they  could  make  various  useful  arti- 
cles. But  the  impracticability  of  navigating  this  i  iver  from  its  source, 
and  the  absence  of  material  for  making  and  operating  a  smelter,  proved 
to  Franklin  and  his  men  that  any  considerable  mercantile  .-peculation  in 
this  enterprise  was  impossible. 

As  the  Esquimaux  country  was  approached,  the  expedition  advanced 
with  great  caution,  to  prevent  any  serious  collision  of  the  red  men  with 
their  Mongolian  neighbors.  Constant  watches  were  kept  day  and  night, 
and  the  officers  cheerfully  took  their  turns  with  the  rest  in  this  duty.  It 
was  on  one  of  these  occasions  that  Dr.  Richardson,  the  surgeon  of  the 
party,  met  with  the  following  curious  adventure:  "  One  night,  while  on 
the  first  watch,  he  had  seated  himself  on  a  hill  6verhanoing  the  river; 
his  thoughts  were  possibly  occupied  with  far  distant  scenes,  when  he  was 
aroused  by  an  indistinct  noise  behintl  him,  and,  on  looking  round,  saw 
that  nine  white  wolves  had  arranged  themselves  in  the  form  of  a  crescent 
round  him,  and  were  advancing  apparently  with  the  intention  of  driving 
him  into  the  river.  He  had  his  gun  in  his  hand,  but  did  not  dare  fire  for 
fear  of  alarming  any  Esquimaux  who  might  be  in  the  neighborhood. 
Upon  his  rising  they  halted,  and  when  he  advanced  toward  them  in  a 
menacing  manner,  they  at  once  made  way  for  his  passage  down  to  the 
tents." 

Having  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Coppermine,  the  journey  of  explor- 
ation eastward,  and  the  final  return  to  the  west  and  south,  was  one 
almost  unbroken  series  of  terrible  sufferings,  hardships,  and  privations. 
On  the   2 1st  of  July,  with  only  fifteen  days'  provisions  on  board,  they 


^- 


POINT  TURNAGAIN,  3,5 

embarked   upon   the  open   sea,  intending,  if  possible,  to  reach   Repulse 
Bay,  a  distance  of  some  six  or  seven  hundred  miles  to  the  east.    But  they 
encountered  Trightful  storms.     Their  boats  were  badly  shattered,   and 
their  provisions,  to  which  they   had   been   unable  to   add   any  amount 
were  almost  gone.     The  crew  complained  bitterly,  and  it  would   seem' 
that  the  climax  of  discouragement   had   been  reached   when  their  best 
boat  sank;  the  crew,  and  what  scanty  supplies  they  had,  narrowly  escap- 
ing destruction.     Accordingly,  when  they  reached   a  place,  now   perti- 
nently called  "  Point  Turnagain,"  it  was  decided   to  steer  westward  at 
once,  to  Arctic   Sound,  and   by  ascending   IIoo<I's  River,  to  gain  once 
more  the  interior.     Thence  they  sought   to   reach   Point   Lake  and  Ft 
Enterprise,  their  previous  winter  quarters.     The  prospect  was  discoura-" 
n,g  m  the  extreme,  for  winter  seemed   to  be  already  setting  in      The 
hunters  found  no  game,  and  their  stock  of  pemmican   was  exceedingly 
limited.     In   spite   of  the  threatening  weatiier,  their  dilapidated  canoes 
and  exhausted  larder,  they  managed  to  push  on  till  at  last  they  entered 
Hood's  River. 

The  Canadians  could  not  restrain  their  joy  at  having  turned  their 
backs  on  the  sea,  and  they  spent  the  first  evening  in  talking  over  their 
past  adventures  with  much  humor  and  no  little  exaggeration.  They  had 
displayed  great  courage  in  encountering  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  ma^ni. 
fied  to  them  by  their  novelty.  The  poor  Frenchmen,  no  doubt,  found  a 
d.stressmg  difference  between  the  frozen  plains  of  the  North,  and  the 
vmeyards  of  their  » Sunny  France,"  which  some  of  them,  perhaps 
remembered.  ^  ' 

After  remodehng  two  cauoes  from  the  remains  of  the  old  ones,  which 
had  been  renderec/,  almost  useless,  they  proceeded  on  foot  from  nea.  tiie 
mouth  of  Hood's  River  toward  Point  Lake,  150  miles  distant,  and  as  will 
be  remembered,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ft.  Enterprise.  It  is  impossible 
to  describe  the  sufferings  of  the  exhausted  crew  from  this  point.  They 
had  scarcely  set  out  when  a  bewildering  snowstorm  arose  which  so  em- 
barrassecl  their  progress  that  they  were  oblige<l  to  encan.p  for  several 
days.  When  at  last  the  storn.  abated,  and  they  atten.pted  to  advance, 
LrauRlm  tainted  from  hunger  and  sudden  exposure.     He  soon  revived 


'^^^~-'"~*W^' 


111! 


216 


A    USELESS   TRANSPOJiT. 


however,  by  takin;^-  a  small  quantity  of  portable  soup,  pressed  upon  him 
by  the  kindness   of  the   men.     So,  with    their   wet  garments   freczinj^  to 
their  l)acks,  and   limbs   tottering  from    slieer   exhaustion,  they  went   mis- 
erably    on.        The    men    wlio    earried     the   eanoes     were    often   blown 
over,  and    at   one  of  these   times   the   liest   canoe  was   broken    in   pieces. 
This  was  soon  utilized  by  making  a  fire  of  it  to  cook  the  little  remaining 
soup  and  arrow  root.     The  only  source  of  subsistence   left  them  was  the 
tr:pc-dc-rflchi\  a  species  of  liclien  which  grows  upon  the  rocks  or  frozen 
earth.     This,  althougli    it   served    to    keep    life  in  them,  was  debilitating 
and  unwholesome.     An   incident  occurred  at  this  time  which  shov/s  that 
even   in    circumstances   as  trying   as  those    v.'hicii  we  have  described,  the 
utmost  generosity  and  disinterestedness  may  be  shown.     One  day,  as  the 
officers  stood  shivering  around  a  small   fire,  and   suflering  intensely  from 
the   pangs  of  hunger,  Perrault,  a  Canadian,  produced  a  small   amount  of 
meat  which  he  had  saved  from   his   own    allovvance,  and  presented  each 
of  them  with  a  piece  of  pemmican.      "  It  was  received,"  says  Franklin, 
"with  great  thankfulness,  and  such  an    instance  of  self-denial   and    kind- 
ness filled  our  eyys  with  tears." 

At  length  they  reached  a  branch  of  tlie-  Coppermine,  of  such  great 
width  and  rapidity  that  it  could  not  be  crossed  as  readilv  as  the  smaller 
streams  which  they  iiad  lieen  in  the  habit  of  fording  daily.  A  raft  had  to 
be  made,  whose  construction,  in  their  present  weakened  state,  occupied 
several  days.  What  was  their  disappointment  and  cliagrin  to  find  that 
their  new  transport  was  useless;  they  could  not  get  it  across  the  river. 
Another  exhibition  of  self-sacrifice  was  then  made.  Dr.  Richardson 
volunteered  to  make  the  attempt  to  swim  across  the  river,  carrying  with 
him  a  line,  by  which  the  raft  could  be  drawn   across. 

He  launched  into  the  stream  with  the  line  around  his  waist;  but  when 
he  had  got  within  a  short  distance  of  the  opposite  baidc,his  arms  became 
numbed  with  cold,  and  he  lost  the  power  of  moving  them.  Still  he  per- 
severed, and,  turning  on  his  back,  had  nearly  gained  the  opposite  shore, 
when  his  legs,  too,  became  powerless,  and  to  the  infinite  alarm  of  his 
comrades  on  shore,  he  began  to  sink.  They  instantly  hauled  upon  the 
line  and  he  came  upon  the  surface,  and  was  gradually  drawn   ashore 


ipon 


m 


I 


i(# 


^fi»^mt.:i>'<*mm^m 


ed  upon  him 
frcczin<»-  to 
y  went  mis- 
often  blown 
n  in  pieces, 
le  remaininir 
leni  was  the 
ks  or  frozen 
debilitatinsr 
1  siiows  that 
L'scribed,  the 
„'  day,  as  the 
ensely  from 
1  anionnt  of 
sen  ted  each 
s  Franklin, 
1    and    kind- 

snch  tjfreat 
tile  smaller 
L  raft  had  to 
lie,  occupied 

0  find  that 
i  the  river. 
Richardson 
rrying  with 

:;  but  when 
•ms  became 
Still  he  per- 
)osite  shore, 
larm  of  his 
.1   upon  the 

1  ashore  in 


I'KRKAUI.T  DIVIDING    HIS  STORK. 


217 


^^^^^,^m^m»»mm 


il^MiUm^MMliS»^<: 


ii 


H 


I 


m 


ai8 


MURDER  OF  HOOD. 


■i.( 


an  almost  lifeless  state.  Being  rolled  up  in  blankets,  he  was  placed  be- 
fore a  good  fire  of  willows,  and  fortunately  was  just  able  to  speak 
enough  to  give  some  slight  directions  respecting  the  manner  of  treating 
him.  He  recovered  strength  after  time,  and  in  the  evening  was  able 
to  be  removed  to  his  tent.  It  was  then  found  that  his  whole  left  side 
was  :'eprived  of  feeling,  in  consequence  of  sudden  exposure  to  too  great 
heat.  He  did  not  recover  from  this  until  the  following  summer.  What 
all  felt,  upon  seeing  the  skeleton  shown  by  the  doctor  when  he  stripped, 
cannot  be  told  in  words.  His  condition,  as  well  as  that  of  the  rest,  may 
be  best  explained  by  an  extract  from  his  own  journal: 

"  It  may  be  v/orthy  of  remark,  that  I  should  have  had  little  hesitation 
in  any  former  {leriod  of  my  life  at  iDlungiiig  into  water, — even  below  38° 
Fahrenheit;  but  at  this  time  I  was  reduced  almost  to  a  skeleton,  and  like 
the  rest  of  the  party,  suffered  from  degrees  of  cold  that  would  have  been 
disregarded  in  health  and  vigor.  During  the  whole  of  our  march,  we 
experienced  that  no  quantity  of  clothing  would  keep  us  warm  while  we 
fasted ;  but  on  those  occa'^ions  on  which  we  were  enabled  to  go  to  bed 
with  full  stomachs,  we  passed  the  night  in  a  warm  and  comfortable 
manner." 

The  river  was  at  last  crossed,  but  a  great  depression  of  spirits  existed 
in  the  case  of  every  one.  Hood,  Richardson,  and  Back,  were  all  lame 
and  weak.  The  voyageurs  were  somewhat  more  vigorous,  but  did  not 
hope  to  come  out  of  the  wilderness  alive.  Finally,  Franklin  and  eight 
men  decided  to  push  on  towarl  Ft.  Enterprise.  Three  of  these  died 
almost  at  once  Franklin  succeeded  in  reaching  the  house,  but  found 
neither  occupants  nor  provisions.  In  eighteen  days  Back  and  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson came  up.  Hood  had  set  out  with  a  party  of  three  Canadians  and 
one  Indian.  A  short  time  after  his  body  was  found  with  evidences  that 
he  had  been  murdered.  The  three  Canadians  were  never  seen  aeain. 
As  Michel,  the  Indian  guide,  remained  strong  and  vigorous,  it  was 
thought  he  had  murdered  the  rest  of  the  party  and  feasted  upon  their 
bodies.  As  soon  as  this  suspicion  was  confirmed  he  was  promptly  shot 
by  Dr.  Richardson.  A  partridge,  killed  by  Hepburn,  was  all  the  meat 
that  the  party  last  arriving  at  the  Fort  had  tasted  for  six  weeks.     Parts 


-i^i1KS«<lWBBBi»fcfat3a^ 


RETURN  TO  ENGLAND.  3^9 

of  their  boots  and  clothing  had  been  consumed  during  the  march,  and 
soup  made  out  of  old  bones  and  skin  was  considered  a  luxury. 

Help  and  supplies  at  last  arrived,  but  not  until  several  more   of  the 
unfortunate  party   had  perished.     The  hardships  of  the  survivors,  how- 
ever, were  now  over.     Communication  could  now  be  had  with  the  posts 
of  the  fur  companies,  and  the  persons  employed  at  these  points  were  con- 
strained to   the   greatest  kindness  possible  when   they  saw  the  pitiable 
condition  of  the  unfortunate  crew.       The  Canadians    were  sent    home 
at    once,   being    paid    in  orders    upon    the    Hudson's    Bay    Company. 
The  officers  of  the  party  were  obliged  to  remain  some  time  at  one  of  the 
forts  before  they  were  able  to  travel    far.     Their  feet   and  limbs  were 
swollen,  digestion  and  assimilation  were  impaired,  and    racking  rheuma- 
tism  was  common  from  the  severe  and  prolonged   exposure.     Through 
the  kindness  of  the  company's  agents,  their  health  was  at  last  restore'd, 
and  they  proceeded  to  England,  where   they  arrived  safely   in  the  sum- 
mer  of  1832-with   the   exception   of  the  gallant  Hood,  whose  fate  we 
have  related  above. 

Thus  terminated  Franklin's  first  voyage,  being  as  far  as  possible  a 
faithful  execution  of  the  plan,  as  it  has  already  been  communicated  to 
the  reader. 

An  account  of  the  next  voyage  of  this  gallant  explorer  will  be  given 
in  a  following  chapter. 


BtailiMitJii«mg«{r»iWI<  jt  li'i  ii  f  HWiTiM 


),  I 


i   I 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

RUSSIAN    ARCTIC    VO'i  AGES — LAPTEW    BROTHERS — FAILURE    OF   SCHA- 

LAROW REMAINS    OF    MAMMOTH ARCTIC   VOYAGES    OF  BILLINGS 

PLUNDERED    BY    NATIVES FREQUENCY    OF    ANIMAL     REMAINS 

—  KOTZEBUE's    voyage — UNWELCOME    HOSPITALITY — A    UNIQUE 
ISLAND. 

Our  last  refgrcnce  to  Russian  Arctic  cxplo.atiou  was  an  account  of 
the  final  voyage  of  Behring  in  1741.  But  little  was  afterward  done  by 
the  Russians  in  the  way  of  organized  cfTort  in  this  direction,  until  the 
period  at  which  we  have  now  arrived.  The  whole  of  the  Arctic  coast  of 
Russia,  including  Siberia,  had,  however,  been  discovered  piecemeal  by 
fur  traders  and  adventurers.  "These  skins,"  says  ri.  Russian  writer, 
"were  the  golden  fleece  of  those  days  and  of  those  regions,  and  tempted 
not  only  Cossacks  and  fur-hunters  to  brave  the  severest  hardships,  but 
even  induced  persons  of  mucli  higher  rank  to  leave  their  fiimilies  and 
abandon  the  conveniences  of  life,  in  order  to  plunge  into  the  fearful  and 
unknown  wildernesses  of  Siberia  in  the  hope  of  enriching  themselves  by 
this  trade.  It  is  to  the  credit  of  the  national  character,  however,  that 
their  desire  of  gain  never  drove  the  to  the  atrocities  of  which  the  gold- 
seeking  conquerors  of  Mexico  and  Peiu  were  guilty." 

Thus  gradually  had  been  explored  two-fifths  of  the  whole  Arctic 
coast,  from  the  White  Sea  to  Behring's  Strait.  Piece  by  piece,  too, 
had  a  great  jDortion,  if  not  all  of  it,  been  surveyed  by  orders  of  the  gov- 
ernment; and  much  valuable  information  in  relation  to  the  country  and  its 
various  aboriginal  tribes  had  been  gleaned  and  collected  through  officials 
and  private  adventurers.  At  the  very  date  of  Behring's  voyage,  the 
brothers  Laptew  were  winning  distinction  as  explorers  in  those  regions. 
Lieutenant  Charlton  Laptew,  in  May,  1741,  sailed  down  the  Taimur 
River  to  its  mouth,  which  he  ascertained  to  be  in  latitude   75"  36'.     He 

220 


:i    r; 


.•#i*iji***«^®""'»^ 


FAILURE   OF  SC//ALA/iOlV. 

'"""'7   ""■■''"-"'   ^""^•-•'"9  i'.  c.pionng  ,1,0  coa.t  we,,  „f  ,ho  Lc, 
Iwn .,,,  Won  „pp„„„o,,  ,„  ,,,0,00.,  P,,.„,sohisoh,schovv,  „,,„  ,,..,  „io.|  Z 
va,„  .=.  ..„„b,o  ,ho  ,c,  oa„o  „f  Tai,„„,  Pe„i„s„,„,   „,,  ,,„j  ,,,„ 
m  o.plo,.,„.  ,h„so  .,.„„,pi.al„o  .h,.o,  .i„oe   ,734.     D;,„i.,,  L..,p,ol    .„, 

,     o-  •      •  .,      »•'"'"''■"'"'="'>  tlK  oas,.,.noo  1736,     Havin-  d„„bIocl 
U,e.Sv,a.„,  N„,«  of .  Siberia,  ho  „po„.  „i,  „.,  vvinto,-  „„    U,o  I,.,i,. 
R,ve,,  a,,„„e  .0,,  .  e,.eo,   farther  eas,,  a,.,  i„  ,a.i.„„o  7,..     p„  Jj,,., 
tbenoo    e  oxa™,„ea  a„d  surveyed  .he  eoas.  and  .he  Boar  Islands,  win.e,! 
in<(  on  the  Kolyma  River. 

He  had  been  preceded  in  those  regions  l,y  Paulnslcy,  in  ,7,,  For 
uvo  snceoss.va  seasons  Lap.ew  now  h,bored  in  vain  .0  double  Baanow 
Roeks,andro.„r„od  a.  ,en,nb  .0  I„kou.sk  in  ,743,  after  a  sojourn  of 
so-venyoars  on  .hoshoreof.heAro.io  Ooean.  In  ,73s  SchalLv,  a 
mcrchan.of  I„ko„.sk,  sailed  £ro,n  .ho  Yana  River,  in  a  ve.o,  hui..  a 
h.s  own  expense,  and  snceeeded  in  doubling  the  Baranow  Rook,  but 
f;iuo(l  to  n.ako  Cane  Schel-i^a-.,!       ^      ■     1         ■    ,  >->"-iis,  out 

V,  pe  .■,01  olagsko,.     Aga,„  he  .r,ed  and  again  was  driven 
aol,  hon,  „at  ,cy  goal   of  bis  a.nbi.ion;  and  .ho  .hi„l  .i,„e,  1,.   ,760 

«c  .  w  o  had   boon  on  .be  Indigirka  and   the    Bear   Islani,  r  ported 
.  .:.    be  bad  d,seovered,  thirty  miles  north  of  the  ,„ou.h  of  .bo  Kro  .ovoi 
■n  .1.0  es.ua,  V  of  .he  Kolyma,  a  group  of  inhabi.ed  islands,  wi.b  .be  re' 
-.-..fa        ,  and  traoe,  of  a  large  population  at  some  previous  .i,„e 
u   ,7«,  .chalarow  started  anew  .0  solve  his  personal  pioblenr  of  doub. 
h..g  Cape  Sebolagsko,,  but  di.l  no.  ro.um.  .^His  unfor.„na.e  ,lea.b  (from 
s.arv„.,„n  ,.  is  said)  is  .ho  n,ore  .0  be  lamen.od,"  says  Wrango.  ,  .as 
.e  saonfieed  h,s  propor.y  and  life  .0  a  disin.eres.e.1  ah.,  and  united  Intel, 
hgeuee  ,n,d  energy  in  a  remarkable  degree."     The  ,san,e  vear  Admiral 
Tscb,sobagow  faded  in  his  olfort  to  sail  at-onnd  .be   Spitsbergen  group 

the  kI!:::'"^""  ''•"'""•'  -""  '•"'^'"™"  -■-^="  >-  --  n.;; 

.Nleanwhile,  on  .he  Kan.eba.ka  side,  .be  fur-.r.a.lers  iu  ques.  of  prod. 
....  for  .ho,r  profitable  oommeroe   with  China  au,l  Japl,  ba.l  .  adu- 
a -y  .bsoovored    the    islands    of    the   North  Paoifie;  Norvodisko; 
U est  Aleutian,  n,  ,745;    Paikow,  the  Fox,  in  ,755;  Tol.tvoh,  the  oen- 


.|i4.j*S-..*«««»W*'*=*«**''« 


229 


VOrAGES  OF  BILLINGS. 


; ':.  r 


m': 


tr.il  jjroup  called  by  his  name,  in  1760;  Glottow,  Kadiak,  in  1763;  and 
Kreinitzin,  Aliaska  Peninsula,  in  1768.  In  1770  a  merchant  named 
Lachow  or  Liakov,  while  gathering  a  cargo  of  fossil  ivory  about  Svia- 
toi  Noss,  saw  a  herd  of  reindeer  making  for  the  Siberian  coast  from  the 
north,  and  rightly  judged  they  must  have  come  from  land.  Proceeding 
in  his  sledge  over  the  ice,  guided  by  their  tracks,  he  discovered  at  a 
distance  of  forty  miles  from  the  cape  he  had  left,  an  island,  and  twelve 
miles  farther  a  second,  both  wonderfully  rich  in  mammoth  teeth.  Duly 
reporting  to  the  government  and  securing  from  it  the  exclusive  privilege 
to  dig  for  mammoth  bones  in  the  islands  he  had  found,  Lachow  re- 
turned, in  1773,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  discover  the  largest  of  the 
three  which  still  bear  his  name.  "The  whole  soil  of  the  first  of  these 
islands,"  says  Saunikow,  "appears  to  consist  of  these  remains." 

(^  ^^,,  BILLINGS'  ARCTIC  VOYAGES. 

The  great  Empress  of  Russia,  Catharine  II.,  in  her  numerous  projects 
for  the  promotion  of  commerce,  with  the  comprehensive  sagacity  for 
which  she  was  distinguished,  could  not  fail  to  recognize  the  value  of  ex- 
ploration, especially  within  what  she  regarded  as  her  empire.  In  fur- 
therance of  her  design,  Joseph  Billings,  who  had  been  with  Cook  in  his 
last  voyage,  was  induced  to  enter  the  Russian  naval  service,  and  in  1 787 
was  intrusted  with  an  expedition  for  the  examination  of  the  north  coast 
of  Siberia  from  the  Kolyma  River  to  Behring's  Straits.  Captain  Saryt- 
chew,  a  Russian,  was  placed  in  subordinate  command  of  one  of  the  two 
vessels  constituting  the  expedition.  They  sailed  down  the  Kolyma  on 
the  opening  of  navigation,  and  were  much  harassed  by  ice  and  overflow, 
which  drove  them  sometimes  into  the  inundated  bottom-lands.  Reach- 
ing the  ocean  they  pushed  to  the  east,  getting,  however,  to  only  a  few 
leagues  beyond  Baranow  Rocks.  The  Russian  captain  volunteered  to 
proceed  further  by  boat,  but  Billings  deemed  the  project  unfeasible  be- 
cause of  the  ice,  and  returned  to  lakoutsk,  leaving  Iiis  vessels  aground 
in  the  Kolyma.  He  was,  however,  intrusted  with  a  second  expedition 
to  explore  the  islands  of  the  North  Pacific,  two  vessels  being  built  for 
that  purpose  at  Okhotsk.     In  June,  1790,  Billings  visited  the  Aleutian 


^*ii 


DESCRIPTION  OF  NATIVES. 

Islands,,  where  he  found  the  natives  so  cruelly  treated  by  the  Russian  and 
Cossack  fur-traders,  that  he   felt  compelled  to    make  an  energetic   re- 
monstrance to  the  home  government.     Despite   his  efforts  and  those  of 
the  central    authority,  the    local    oppression    continued    without  serious 
abatement,  and  there,  as  elsewhere,  the  aborigines  have  been   almost  to- 
tally extinguished  l)y  overwork  and  virtual  slavery  to  the  whites.  From 
the  Bay  of  Saint  Lawrence,  Billings  proceeded  overlard  on  the  13th  of 
August  to   explore   and   survey  the   Tchuktchi    Peninsula.     His  efforts 
were  weak  and  fruitless;  his  journeys  short,  and  stoppages  frequent;  and 
he  won  no  ftivor  with  the  natives.     Jealous  of  the  Russian   surveyors' 
chains,  which  they  considered  typical  of  the  chains   of  slavery,  they  did 
not  hesitate  to  wrest  them   from   their   unwelcome  visitors,  whom    they 
would  not  suffer  to  write  any  notes  or  observations  as   far  as  they  could 
prevent,  so  that  the  exploration  proved  abortive.     Sauer,  the  historian  of 
the  expedition,  relates  a  few  incidents:     "We  passed  three  villages,  and 
halted  at  a  fourth  for  the  night.     The    huts  were  dug  under  ground, 
covered  with   earth,  of  a  square  form,  with  a  fireplace  in  the  middle, 
and  four  large  stones  made  the  hearth.     We  were  obliged  to  treat  with 
them  for  water,  and  for  fuel    to  boil    our  food,  and  to  pay  for  it  imme- 
diately.    Observing  our  good    nature   and    want  of   power,  they  took  a 
liking  to  the  buttons   on  our  coats,  and  cut  them  off  without  ceremony. 
The  men  were  tall  and   stout,  and  the   warrior   had  his  legs   and  arms 
punctured.     The  women  were  well  made,  and    above    the    middle  size; 
healthy  in  their  appearance;  and  by  no  means  disagreeable  in  their  per- 
sons; their  dress  was  a  doe's  skin,  with  the  hair   on,  and   one  garment 
covered  their  limbs  and  the  whole  body.     They  wore   their  hair  parted, 
and  in  two  plaits,  one  hanging  over  each  shoulder,  their  arms   and   face 
being  neatly  punctured."     Captain  Billings  was  still  in  lakoutsk  in  1793, 
but  his  explorations  by  land  or  sea  did  not  add   much   to  tlie  volume  of 
geographical  information,  and  his  chief  merit  lies  in  his  humane  effort  to 
ameliorate  the  unhappy  condition  of   the  oppressed   natives  in  ihc  Aleu- 
tian Islands. 

The  group  of  islands  known   as  the   Arcliipelago  of  New   Siberia 
was  discovered  by  Sirawatsky  in  1S06,  and  explored   by  Hedenstrom  in 


i>i!^»»!^.#!WM«i»'5 


224 


0immm>i!^ 


A  MAMMUT//. 


898 


1S09.  They  lie  almost  clue  north  from  Yana  Iky,  east  of  the  delta  of 
the  Lena,  between  latitude  73^' and  76^  and  lon-itude  135'^  to  150". 
They  are  generally  rocky,  and  arc  covered  all  the  year  round  with  snow" 
without  bush  or  tree  anywhere.  They  arc  uninhabited,  but  with  traces' 
of  former  population,  as  well  as  „f  hir-e  trees  and  fossilised  charcoal. 

Their  chief  importance  now  is  due  to  the  immense  .piantities  of  fossil 
ivory,  or  bones  <,f  the  mammoth,  which  are  found  embc.lded  in  the  soil. 
According  to  Iledenstrom's   account,  the  tusks  are  smaller  and  li-hter, 
l.iit  at  the  same  time   more   numerous  toward   the   north  of  the  ishmds' 
and  often  weigh  only  three  or  four  poods-, oS  to  ,44  pounds-while  on 
the  main  land  of  Siberia,  it   is  said,  there  have  been  found  tusks  which 
wei-ncd    twelve  poods,  (,r  .432    pounds  avoirdupois!      To    this    larger 
-rowth    must    have    belon-e.l    the    mammoth    discovered    in    1799,  "by 
Schumachow,  one  of  the   Timgusian  nomads,  while  scarchin-  for  fossil 
ivory  near  Lake  Ancoul.  In  ,803  the  ice  in  which  it  had  been  enveloped 
having   gradually  melted  away,  this   huge  carcass   fell  on  a  sand  bank 
where  its  flesh  was  so  well  preserved  that  it  afforded  acceptable  food  for 
dogs  and  beasts  for  at  least  three  seasons.     In    1804   the  original   discov- 
erer carried  away  the  tusks,  which   he  sold   for  about   forty  dollars.     In 
1S06  Adams  foimd  it  where  it  had   fallen,  in   a    mutilated   condition  but 
not  entirely  diveste.l   of  fk.h.     The   skeleton    was,  however,  complete, 
except  o.,e  foreleg  and  some  joints  of  the  tail.     About  one-fourth  of  the' 
skin  had  disappeared,  but  the  remainder  required  the  imited  elTorts  of  te.- 
men  to  remove  it  to  the  shore,  a  distance  of  only  fifty  yards.     It    was  of 
a  dark  gray  color,  and  was  covered    with  a  short,  curlv,  reddish   wool 
besides   some    long  black    hairs,  resembling   bristles,  which    varied     in' 
length  from  one  to  eighteen  inches.     The  animal  was  a  male,  and  had  a 
long  mane;  and  the  whole  body  was  eventually  taken  to  St.  Petersbun^ 
to  grace  the  imperial   museimi,  while   samples  of  its  wool  were  sent  to 
llH'  i)rincipal  museums  throughout  Europe.     The  tusks  were  repurchased 
l>y  the  government,  and    replaced   in   their  original   sockets.      Its  chief 
measurements  are:     From  the  forehead  to  the  end  of  the  mutilated  tail, 
sixteen  feet,  four  inches;  height  to  the  ton  of  the  dorsal  spines  nine  feet' 
four  inches;  the  length   of  the   tusks  along  the  curvature,  nine  feet,  six 


*.i»a»*^#«*««^«'«*******' 


S26 


THE  RUIilK. 


inches.  Hesidcs  the  rcMuains  of  the  Elcphas  Primigcnitis^  ns  it  is  scicn- 
tilically  named — or  piiniojjcniai  elephant,  as  it  mifjht  be  popiihuly  called, 
had  not  the  word  nianiinoth  taken  its  permanent  phicc  in  onr  Hteratnre 
— the  bones  of  the  rhinoceros,  budah),  horse,  ox,  and  even  sheep,  have 
been  found,  all  demonstratin;^  tliat  there  was  a  time  when  the  Arctic 
rejjions  could  have  been  easily  explored  had  there  only  been  men  to  do 
it.  And  when  the  nun  tame  -though,  accordin«^  to  the  native  lef^end, 
"  there  were  once  more  hearths  of  the  Omoki  on  the  shore  of  the  Kolyma, 
than  tliere  are  stars  in  tlie  clear  sky  " — they  were  hardly  the  men  to  busy 
themselves  overmuch  with  scientilic  researches,  or  to  leave  records  to 
posterity.  The  Omoki  have  now  disappeared  from  even  the  mainland, 
and  the  islands  of  New   Siberia  are  alike   untenantable  by  man  or  beast. 


mm 


h 

i> 

KOTZEBUE'S  ARCTIC  VOYAGE. 

To  these  surveys  of  the  northern  coast  and  islands  of  Siberia  was 
added  a  «jcnuinc  Arctic  voyatje  of  exploration  in  1815.  To  the  public 
spirit  and  zeal  for  knowledjjfc  of  Count  Nicholas  Romanzof,  or  Riov- 
mantsof,  who  had  been  made  Secretary  of  vState  in  1807,  was  Russia  in- 
debted for  this  expedition.  It  consisted  of  one  vessel  of  180  tons,  which 
was  intrusted  to  Lieut.  Otto  Von  Kotzebue,  son  of  the  celebrated 
German  dramatist  of  that  name.  He  had  accompanied  Krusenstern  in 
his  voyage  around  the  world,  1803-6.  As  his  chief  companions  the 
scientific  count  had  secured  the  poet  and  naturalist,  Ciiamisso,  and  the 
physician  and  naturalist,  Eschscholtz.  Twenty-two  men  constituted  the 
crew  of  their  ship,  the  "  Rurik,"  so  named  in  honor  of  the  first  king 
of  Russia,  the  famous  Varangian  chief  or  Norse  Viking,  who  founded 
the  first  Russian  dynasty  953  years  before.  They  left  Plymouth,  Eng- 
land, in  October,  1S15,  and  in  March,  1S16,  arrived  off  Waihu  or 
Easter  Island,  about  800  leagues  west  of  Chili— 27°  6'  south,  by  109" 
17'  west — where  they  were  prevented  from  landing  by  the  natives,  who 
were  embittered  by  the  injuries  received  at  the  hands  of  foreign  visitors. 
On  the  17th  of  June  they  reached  the  Bay  of  Avatcha,  and  pushing 
north,   landed  on   St.  Lawrence   Island   on  the   27th.     The  inhabitants 


«Miw*iwfswTO!gg'"'r*??io?!^^ 


ii»!j«.|«»;a8i«f*** 


,  as  it  is  8':icn- 
piilaily  called, 

our  literature 
u  sheep,  liavc 
ic'u  the  Arctic 
JLii  men  to  do 
lative  lefjend, 
f  the  Kolyma, 
»•  men  to  busy 
ive  records  to 
the  mainland, 

man  or  beast. 


)f  Siberia  was 
?o  the  public 
izof,  or  Riov- 
Ms  Russia  in- 
!o  tons,  which 
lie  celebrated 
Lruseiistern  in 
•nipanions  the 
Tjisso,  and  the 
:onstituted  the 
the  first   king 

who  founded 
^mouth,  Eng- 
:)fr  Waihu  or 
loulh,  by  109° 
i  natives,  who 
)rcign  visitors. 

and  pushing 
ic   inhabitants 


UNWELCOME  I/OSFITAUTr,  ^ 

ha.l  never   had   any  intercourse  with   Europeans,  and   now   receive.l  the 
visitors  with  great  friendliness  and  unwelcome  hospitality. 

"  So  long  as  the  naturalists  wandered  about  on  the  hills,"  says  Kotze- 
l.ue,  "I  staid  with  my  acquaintances,  who,  when  they  found  that  I  was 
the  commander,   invited   me  into  their  tents.     Here   a  <Iirty  skin  was 
spread  on  the  floor,  on  which  !  had  to  sit,  and  then  they  came  in,  one  af- 
ter the  other,  embraced  me,  rubbed  their   noses   bard  against  mine,  and 
fmished  their  caresses  by  spitting  on  tlieir  hands,   and  then  striking  mc 
several   times  over  the  face.     Although  these  proofs  of  frien.lship  gave 
nu-very  little  pleasure,    I    bore  all  patiently;  the   only   thing   I   di<l   to 
lighten  tlieir  caresses  soniewhat,  was  to  distribute  tobacco  leaves.    These 
the  natives  received  with  great  pleasure,  but  they  wished  innnediately  to 
renew  their  proofs  of  friendship.     Now  I  betook  myself  with  speed   to 
knives,  scissors,  and  beads,  and  by  distributing  some,  succeeded  in  avert- 
ing  a  new  attack.     Hut  a  still  greater  calamity  awaited,  when,  in  order 
to  ref.esh  me  bodily,  they  brought  forward  a   wooden   tray  with   whale 
blubber.     Nauseous   as  this   food  is  to  a  European  stomach,  I  boldly  at- 
tacked the  dish.     This,  along  with  now  presents  which  I  distributed,  im- 
pressed the  seal  on  the  friendly  relations   bet  -,  een    us.     After  the   meal, 
our  nosts  made  arrangements  for  dancing  and  singing,  which  was  ac- 
companie,!  on  a  little  tambourine."     Two  days  later,  as  they  sailed  away 
to  the  north,  past  the  island,  the  natives  killed  a  dog  in  view   of  them, 
perhaps  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  departing  Europeans. 

Passing  through  Behring's  Strait,  they  arrived  on  the  1st  of  August 
within  a  broad  bay  or  inlet,  beginning  at  66°  42'  30'  by  164°  14' 
.^o",  which  they  proceeded  to  explore  with  great  zeal,  booing  per- 
chance to  find  the  long-sought  communication  with  the  Atlantic.  ^They 
spent  a  fortnight  \n  its  survey,  and  thought  at  one  time  to  find  a  passage 
south  to  Norton  Sound.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  evervwhere  sur- 
rounded  by  land,  and  was  named  Kotzebue  Sound,  while  a  considerable 
ishuul  and  bay  discovered  during  the:r  exploration  were  named  respec- 
tively Chamisso  and  Eschscholtz,  in  honor  of  his  companions,  the  natural- 
ists. The  attention  of  these  gentlemen  was  attracted  to  a  rcmarkable- 
and  as  far  as  known  unique-island.     It  had  an  elevation  of  about  100 


# 


DEATH  OF  KOTZEBUE. 

feet,  and  the  appearance  of  a  chalk  cliff,  but  on  closer  observation  proved 
to  be  a  mass  of  ice,  on  which  had  been  deposited  in  the  course  of  ao-cs.  a 
layer  of  blue  clay  and  turf-earth,  only  six  inches  thick,  but  covered  with 
luxuriant  vegetation.  "The  ice  must  have  been  several  hundred  thou- 
sand years  old,"  says  Nordcnskiold,  in  descnbin<j  this  find;  "for  on  its  be- 
ing melted  a  lar<(e  luunber  of  bones  and  tusks  of  the  mammoth  appeared, 
from  which  we  may  draw  the  conclusion  that  the  ice  stratum  was  formed 
during  the  period  in  which  the  mammoth  lived  in  these  regions."  Its 
ascertained  latitude  was  66°  i^'  36',  and  it  was  thoroughly  re-exam- 
ined by  Dr.  Collie,  the  surgeon  of  Beechey's  expedition  in  1827,  and  still 
later  by  the  traveler  Dall. 

Leaving  Kotzebue  Sound  on  the  15th  of  August,  for  the  Asiatic  side, 
they  beheld  the  wide-spread  Arctic  Ocean,  quite  free  from  ice  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  and  might  perhaps  have  reached  what  is  now 
known  as  Wrangell  Land,  hail  they  pushed  boldly  to  the  north.  A 
contrary  course  was  taken,  and  returning  through  Behring's  Strait,  they 
wintered  far  to  the  south  on  one  of  the  group  of  islands  to  which  Chat- 
ham, Calvert,  and  Nautilus  belong.  In  1817  Kotzebue  set  out  for  the 
north,  but  being  violently  thrown  against  one  of  the  ship's  timbers  in  a 
gale,  he  lost  his  health  and  courage,  and  other  difficulties  1  -t  being 
wanting,  he  returned  to  Europe  without  having  again  penetrated  the 
Polar  Sea,  arriving  at  home  in  iSiS.  He  made  a  voyage  around  the 
world,  1S33-6,  which  is  foreign  to  our  subject,  and  died  in  1846,  in  his 
fiftieth  year. 


fST:^:'cssssme^wa«mm 


HlHf liiiji.  J  rcs"- 


»imrjii$0*^'' 


ervation  jjrovcd 
loursc  of  ages,  a 
It  covered  with 

Inindred  thou- 
;  "for  on  its  l)e- 
itioth  appeared, 
mil  was  formed 

regions."  Its 
ighly  re-exam- 

1S37,  and  still 

he  Asiatic  side, 
)nr»  ice  as  far  as 
1  what  is  now 
the  north.  A 
g's  Strait,  they 
o  which  Chat- 
iet  out  for  the 
•'s  timbers  in  a 
ties  ii')t  being 
penetrated  tiie 
ge  around  the 
in  1846,  in  his 


■m 


CHAPTFIt    XXVI. 

RUSSIAN  EXPEDITIONS-WRANGELL-WOOD  HILI.S-DESCENT  OF  THE 
LKXA- FATHER  MICHEL  _  CLOTHING  FOR  WINTER  PROCURED- 
STAKT  FOR  CAPE  SCHELAGSKOI -A  SLEDGE  LOADED  _  TENTING 
I.V  THE  ARCTIC  REGIONS  _  SEVERE  COLD  -RETURN  RIVER- 
TRADING  RKANDY  TO  NATIVES-A  SIBERIAN  FAIR-UNWELCOME 
HOSPITALITY— A    TCHUKTCHI    DANCE. 

Two  small  exploring  expeditions,  or  rather  one  expedition  in  two 
divisions,  was  organized  by  the  Russian  naval  department  in  .820,  each 
under  command  of  a  lieutentaut,  with  two  junior  officers,  a  medica'l  offi- 
cer, who  was  also  to   be  a  naturalist,  and  two  seamen,  one  a  smith  and 
the.  other  a  carpenter.     Their  instructions,  including  evplanatorv  pream- 
1.1c,  were  as  follows:     "  From  the  journals  and  reports  of  all  other  expe- 
ditions  undertaken  to  the  Polar  Ocean,  it  appears  that  it  is   impossible  to 
navigate  it  for  scientific  purposes  even  in  summer,  owing  to  the  presence 
of  immense  quantities  of  drift-ice.     On  the  other  hand,  it  is  known  that 
Sergeant    Andrejew  drove    over    the  ice    in  the  spring  of    ,763    with 
slclges;  and   the  same  was  done  by   Messrs.   Iledenstrom   an<l    Pschen- 
i/yn    i„    .809,   .810    and    ,8n,  when    the  former    surveyed    the    Bear 
Islands,  and  the  latter  the   Lachow  Islands  and  New  Siberia.     As  this 
appears  to  l)e  tlie  only  practical   plan  for  the  execution  of  His  Impe- 
rial Majesty's  desire,  its  adoption  has  been  resolved  on  bv  the   depart- 
ment of  the  admiralty  with  respect  to   the  expedition  now  to  be  sent. 
Accordingly  the  first  division  of  that  expedition  is  directed  to  proceed  in 
sledges  to  survey  the  coast  eastward  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kolyma  as 
far  as  Cape    Schelagskoi,  and  the.icc  to  proceed  in  a  northerly"  ,lirec- 
tion,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  an  inhabited  country  exists"  in  that 
(juarter,  as  asserted  b .    the  Tchuktrhi  and  others." 

The    first    division    was   intrusted    to    Lieutenant    Ferdinand    Von 

229 


Ij 


\lt 


i  ' 


f» 


2ao 


li'OOD  HILLS. 


VVrangei:,  with  the    midshipman  Matinschkin,  the  mate   Kosmin,  two 
seamen— one  a  carpenter  and  the  other  a  smith— uiul   Dr.  Kybcr,  sur- 
geon  and  naturalist,  as  subordinates.     The  second  was  placed  in  charge 
of  Lieut.  Peter  Feodorovitch  Anjou,  with  the  mate   Ilgin  and  Dr.  Figu- 
rin,  surgeon  and  naturalist,  as  subordinates.     The  results  ..ttained  by  the 
second  division  were  never  formally  published,  as  their  papers  were  acci- 
dentally burnt.     It   is,  however,  known  that  they  tailed  to  discover  the 
"inhabited  country  in  a  northerly  direction,  as  alleged  by  tiie  Tchuk- 
tchi    and  others,"  whicii   was  the  main  object  of   both  sections  of  the 
expedition,    and    that  they  surveyed    the    New    Siberia    Islands.     The 
remarkable  Wood   Hills  of  those  islands  are  thus  referred  to  by  Anjou: 
"  They  form  a  steep  declivity  twenty  fathoms  high,  extending  about  five 
versts  (three  miles)  along  the  coast.     In  this  bank,  which  is  exposed  to 
the  sea,  beams  or  trunks  of  trees  are  found,  generally  in  a  horizontal  posi- 
tion, but   with  great   irregularity,   fifty  or  more  of  them  together,  the 
largest  being  about   ten    inches  in    diameter.      The    wood  is  not    very 
hard,  is  friable,  has  a  black  color,  and  a  slight  gloss.      When  laid  on 
the  fire  it  does  not  burn  with  a  flame,  but  glimmers,  aiul  emits  a  res- 
inous odor."      They  had    been    similarly  described    by   Medenstrom  in 
iSii,  who    adds    some  particulars    not  given    by  Anjou:     "They  are 
thirty  fathoms  high,  and  consist  of  horizontal  strata  of  sandstone,  alter- 
nating with  strata  of  bituminous  beams  or  trunks  of  trees.     On  ascend- 
ing these  hills  fossilized  charcoal  is  everywhere  met  with,  covered  appar- 
ently with  ashes;  but  on  closer  examination  this  ash  is  also  found  to  be  a 
petrifaction,  and  so  hard   that  it  can  scarcely  be  scraped  ofT  with  a  knife. 
On  the  summit  another  curiosity  is  found,  namely,  a  long  row  of  beams 
resembling  the  former,  but  fixed   perpendicularly  in  the  sandstone.     The 
ends,  which   project   from  seven    to   ten   inches,  are  for   the    most    part 
broken.     The  whole  has  the  ajipearancc  of  a  ruinous  dike."     These  cu- 
rious remains  afford  strong   presumptive  evidence,  that  sometime  in  the 
vast  geological  ages  of  the  past,  those  regions  enjoyed  a  far  more  tem- 
perate climate  than  now.     It  is  not  impossible  that  another  revolution  of 
the  globe  is  slowly  progressing,  whereby  all  parts  of  the  earth's  surface 
successively  pass  under  the  north  pole  of  the  heavens. 


■ 


11* 


,M;'V:^^^-'  "^'' 


DESCENT  OF  THE  LENA. 


231 


xsmin,  two 
Cyber,  sur- 
1  in  ch;ir<;^e 

Dr.  F\<r\\. 
led  ]iy  the 
were  acci- 
iscover  the 
le  Tchiik- 
)ns  of  the 
nds.  Tlie 
by  Anjou: 
about  five 
jxposed  to 
ontal  posi- 
etiier,  the 

not    very 
n  laid  on 
nits  a  rcs- 
nstrom  in 
They  are 
ane,  alter- 
'n  ascend- 
ed appar- 
id  to  be  a 
h  a  knife, 
of  beams 
ne.     The 
lost    part 
rhese  cii- 
le  in  the 
lore  tein- 
jlution  of 
's  surface 


The  members  of  the  expedition  left  St.  Petersburg  on  the  ^th  of 
April,  1820,  and  proceeded  together  as  far  as  Moscow,  where  Anjou  and 
Kosmin  remained  behind  to  procure  the  necessary  instruments  for  both 
divisions.  Wrangell  and  MatinschUin  pushed  on  to  Irkoutsk,  making 
the  journey  of  34S3  English  miles  from  St.  Petersburg  in  fifty-six  days. 
In  June  they  were  rejoined  l)y  the  other  members  of  the  expedition,  and 
on  the  7th  of  July  Wrangell's  party  left  the  capital  of  Siberia.  On  the 
ninth,  having   made  a  rapid    land  journey  of    136  miles,  they  reached 


BARON   VON   WRANGELU 

Kotschuga,  on  the  Lena,  whicii  there  becomes  navigable.  The  next  day 
they  began  the  descent  of  the  great  river,  and  on  the  4th  of  August 
arrived  at  lakoutsk,  having  been  twenty-five  days  making  a  distance  of 
1442  miles.  This  city  is  the  great  center  of  the  interior  trade  of  Eastern 
Siberia.  About  the  middle  of  August  Anjou's  division  reached  la- 
koutsk, and  Matinschkin  went  forward  in  advance  of  his  chief  to  Nishni, 
— tli:it  is,  LowtT — Kolynisk-,  Wrangel!  following  on  the  -34th  of  Septem- 
ber.    His  route  now  lay  across  country  to  the   northeast,  and    measured 


P| 


\ 


ts ,  r  >     J 
IV-   t »-    'I 


■ 


2U 


PATHER  MICHEL. 


over  1,200  miles,  occupying  iirty-one  days.     Wrangcll  arrived  at  his  base 
of  operations,  Lower  Kolymsk-latitude6S'^  32',  longitude  160°  35'-on 
the  i4tii  of  November,  having  made  a  journey  of  6,300  miles  from  St. 
Petersburgin  224  days,  of  which  thirty-six    were   spent  at   Irkoutsk  and 
forty-nine  at  lakoutsk,  l>esides  minor  stO],pages.    The  journey  was  made  on 
horseback,  Wrangell  and  his  two  companions  heading  a  cavalcade  of  ten 
pack-horses  strung  together,  the  first  and  last  only  having   drivers,      be- 
tween   that  city  and  the  Aldan  River  the  people  were  Jakuts  of  Tartar 
origin;  beyond  the  Verchoiausk  Mountains  they  met  some  Tunguses,  also 
of  Tartar  origin.  In  crossing  the  mountains  they  encountered  about  equal 
difficulty  i.,  climbing  precipices  and  clearing  a  passage  through  the  deep 
snow  in  the  ravines.     On  the  .linth  of  October  they  crossed  the  Yana, 
and  on  the  15th,  at  the  station  of  Tabalog,  met  Dr.  Tomaschewski,  who 
was  on  his  return  to  civilization  after  three   years'   service   at  Nishni  Ko- 
lymsk.  On  the  22d  they  crossed  the  In.iigirka  at  Saschiversk,  where  they 
enjoyed  for  two  days   the    hospitality   of  the    venerable    Father    Michel, 
aged  eighty-seven,  who,  in  a  residence  of  forty   years   had   baptized    and 
iustrucced  in  the  doctrines  of  Christanity,  about  15,000 Jakuts,  Tunguses 
and  Jukahires.  Next  reaching  Lake  Orinkino,  they  entered  the  district  of 
Kolymsk,  and  traveling  150  miles  over  an  entirely  uninhabited  waste,  for 
the  most  part  but  little  better  than  a  frozen  morass,   they    arrived   at   the 
Alasei  Range,  which  constitutes  the  watershed   between  the  river  of  that 
name  and  the  Indigirka. 

At  Sardach  station  on  the  2d  of  November,  Wrangell  heard  the  first 
tidings  of  Matinschkin's  safe  arrival  at  liis  destination,  and  of  the  prepa- 
rations he  was  there  making  for  the  expedition.  Crossing  a  low  range 
of  hills  whicii  divide  the  waters  of  the  Alasei  from  the  Kolyma,  they  Ix- 
rived  at  the  latter  river  on  the  6th,  at  the  town  of  Sredne  Kolymsk,  the 
official  head(iuarters  of  the  district.  Here  a  ,lay  was  spent  in  proc.ning 
the  heavy  fur  clothing  necessary  for  tiie  colder  region  they  were  hasten" 
ing  to,  though  the  temperature  was  far  from  genial  where  tiiey  wen-, 
the  thermometer  ranging  on  the  day  of  their  arrival  from  90  to  33^'  be- 
low zero.     At  length  on  the  31.1  of  October,  on  the  banks  of  the  Omo- 


Ion,  having  made  their  last  trip  of  i8^ 


5  miles  on  h.orseback,  they    gladly 


rfl 


U  'i 


01. . . 

fi  I 


283 


1  ^^ 


;lh'i 


L  .1 
I 


234 


PJiEPARATlONS  FOli  SLEDUE   yoUHNET. 


exchanged  that  means  of  travel  for  the  dog-sledges  of  the  country,  and 
reached  Lower  Kolynisk  two  days  later.  Here  they  winteied  to  recu- 
perate and  prepare  for  the  exploring  expedition  in  the  spring.  The 
Kolyma  at  this  point  is  usually  frozen  over  hefore  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, and  so  continues  luitii  June.  During  the  three  summer  months,  the 
sun  remains  for  fifty-two  days  constantly  above  the  horizon,  but  so  near 
it  that  he  gives  but  little  heat,  and  may  usually  be  gazed  upon  with  the 
naked  eye  without  serious  inconvenience.  The  inhabitan^  ,...:  ve:y  jeal- 
ous  of  the  distinction  of  the  seasons,  and  insist  that  it  is  »,  .  hen  the 

sun  becomes  visible  at  noon,  though  the  thermometer   is  usually  35°  be- 
low zero  at  night;  and   autumn  begins  with  the  freezing  of  the  river, 
when  the  thermometer  often  points  to  47°.     But  visitors  are  content  to 
divide  the  year  into  nine  months  of  winter,  and  three  of  summer.     In 
June  the  temperature  sometimes  rises  to  72°,  hut  before  the  close  of 
July  it  sinks  to  th.  genial  warmth  of  a  pleasant  autumn   day   in    more 
favored  climes.     In  January  the  thermometer  goes  down  to  65°  below 
zero,  thus  showing  a   range  of  137°  in   five  months.     Clear  days  are 
very  rare  in  winter,  vapors  and  fogs  aim       constantly  prevailing.     And 
yet  the,  climate  is  not  unhealthy ;  catarrh  and  ophthalmia  are  common,  es- 
pecially in  the  foggy  period,  but  scurvy  and  other  dangerous  diseases  are 
very  rare. 

It  was  the  3d  of  March,  1821,  before  they  set  out  for  Cape  Schelags- 
ko>.     The  intervening  coast  is  uninhalnted,  the   Russians   making   occa- 
sional   hunting    excursions    as    far  as    the    Baranow    Rocks,    Ld    the 
Tchuktchi,  from  the  other  side,  to  the  greater  Baranow  River,  wiiile  the 
unsubdued  Tchuktchis,  with  their  numerous  herds  of  reindeer,  roam  over 
the  intervening  moss-covered  plains,  and  are  an  object  of  drearl  to  those 
who    have    occasion     to    cross    their    territory.     Reaching    Sucharnoi 
Island  _  latitude  69°   3,',  longitude    i6i°44'-at  the   mouth  of  the 
east  branch  of  the  Kolyma,  on  the  5th  they  made  their  final  arran<.e- 
ments  for  the  trip.     There  were  nine  dog-sledges  with  their  drivers;  ami 
the  equipments  were  as  follows:     A  tent  of  reindeer  skin,  with  a  skele- 
ton frame  of  ten  poles,  and  the  necessary  cooking  utensils;  a  bear-skin 
apiece  to  lie  on,  and  a  double  coverlet  of  reindeer  skin  for  each  pair;  the 


kunh 


'mmmiimm- 


A  6 LEDGE  LOAD. 


the  country,  and 
'inteied   to  recu- 
le  spring.     The 
iddlc  of  Septem- 
mer  months,  the 
zon,  but  so  near 
1  upon  with  tlie 
'.  r«'     vc:y  jeal- 
i  .     ^       hen  the 
usually  35°  be- 
g  of  the  river, 
5  are  content  to 
»f  summer.     In 
re  the  close  of 
I   day   in    more 
I  to  65°  below 
I^lear  days  are 
availing.     And 
re  common,  es- 
)us  diseases  are 

^ape  Schelags- 
making   occa- 
ocks,    and    the 
iver,  while  the 
eer,  roam  over 
drearl  to  those 
iig    Sucharnoi 
mouth  of  the 
final  arrange- 
ir  drivers;  and 
,  with  a  skele- 
i;  a   bear-skin 
each  pair;  the 


235 


outer  clothing  of  each  comprised  a  fur  shirt,  or  kamleia,  an  overcoat  or 
outside  wrapper  of  double  fur,  called  a  kuchlanka,  fur-lined   boots,  a  fur 
cap  and  gloves  of  reindeer  skin,  with  some  changes  of  linen.     Earh  per- 
son was  supplied   with   a  gun,  fifty   cartridges,  a  pike,  a  knife,  and  the 
means  of  striking  fire.     The  instruments  were  two  chronometers,  a  sec- 
onds' watch,  a  sextant  and  artificial   horizon,  a  spirit  thermometer,  three 
azimuth  compasses-one  having  a  prism-two  telescopes,  and  a  measur- 
ing  line.     The  provisions  for  each  mess  of  five  for  one  month  were  100 
lbs.  of  rye  biscuits,  60  lbs.  of  meat,  10  lbs.  portable  soup,  2  lbs.  tea,  4  lbs 
candy,  8  lbs.  grits,  3  lbs.  salt,  39  rations  of  spirits,  13   lbs.  tobacco,  and 
smoked ju^a/a  equal  to  1,000  herrings.     The  food  provided  for  the  dogs 
consisted  of  frozen  and  dried  fish  of  different  kinds  equal  to  8,150  dried 
herrings. 

Each  sledge  carried  about  900  lbs.  avoirdupois,  besides   the   driver. 
The  whole  was  so  carefully  covered   and  tied   down   with  thongs  and 
straps  that  nothing  could  be  displaced  or  injured  in  the  event  of  a'sledge 
being  upset.     The  driver  sits    about  midway,   holding   on   by   a  thon- 
which  runs  from  end  to  end  of  the  sledge,  and  carrying  in  the  other  hand 
a  long  staff  with  a  prod  or  spike  at  one  end  and  small  bells  at  the  other, 
with  which,  and  his  voice,  he  drives  and  guides  his  team,  and  which   he' 
uses  also  as  a  support  in  a.i  emergency.     The  six  provision  sle.lges  car- 
ried  most  of  the  stores,  and  were  to  return   as  soon   as  unloadedl  but   a 
portion  was  also  placed  on  the  traveling  sledges  of  the    explorers    as  a 
measure  of  precaution.      The  latitude  of  the  island  was  found  to  be   69^ 
31',  and  the  longitude   161°  44',  and  the  thermometer,  at  noon,  showed 
half  a   degree   below   zero.     On  the  morning  of  March  6,    1821,  they 
started  for  the  lesser  Baranow  Rock,  twenty-four  miles  distant,  and  ar- 
rived at  a  hut  erected   by  Capt.    Billings,  some  thirty-three  years  before, 
which  they  found  in  a  goou  state   of  preservation,   but  filled  with    snow 
and  ice.     Dislodging  the  boards  which   formed   the    roof,  they   cleared 
the  hut  in  half  an  hour,  but  it  proved  only  large  enough  to  accommodate 
four  persons.     The  party  at  this  time  consisted  of  Lieutenant  Wrangell, 
the  mate,  Kosmin,  and  nine  drivers.     Seven  were  iioused  in  the  tent."  It 
was  found  that  their  observations  corresponded  with  the   careful   surveys 


3;m 


TENTING  IN  ARCTIC  REGIONS 


\  ■, 


R 


L     3    .1  i  ^ 


of   Capt.    Billings.      On    their  way   they   had   seen   the  wooden    tower 
erected  by  Lieut.    Laptew,  in  1739,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kolyma. 

The  next  day,  with  the  thermometer  at  30"  below  zero,  at  noon,  they 
reached  the  vicirn-ty  of  the  greater  Baranow   Rock,  having  made    about 
twenty-five  miles.     Here  they  saw  the  enormous  masses  of  rock  noticed 
by  Sarytschew,  some  of  which  looked   like   ruins  of  vast    buildings,  and 
others,  colossal  figures  of  men  an<l  animals.     On  the   Stli,   having  made 
about  twenty  miles,  with  the  thermometer  ranging  from   four   to  eleven 
degrees  lower  than  at  noon  of  the  day  before,  they  pitche.l    the    teni   on 
the  bank  of  a  small   stream  of  good  water,  beyond    which   no  Russian 
had  penetrate,!  since  the  ill-fated   expedition   of  Schalarow.     Here  also 
they  erected  a    depot  of  provisions  for  the  return   trip.     This  consisted 
of  four  posts  driven  into  the  snow,  on  which  was  placed   a  rough  box 
made    of  driftwood  at  a  height  of  nine   feet.     In   this  were  placed   the 
stores,  covered  with  wood  and  snow.     The  tent  was  twelve  feet  wide  at 
the  bottom,  and  ten  feet  high  at  the  center;  and  around    the  central  fire, 
with  their  feet    toward   it,   and   their  bodies    radiating  from   it   like  the' 
spokes  of  a  wheel,  they  lay  down   to  sleep,  and   generally   rested   well. 
Rising  at  six  they  were  ready  to  start  at   nine,  and   usually   made    their 
day's  journey  of  twenty  miles  in  eight   hours,  including   stoppages    for 
observations.     At  night  they  laid  the  sledges  bottom  upward,  ancrpoured 
water  on  the  runners  to  form  an  ice-coating,  by  the  help  of  ^vhich    they 
could  glide  more  smoothly  over  the  snow,  the  drivers  always   making   a 
special    effort  to  keep  on  the  snow  to   preserve   the   smoothness    of  the 
runners. 

On  the  9th  they  made  only  twenty  miles,  a  severe  snowstorm  ex- 
hausting the  dogs,  and  the  next  day  their  route  lay  over  the  sea  ice  at 
the  distance  of  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  shore.  As  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach  they  could  sec  nothing  l,ut  a  level  sheet  of  snow,  which  ma<le 
traveling  much  easier  for  the  dogs,  but  very  monotonous  for  the  men. 
They  halted  early  to  make  observations  for  the  longitude,  which  was 
ascertained  to  be  166°  11',  and  to  erect  another  depot  of  provisions. 
At  noon  on  the  nth,  a  mile  from  the  coast,  the  latitude  was  ascertained 
to  be  69"  30',   the   longitude    166°  27'.      The  temperature  falling  to 


S!SS?'?!*w''S 


"■  v ', ' ! ' .!"?!"'":  "■iH»aAsii(ii«««4ffi-aa3' 


-'^f 


TCHUKTCIII  HUTS.  ^ 

37  "  hclow  zee,  it   I>cc  .,nc   necessary  to  protect   the  clogs  by    clothing 
their  bodies   and  feet,  while   the  snow  became  less   smooth,  and  thus  the 
progress  of  the  animals  was  doubly  hindered,  so  that  they  were  able  to 
nKike  only  fifteen  miles.     The  travelers   had   now  reached  the  great  Ba- 
ranicha,  where  the  coast  gradually  rises  as  it  trends  to  the  north.     In  the 
distance,  t.,   the  soutii   and  southwest,  could    be  seen   the  ha.y  outline  of 
some  mountains,  and  to   the  north   the  white  glint  of  a  line  of  ice  hum- 
mocks.     Observations   became  difficult    and   uncertain,  the   instruments 
bemg  affected  by  the  intense  cold,  and  at  a  temperature  36°  below  zero 
were  discontinued.    On  the  ,  3th  they  encamped,  after  a  journey  of  sixteen' 
mdes,  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  in  latitude  69°  38',  and  longitude   167°  4.' 
with  the   temperature  at  29°.     Here  was   deposited   another  lot  of  pro' 
vis,ons.     At  noon  of  the  ,3th  they  were  5'  farther  north,  and  at  the  foot 
of  a  low  bluff-  they  saw  a  Tchuktchi  hut,  which  had  the  appearance  of 
havmg  been   recently  occupied.     About  three   miles  farther  on  they  en- 
tered  the  strait  lying  between  the  mainland  and  the  Sabadei  Island  of 
Schalarow,  in   the  middle  of  which   they  fell  in  with  several  Tchuktchi 
huts,  built  of  drift   larch  wood,  in  latitude  6^^  49'  .„d  long    ude  168° 
4'.     At   noon  of  the   14th,  in  latitude  69°  53',  they  saw  from  the  top 
of  a  h.11  which  they  ascended  for  the  purpose,  a  stretch  of  open  water  in 
thed.stance,  extending  eas.  and  west  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  with 
great  hummocks  of  ice  to  the  north,  which  they  had  at  first  supposed 
was   land.     Within   two  miles   they  identified   Laptew's  Sand  Cape  in 
longitude  168°,  where  the  low,  flat  coast  gives  way  to  the  more  eleva'ted 
surface.     At  the  end  of  a  journey  of  twenty  miles   they  made   a  fourth 
and  last  deposit,  and  dismissed  the  last  of  their  provision  sledges. 

There  now  remained  VVrangell,  Kosmin,  and  three  drivers,  and  their 
pomt  ot  departure  was  now  69^  58'  by  ,68°  41'.  They  gave  the 
clogs  a  day's  respite,  and  0,1  the  ,6th  of  March  they  proceeded  toward 
the  h.lls  of  the  east,  but  after  uK.king  thirty-five  miles  they  were  com- 
polled  to  halt  for  the  night  among  some  ice  hummocks.  Finally  on  the 
17th,  having  traveled  some  eighteen  miles,  they  , -cached  the  northwest 
pomt  of  Cape  Schelagskoi,  with  ice  hummocks  ami  icebergs  all  around 
Pushmg  on  for  five  hours  longer,  during  which  they  had  only  made  five 


*,^**««P«w:'.'^a**«««* 


iNW»MW<IMMaiMM 


288 


RETURN  RIVER. 


liiiiHs 


miles,  over  hummocks,  around  bergs,  throufji  loose  snow,  and  fightin{» 
for  every  foot  of  the  way,  they  reached  a  shelteretl  cove  and  encamped 
for  the  night.  Here  they  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  some  drift- 
wood, and  building  a  rousing  fire — a  privilege  they  had  not  enjoyed 
for  some  days — they  recruited  their  strength,  with  the  Schelagskoi  tow- 
ering west  of  them  to  the  height  of  3000  feet. 

With  only  three  days'  provisions  remaining,  VVrangell    and    Kosmin, 
leaving  one  sledge  behind  to  await  their   return,  proceeded  to   test,  as  far 
as  might  be  possible,  the  theory  of  Admiral  James   Burney,  recently  ad- 
vanced in  England.     He  conjectured  that  an  isthmus  might  be  found  ex- 
tending from  Schelagskoi  to  the  main  land  of  America,  north   of  Uehr- 
ing's  Strait.     Having  gone  ten  miles  east  from  the  camp,  at  noon  of  the 
iSth,  they  found  the  latitude  to  be  70"  3',  and  seven   miles  farther  on, 
with  twenty-four  miles  of  coast  in  view  to  the  east,  the  main  trend  of  the 
land  was  southeast,  and  therefore   not  confirmatory  of  Rurney's   views. 
Naming  the  farthest  point  seen   Cape  Kosmin,  iii  honor  of  his   compan- 
ion, and  marking  the  limit  they  had   reached  by  a  cairn  on  a  hill,  in  lati- 
tude 70"  i'  and  longitude   171"  47',  on  the  liank  of  a   stream   signifi- 
cantly named  the  Return,  Wrangell  with  his  three  companions  returned 
to  camp.     They  had  traveled  241  miles  since  leaving   Sucharnc     Island 
— an  average  of  twenty  miles  a  day.     They  erected  a  memorial   cross  at 
the  cape,  and  set  out  on  the  return  trip  the  next  morning.     They  reached 
Staduchin's   VVolok  (portage)  three  miles  from  ciimp,  but  farther  inland 
than  the  route  previously  taken,  and  at  noon  were  at  69°  44'  by  170° 
47',  and  to  a  cape  three  miles  away  in  a  southwest   directicm,  Wrangell 
gave  the  name  of  his  midshipman  Matinschkin,  then  absent  on  a  mission 
of  peace  and   inquiry  among  the    Tchuktchis.     Next  day    they    made 
across  Tschaun  Bay  to   Sabadei  Island,  and  late  in  the   evening  of  the 
2 1st  reached  their  fourth  depot  of  provisions — none    too  soon,  for  they 
had  used  up  all  they  had   taken    with   them.     It  proved   their  salvation, 
having  escaped  the   depredations  of  foxes  and   wolverines,  by  which  the 
other  three  were  successively  found  to  have  been  rifled.     To  add  to  their 
disappointment,  no  sapplies  were  found  at   Sucharnoi   Island,  as  ordered, 
and  the  hungrv  tr-.velers— men  and  dogs — had   to   wend   their  way  to 


■■■53ws»gew??*RSffnBB»«ifefiKS?f;ff-,?siT 


„j5»4*;Me«ww.«*«i 


A   IWSSIAN  FAIR. 


289 


Lo\  "r  Kolymsk,   where  they   arrived  on  the  26th,  having'   been  absent 
twenty-two  days,  the  hist  two  without  food. 

The  round  trip,  as  made,  was  647  miles,  or  an  average  of  nearly  thir- 
ty-one tniies  a  day  for  the  twenty-one  (Jays  actually  consumed  in 
traveling. 

On  the  last  day  of  Marcli  Wrangell  was  rejoined  hy  Matinschkin 
who  had  been  well  received  by  the  Tchuktchis,  and  promised  a  kind  re- 
ception whenever  the  expedition  should  reach  their  settlements.  They 
had  never  seen  or  heard  of  a  land  to  the  north  of  their  coasts,  and  here 
again  Barney's  theory  failed  of  support.  He  had  left  Lower  Kolymsk 
on  the  16th  of  March,  accompanied  by  an  eccentric  British  naval  officer, 
Captain  John  Dundas  Cochrane — surnamed  "The  Pedestrian  Traveler," 
then  on  his  famous  trip. around  the  world — a  Cossack  servant  and  a 
Jakut  interpreter,  and  in  four  days  arrived  at  Fort  Ostrownoi,  where  an 
annual  fair  is  held  for  trading  with  the  Tchuktchis.  This  fort  comprises 
a  few  huts  surrounded  by  a  palisade,  and  is  built  on  an  island  in  the 
lesser  Aniuj  River,  in  latitude  68''  .'wCi  longitude  196"  10'. 

On  the  2 1st  a  caravan  of  Russian  merchants  arrived  with  125  pack- 
horses  loaded  with  commodities  suitable  for  the  Tchuktchi  trade.  These 
were  tobacco,  beads  of  various  colors  and  hardware,  the  last  consisting 
mostly  of  hatchets,  knives,  and  kettles,  with  other  culinary  utensils,  be- 
sides some  smuggled  brandy,  very  significantly  called  by  the  Tchuktchis, 
"wild-making-water"— a  much  more  appropriate  name  than  the  French 
"water-of-life,"  given  it  in  the  earliest  period  of  European  acquaintance 
with  its  delusive  stimulating  powers.  But  though  unfortunately  made 
acquainted  with  its  frenzying  properties,  the  misguided  aborigines  will 
not  hesitate  to  exchange  their  precious  furs  to  the  value  of  two  hundred 
dollars  for  a  few  bottles  of  bad  brandy  costing  perhaps  tv/o  dollars  at 
lakoutsk. 

Besides  this  race,  the  fair  is  visited  by  the  other  native  tribes  within 
a  radius  of  six  hundred  miles— the  Jukahiri,  Tungusi,  Tchuwanzi  and  the 
Koraki— together  with  a  few  scattered  Russians,  for  whose  benefit  the 
merchants  bring  a  small  stock  of  tea,  sugar,  cloth  and  brandy.  To  trade 
in  this  last  with  the  aborigines  is  duly  forbidden  by  the  Russian  gov- 


iff: 


840 


MATfivsoffK/.y  /xriitivncws  rim  ciimFS. 


t'l-niuiMU,  l>ul  mi'Miis  ;nv  iMsily  I'diiiiiI  Io  cviuU-  tlir  law,  aiul  llu-  poor 
Hiiva^'fs  aiv  only  llu-  moiv  lu-avily  Hci-ccmI  hccau.si-  of  ilio  ctmtral.aiul 
characlfi  thus  t;iviMi  lo  llu-  liaHii-. 

Tho  roiiimoditii-s  l)roii},'lil  lo  [\\U  inaikcl  hy  tlio  'IVluiklrhis  lonsisti-d 
chiefly  <>r  lIu"  fills  of  various  animals  iiuii^rciious  to  ilicii  »diiiilrv  mid  flu; 
oppositi'  shoifs  of  North  Aiiu'rii-a,  lii-sidc-s   ihi-  skins  of  hi-ais,  irindiTi, 
•seals  and  wahiisi-s,  as  well   as  walrus  troth.      Most   of  ilu-si-  thrv  l.arl.r 
for  with  tlu"    AnuM-iiaii   trihcs,  ^'iviii;^'    ihoin    in  oxc-han;,'i-    llu-   lohacco 
and  trinkets  which  they  proctu'e  from  the   Kussiaiis.     The  ehief  artieles 
oftheirown  inanufaeliire  are  sle(!','e-runners    made  of  whalehone,  cloth- 
ing' made  from   reindeer  skins,  and  seal  skin   ha^'s.     Ik'fore  the   open- 
in},'  of  the  fair,  a  hasis  of  harler  is  settled   hy  the  prineipal   personaf^'es 
on  hoth   sides.      The   value  of  <,'oods  exehan-red   annually  was  estimated 
at   this  time  at   ahoiit   $I5o,()(K).     The   Russians  make  a  profit  of  ahoul 
60    per  cent,  on    what   the  j,'oods  eost  them  at  the  home   market,  aixl 
the  Tehuktchis  ahout   ^^oo   per  cent,  on   what  they  j-ive  for  the  furs  to 
the    American    ahori^'iiies.      Mm   tju-    hitler  are  several    months  on    the 
road,  while  the    Russiai.s  are   only  a   few   weeks   from    home.      The  fair 
lasts    only    three    days.      The     Russians  are   vehement    and   noisy;    the 
Tehuktchis  calmly  wait  for  what   they  consider  an  ecpiitahle  ofier,  which 
they   at   once    accept.      The    noise,  press  and     hustliiij,'  activity    on    the 
part    of    I  lie   too    ea-er     Russians,  to},'ether   with   the    jar.,M)n   of   mixed 
Russian,  Tchuktchi  and  jakul  words,  in  which  they  proclaim  the  value 
ol    their     wares,    creates    an    indescrihahle    confusion     and     uproar,    in 
marked  contrast  with  the  silent  composure    alwavs  maintainetl  hv  the 
harharians. 

Here  Matinschkin  took  occasion  to  introduce  his  mission  to  the 
notice  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Tchuktchi.  These  were  Makainok  and 
Leutt,  from  the  P.ay  of  St.  Lawrence,  Waletka,  whose  iiumeious  herds 
of  reindeer  crop  the  -jreen  moss  of  the  plains  to  tlie  east  of  Cape 
Sciiclas^skoi,  and  Ewraschka,  whose  trihe  of  nomads  roams  the  lowlands 
round  the  Tchaun  Hay.  He  explained  to  them  that  the  mi«,'hty  Czar 
of  all  the  Russias  wished  to  ascertain  if  his  ships  could  :  each  his 
Tdniktchi  friends  hy  the  northern  sea,  and   hring  them  the  wares  they 


UNWELCOME  llOSPlTALlTr.  241 

iK-fdid  l.y  that  n.utc  in  ^rrciitn  .ihiiiwlance,  mul  at  a  che/ipcr  rntc.  He 
in<|iiiri-<l  whi'thcr  in  prosecution  <.f  that  design  the  servants  of  the  Em- 
|,en.r  eouI<l  rely  on  a  friendly  reception  am<.n;r  their  people,  mid  pro- 
cure  for  them  such  supplies  as  they  miKht  need,  hy  paying'  for  the  same 
in   such  c(.mmoditieh  as  the  Tchuktchi  were  wont  to  jjurchase. 

'\\^  all  these  overtures,  accompanied  hy  presents  kindly  se.it  them  by 
the  K mperor,  the  chiefs  gave  their  willinj;  assent,  promisin^r  that  the 
eripedition  would  receive  their  cordial  support  whenever  and  wherever  it 
mij^ht  he  required. 

Leutt   received  him  with  great  cordiality  at  his  tent,  where  he   par. 
took  of  his  hospitality  which,  however,  he  would  have  been  glad  to  dis- 
pense  with,  and  where  he  was  almost  suffocated  by  the  fumes  of  stinking 
oil  and  the  evaporation  from  six  dirty,  and  almost  naked  people.     His  ill- 
concealed  squirmishness  excited  the  hilarity  of  the  wife  and    '.mghter  of 
his  host,  who  were  busily  engaged  decorating  their  persons  with   ,  lany 
colored    beads  in  honor  of  his  visit.     Makomol  invited  him  to  witness  a 
sledgc-raee  in  which  the  three  prizes  were,  a  blue  fox  skin,  a  beaver  skin, 
and  a  pair  of  walrus  teeth.     The  speed  of  the  reindeer,  and  the  dexterity 
of  the  drivers  elicited  his  admiration,  and  the  applause  of  the   multitude 
was  as  sincere  as  it  was  well -deserved.     This    was  supplemented  hy  a 
foot-race,  in  which  the  contestants  wore  their  usual  heavy   fur  clothing, 
but  seemed,  nevertheless,  to  run   over  the   course  of  nearly   nine   miles, 
with  as  much  flcetness  as  the  light-clad  runners  of  more  genial   climes. 
Matinschkin  noticed  that  the  Tchuktchi  evinced  a  much  higher  appreci- 
ation  of  the  previous  performance,  which  is  in  harmony  with  what  may 
also  be  observed  among  civilized  men.     At  the  close  of  the  games,  spec- 
tators and  performers  were  entertained  with  princely  hospitality  at  a  ban. 
qiiet  of  boiled  reindeer,  cut  up  in  small  pieces,  and  served  in  large  wooden 
bowls  distributed  around  over  the  snow.     The  quietness  and  good  order 
manifested  by  the  people  who  partook  of  this  wide-spread  repast,  elicited 
the  admiration  of  Matinschkin,  who  could  not  fail  to  contrast  it  withtb« 
jostling  and  crushing  and  subdued  quarreling  which   so  often  character- 
ize  public  banquets  in  civilized  communities. 

His   visits  were  formally  returned   by    a  party   of   the    Tchuktchi, 
16 


A    TCIIUKTCHI  DANCE. 

on    the    followinpf    day,    to    the     ladies    of    which     he    presented     red, 
white    and    bhie    heads,    and    for    refreshments,    soine    tea    and    candy; 
of    the    hitter    oidy    -Md     tlicy    partal<e,    tea    having    no    charms    for 
the   fashionable   hidies  of  Northeastern    Asia.      Then   they    danced,    if 
dance    it    may    be    called,    where    the     feet    and     bodies    are    moved 
bank  and  forth,  without  chanj^c  of  place  or  evolution  of  any  kind,  while 
the  performers  beat  the  air  with  their  hands.     In  the  next  sta<,'c  of  the 
performance,  three  of  the  most  competent  dancers  signalized  themselves 
in  a  very  energetic  and  complicated  series  of  evolutions— dignified  with 
the  title   of  the  national  dance    of  the  Tchuktchi,  in    which  jmnpings, 
grimaces  and  contortions  formed  the  chief  attraction— until  forced  by  ex- 
haustion to  desist.     Thereupon  it  was  whispered  in  the  ear  of  Matinsch- 
kin,  by  the  interpreter,  that  the  etiquette  of  the  occasion  required  him  to 
give  to  each  of  the  three  distinguished  artists,  a  cup  of  brandy  and  some 
tobacco,  wliicli  was  accordingly  done,  when  the  whole  party  took  leave 
of  the  Russian,  charging  him  to  remember  to  return  the  call  in  fheir  own 
country.     The  chiefs  also  made  him  a  formal  visit,  to  renew  their  assur- 
ances  of  friendliness,  and  disposition    to   forward   the  exploration   of  the 
Icy  Sea.     Leaving  on  the  28th,  he  rejoined  his  chief,  as  has  been  said,  at 
Lower  Kolymsk,  on  the  31st  of  March,  \'^2\.     Dr.  Kybe»-    the  remain- 
ing   ofHcei-  of  the  expedition,   had    arrived  from  Irkoutsk     he  day  after 
Wrangell's  departure  on  his  first  sledge  journey ;  but  was  ,0  feeble  that 
he  was  not  able  to  take  part,  even  in   the  second,   for    whicii   they    now 
began  to  make  preparations. 


ivtviWCjSS'a**** 


presented     red, 
ea    and    candy ; 
lo    charms    for 
hey    danced,    if 
es    are    moved 
iiy  kind,  wliilc 
Kt   sta<^e   of  the 
zed  themselves 
-dif^nified  with 
hich  jmnpinj^s, 
il  forced  by  ex- 
ir  of  Matinsch- 
cqnircd  him  to 
uidy  and  some 
irty  took  leave 
ill  in  fheir  ow^n 
nv  their  assur- 
loration   of  the 
as  been  said,  at 
»■    the  remain- 
he   day  after 
s  ,0  feeble  that 
ich   they    now 


CHAPTER    XXVir. 

WRANOK,,.'s  SKCONO  SLKOOK  JOUKNK V-K.VCOUXTKK  V^rVU  A  „KAK_ 
A  SA^r  MOOK--SUKI..US  PUCVXSIO^s  nKPOSITK.-ATTACKK„  „V 
..KAKS_„KTUK.  TO  U,WKK  KO.VMSK  _  SUMMKK  OCCUPATXOXS 
-ALMOST    AN    ACCIDKNT-WINTKK    AT    XISHNI    KOLVMSK. 

The  outfit  for  this  journey  was  substantially  the  same  as  for  the  nre- 
V.OUS  one,  w.th  son.e  few  improvements  and   additions.      The   most   im 
P"'tant  of  th.se   was    a   portable  boat    n.ule  of  skins  for  crossing  open 
channels   u.  the  ice.  a  crowbar  ,;„•  breaking  through  the  ice  wh.,   nec 
essa.y  or  des.ra  le,  and  whalebone  shoeing  fo.  the  sledge-runners  to  be 
attached  where  the  loose  snow  or  the  crystals  left  by  salt  water  overflow 
.na,le  the  passage  difficult.     To   the  instruments  were  added  a  dippin^.' 
needle  anc   sounding-line.      The  traveling  sledges  were  six,  and  the  pri 
-.on  s...ges    fourteen,  besi<,es   two  sledges  belonging  to  the  mercl!!.nt 
Bcrcshno,,  who  had  asked  to  be  pern,itted  to  accon.pany   the  expedition, 
n.akn.g  m  all  a  tnnn  of  twenty-two  sledges,  with  340  dogs.     The  load 
ot  eac    sledge  at  the  outset  was  nearly  .,,00  lbs.  avoirdupois.    Wrangell's 
nnme<l,ate  companions  were  Matinschkin,  Reschetnikow-a  retired  ser 
.cant  who  iKul  joined  bin.  at  lakontsk,  and  who  some  twelve  years  be- 
^n.  h.    accompanied    Iledenstrom  in  his   exploring  expedition    to  the 
New  S,ber,a  Islands-an<l  the  sailor  Nechoroschko.,  who  had  accom- 
panied hnn  from  St.  Petersburg. 

On  "■;■  f  ;'•  AP;"  "»  «.»"  ».,  ,„„.,e,a,  before,  f„™  Such„n,oi 
1"  -ul,  .,,<!  ehe  first  h.,lt  w,.  „.  ni„i„,,.  „,„  ,„.„,  ^,,  ,^,^^^,.  „^,^^,___^^^. 

«vlx.,K.c:.,n„,e  northerly  >,irec.i„„  was  take,,  than  „„  the  firs.  j<,„r„ey 
A  n,,le  a,Kl  .  half  fro.n  the  ,hore,  o„  the  ,eeo„,.  <,av,  they  encounte  Jj 

,"";;: '^■""^"-  "-'-"■"^'    "■-  -y  -»„,  the  ;ce.hl™„e,.,    h„. 

..„,,,  Coar  a„er  three  h™rH-  ,aV,o.,  they  fou,,.!  the„,selvo«  five    „Ues 

'"""  *'"-^- "■^'  P'-"  ■""-'<-.  -  f-  -  the  eye  eon,,,  reaeh,  ,av" 

^4o 


■.A&iwciSls'irta**^'- *!**■■ 


344 


FOUR-PILLAR  ISLAND. 


.Hi 


mv 


where  an  occasional  small  hummock  stood  like  a  rock  above  the  surface. 
Having  made  seven  miles  farther,  the  traveling  sledges  stopped  to  await 
the  coming-up.  Here  they  encountered  an  enormous  bear  which  they 
succeeded  in  killing,  mainly  through  the  dexterity  and  courage  of  one  of 
the  Cossack  drivers. 

When  the  provision  sledges  arrived,  they  reported  two  of  their 
number  missing,  having  had  their  sledges  upset  among  the  hum- 
mocks. Three  sledges  were  quickly  unloaded  and  sent  back  to 
their  relief,  and  in  two  hours  the  rescuers  and  the  rescued  re- 
joined the  others  uninjured,  but  tired  and  cold.  It  was  therefore  deemed 
advisable  to  camp  for  the  night  where  they  were.  Wrangell's  tent  was 
accordingly  pitched  in  the  center  with  four  smaller  tents  belonging  to 
the  merchant  and  the  wealthier  drivers,  round  about,  the  whole  being 
encircled  by  the  "twenty-two  sledges,  with  the  dogs  tethered  on  the  in- 
side. On  the  9th,  one  provision  sledge  returned  homeward;  and  at  noon 
they  found  themselves  in  latitude  69°  5S',  with  the  greater  Baranow 
Rock  to  the  southeast.  By  night  they  hatl  made  twenty-eight  miles, 
reaching  latitude  70°  12'  30".  On  the  loth,  after  a  journey  of  twenty- 
seven  miles,  they  camped  in  a  small  bay  on  an  island  which  they  judged 
to  be  the  most  eastern  of  the  Bear  Islands,  though  they  found  the  lati- 
tude only  70°  37',  while  Leontjew,  in  1769,  had  determined  it  to  be 
7i°5S',and  ♦:he  longitude  162^  25'.  Wrangell  named  it  the  Four- 
Pillar  Island  from  the  remarkable  pillars  of  granitic  porphyry,  the  tallest  of 
which  measured  forty-eight  feet  in  height  and  ninety-one  in  circumference. 
The  form  was  somewhat  like  a  gigantic  human  body  with  a  turban  on 
its  head,  but  without  arms  or  legs.  Finding  here  an  abundance  of  drift- 
wood, they  concluded  to  remain  one  day,  which  was  devoted  to  making 
observations  and  collecting  a  store  of  firewood. 

Two  provision  sledges  returned  from  this  point,  when  on  the  12th 
of  April  our  travelers  set  out  toward  the  northeast,  and  at  noon  found 
themselves  5'  north  and  4'  east  of  the  island,  having  made  between  six 
and  seven  miles.  All  this  time  the  temperature  kept  a  few  degrees  above 
zero,  usually  between  seven  and  fourteen.  Now  they  encountered  the 
salt  covering  on  the  ice  surface,  which  ma<le   progress  slow,  and  a  thick 


mmm. 


«»!««».}.»«*»***•'**' 


A  SALT  MOOR. 


345 


fog,  which  made  their  clothing  wet  and   uncomfortable.     Both  circum- 
stances also  indicated  an  approach   to  open  water;  and   to  add  to  their 
danger,  the   wind  blew  a  gale,   threatening  the  disruption   of  the  ice. 
They  foiHid  refuge  in   the  shelter  of  a   hummock  thirty  feet   high,  and 
from    the   fresli    falling  snow  on   its  summit  they  were  able    to  obtain 
water  fit  for  drinking  and  cooking.     The  tent  was  torn,  and  would  have 
been  sNvept  away  by  the  wind  had  they  not  secured  it  by  extra  festenino- 
to  the  hummock.     By  four  in   the  morning  the  storm  had   subsided,  and 
the  temperature  rose  to  23".     By  attaching  the  whalebone  shoeing  to  the 
runners  and  walking  beside  the   sledges,  they  corttinued  to  advance,  but 
the  surface  was  so  rough  that  it  took  seven  hours  to  make  nineteen  miles, 
while   the  provision   sledges   were  away  behind,  out   of  sight.     In  the' 
evening  the  temperature  again   sank  to  7°,  but  rose  on  the  morning  of 
April    .4  to   18°,  when  they  again  took  the  road.     Eight  miles  further 
on  they  saw  three   seals,  which,  h.>wever,  got  safely  away  to  their  holes 
in  the  ice.     Having  traveled    twenty  miles,  they  camped  at  71°  3,'  by 
163°  21  ',and  sent  back  three  more  sledges. 

They  now  adopted  the  plan  of  traveling  by  night,  and  started  after 
sunset  on  April  15,  but  after  traveling  nine  miles  they  found  themselves 
in  what  Wrangell  calls  a  deep  salt  moor,  with  the  ice  only  five  inches 
thick,  and  so  rotten  that  it  could  be  cut  through  with  a  common  knife. 
Hastening  out  of  this  dangerous  place  two  miles  to  the  southeast,  they 
found  tlie  ice  smooth  and  sound  and  fourteen  inches  thick,  and  the  sea 
depth  twelve  fathoms.  They  camped  at  7,°  37'  by  163°  29',  and 
spent  the  night  i.i  great  alarm,  as  a  high  northern  wind  so  agitated  the 
open  sea  son.cwhere  to  the  north,  that  the  ice  beneath  their  feet  was 
made  to  vibrate  by  the  disturbance  of  the  water.  Leaving  this  camp, 
Wrangell  with  two  sledges  ordy  proc(;eded  four  miles  farther,  when  he 
found  tlic  iee  so  broken  by  fissures,  and  so  unstable,  that  he  concluded  to 
seek  safety  iu  quitting  the  neighborhood.  The  highest  point  reached  was 
71^3',  at  an  air  line  distance  of  124  miles  from  the  lesser  Baranow 
Rock. 

Having  made  about   thirteen  miles  to  the  south-southeast  from   the 
limit,  they  encamped  for  the  night  of  the  ,6th  of  April  in  a  circular  hoi- 


246 


EASTER  SERVICE. 


low  formed  by  ice  hills.     At  noon  the  next  day  they  were  at  70°  30" 
by  163°  39' ;    and  resuming  their  journey  after  sunset  toward  the  east 
they  soon  fell  in  with  a   labyrinth  of  hummocks,  with   what  they  con- 
caved to  be  an  island  in  the  distance.    Breaking  through  the  intervenin.. 
obstacles  by  the  free  use  of  the  crowbar  for  three  hours,  they  reached  the 
foot  of  the  towering  mass,  which  proved  to  be  only  an  ice  hill  of  unusual 
dimensions.     Here  were  carefully  deposited  the  surplus  provisions,  thus 
rehevmg  eight  sledges,  which,  with   their  drivers,  in    charge  of  Ser^^t 
Reschetnikow,  were  sent  on  to  Nishni  Kolymsk.     There  remained    ten 
persons  including  the  merchant  Bereshnoi,  who  wished  to  see  the  adven- 
ture through  to  the  end,  with  six  sledges  and  provisions  for  men  and  dogs 
for  fourteen  days.     On  the  .8th  at  noon   the  point  reached  was  71"  15' 
by  ,64°  4',  and  at  night  they  encamped  about   600  yards  from  a  recent 
.ce  fissure,  in  the  shelter  of  a  large  block  of  ice,  still  moving  in  a  south- 
easterly direction  along  the  margin  of  the  fissure,  with  the  clefts  becom- 
ing  more  and  more  numerous. 

^  Having  made  thirty  miles  they  halted,  at  sunrise,  on  the  30th,  at  70° 
56',  by  164°  49'.     In  the  evening  they  ferried  themselves  across  a  wide 
fissure  on  a   floating  block  of  ice,  and  at  a  distance  of  eighteen   miles 
from  the  halting  place  of  the  morning,  they  sighted  the  greater  Baranow 
Rock,  about  sixty  miles   away  to  the  southeast.     Here,  while  on  a  short 
excursion   from    the    main   party,   in  pursuit  of  a  bear,  Wrangell   and 
Matmschkin,  in  two  unloaded  sledges,  got  among   the  breaking   ice,  and 
with  the  utmost  difficulty  and  haste  succeeded  in  rejoining  their  compan- 
ions on  the  stronger  ice,  at  70°  46',  by  165°  6'.     After  resting  for  the 
night  they  resumed  their  course  to  the  southeast  on  the  21st,  but  finding, 
the  hummocks  impassable  to  their  broken  sledges,  they  returned  to  the 
same  place,  and  rested  on  the   next  day,  which  was   Easter  Sunday,  and 
which   they  observed   as  nearly  in  accordance  with  the  customs  of  their 
country  as  they  found  practicable.     They  made  a  block  of  ice  do  service 
as  an  altar,  before  which  they  burnt  the  only  wax  taper  they  possessed 
while    Bereshnoi   read    the    prescribed    service,  and    the   Cos.acks  and' 
sledge-^nvcrs  sang  the  customary  hymns.   On  the  23d  one  of  the  drivers 
was  suddenly  taken  sick,  causing  a  detention  of  another  day,  which  was 


ere  at  70°  30* 
)warcl  the  east, 
vhixt  they  con- 
he  interveniii"f 
ey  reached  the 
hill  of  unusual 
provisions,  thus 
irge  of  Sergt. 
remained    ten 
see  the  adven- 
men  and  dogs 
was  71"  I  ^ " 
from  a  recent 
ng  in  a  south- 
clefts  becom- 

e  20th,  at  70° 
icross  a  wide 
ghteen   miles 
iter  Baranow 
lie  on  a  short 
/"rangell   and 
:ing   ice,  and 
leir  com  pan- 
sting  for  the 
,  but  .Indino- 
:urned  to  the 
Sunday,  and 
oms  of  their 
:e  do  service 
!y  possessed, 
osiacks  and 
f  the  drivers 
,  which  was 


3*7 


248 


ATTACKED  Br  BEARS. 


devoted  to  repairing  slcdcjes,  vv.tli  the  temperature  at  iS°  above,  and 
the  stillness  relieved  from  time  to  time  by  the  thunder  of  crashing  ice  in 
the  distance.  It  was  now  determined  to  go  back,  and  having  made 
thirty-seven  miles  due  west,  they  encamped  at  70^  39',  by  163°  29',  with 
Four  Pillar  Islands  twenty-two  miles  to  the  southwest.  Then  turning 
north  they  fell  in  with  the  tracks  of  the  sledges  dismissed  homeward, 
and  having  made  twenty-eight  miles,  they  halted  in  latitude  71°  4'. 

On  the  36th,  after  eleven  hours  of  dangerous  traveling  — Wrangell's 
eight  dogs  were  once  precipitated  in  the  water,  and  he  was  saved  from  fol- 
lowing  them  only  by  the  length  of  the  sledge-they  reached  their  depot 
of  provisions,  which  they  found  intact,  though  numerous  traces  of  bears 
and  other  animals  were  found  on  all  sides  of  the  ice  hill.     The  next  day 
they   rested,  and  found   the   latitude  to   be7i°2S'.     During  the   night 
they  were  awakened   by  the   barking   of  the   dogs,  and   on'getting  "up 
saw  two  bears,  which  they  pursued  without   success  until  morning,  leav- 
ing VVrangell  a  solitary  guard  over  the  camp.     A  third  bear  soon  put  in 
an  appearance,  and,  after  a   moment  of  painful  suspense  to  the  beholder, 
scampered  oflf,  soon  falling  in  with  two  of  the  hunters,  by  whom  he  was 
wounded,  but  witliout  l)eing  prevented  from  making  his  escape.      This 
fruitless  night's  hunt  necessitated  another  day's  rest;  and  on  the  29th  they 
crossed  their  own  tracks  of  April  ist.     They  noticed  three  halos  around 
the  sun,  and  made  over  twenty-three  miles  before  encamping,  at  71°   26' 
by  162°  27'.      Finding   himself  on  the  scene  of  Hedenstrom's  labors  in 
iS  10,  Wrangell  now  concluded  to  direct  his  attention  to  the  land  they 
had  seen  from  Four  Pillar  Islands.    «  The  inhabited  country  to  the  north, 
as  alleged  by  Tchuktchi  and   others,"  had   failed   to   heave  in  sight,  and 
he  lost  all  hope  of  finding  it  on  the  present  trip.     Having  made  twenty- 
four  miles  in  a  driving  snowstorm,  during  which  they  tied  the  dogs  of 
one  sled  to  the  end  of  the  one  preceding,  so  as  not  to  become  separated 
.n  the  thick  darkness,  and  being  guided  only  by  the  compass,  they  halted 
on  the  open  ice  plain,  but  were  unable  to  pitch  their  tent  or  light  a  fire, 
thus  spending  the  worst  night  they  had  experienced  on  the  trip. 

On  the  1st  of  May  they  reached  a  bay  on  the  north  side  of  Four  Pil- 
lar Island  after  a  journey  of  thirty  miles  m  the  continued  darkness;  show- 


SUMMER  OCCUPATIONS.  349 

ing  the  accuracy  of  compass-guidance.     Two  blazing  fires   which   they 
soon   kindled   on  the    land,  restored  tlieir  spirits,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the    3d,  they  were    regaled    hy  the   notes  of  some   linnets  as  they  "ap- 
proached    the   second  island  of  the  group-the  first  cheerful  sound  they 
had  heard  since  taking  to  the  ice.     On  the  5th  they  examined  the  west- 
enimost  of  the   Bear  Islands,  and  found   that  tlie  group  comprised  in  all 
six  islands,  including  the  one  they  had   previously  named  Four  Pillar 
Island.     Proceeding  south-southwest  on   the   6th,    they    reached    Cape 
Krestowoi,  having  traveled  only  twenty-five   miles,  and  enjoyed  tiie  lux- 
ury of  resting  under  a  roof,  and  within  walls.     Provisions  running  low, 
and  the  season  being  well  advanced,  it  was  now  determined  to  make  the 
best  of  their  way  to  Nishni  Kolymsk,  which  was  reached  on  the  loth  of 
May,  after  an  absence  of  thirty-four  days,  and  a  journey   of  700  miles 
with  the  same  dogs,  and   without  serious   accident  of  any  kind  to  men, 
dogs,  or  provisions. 

SUMMER  OCCUPATIONS  OF  WRANGELL'S  PARTY. 

The  scarcity  of  provisions  at  Nishni   Kolymsk  rendered  it  necessary 
for  Wrangell  to  make  special  efforts  to  secure  supplies  for  the  expedition. 
Fishing   parties  were  dispatched  under    Sotnik  Tatarinow,  Wrangell's 
Cossack    sledge-driver,  in    whose  intelligence    and    experience  he'had 
learned  to  place   great   confidence.     A  party   was  placed   in  charge  of 
Matinschkin  to  survey  the  coast  from  the  Kolyma  to  the  Indigirka.     A 
small  dwelling  and  depot   of  provisions  was   to  be  erected   by  another 
party  under  Sergeant    Reschetnikow,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Bara- 
nicha  River.     Dr.  Kyber,  who  had  now  recovered,  was  at  his  own  re- 
quest to  explore  the  banks  of  the  Greater  and  Lesser  Aniuj.     A   fourth 
section  under  Wrangell's  immediate  oversigh,t,  was  to  survey  the  mouths 
of  the  Kolyma.     The  mate  Kosmin,  Wrangell's  companion  on  the  first 
sledge  journey,  had  been  occupied  during  the  second,  in  making  a  large 
boat  or  shallop,  which  was  successfully  launched  on  the  23d  of  June,  and 
rigged  with  sails  and  anchor  from  those   which  had   been  used  by  Cap- 
tnin  Billings  a  generation  before.     A  small   boat  had  also  been  con- 
structed, capable  of  holding  three  persons. 


^  '  m4 1 


lit 


11 


980 


A  BLAZE. 


The    whole  party    now    embarked    in    the    shallop,    but    were 


vented     by    contrary     winds    f 


foiM-    oars    they    laboriously    mad( 


Vom     makin<j    much    headw 


pre- 

ly.      With 
i-iously    made     their    way    three    miles    down    the 
river,    when,   in    makin-    a    landin-,  „ne  ..f  the    dojrs    fell    overboard, 
and     becomin-     entauf^rjcl     in    a     rope,    would     have    been    strangled 
l.a.l     not     Matihsehkin     sprung     i„     the     rescue.       U.ifortunafely    in 
cutting    the   rope  he   cut   his    own   tinnnb   so  severely    that   Dr.    Kyber 
thought  it  might  easily  become  .langerous;    and   Wrangell    insisted  'that 
patient  an.l  physician  should  return  to  Nishni  Kolymsk,  also   instructing 
them  to  explore  the  Aninj  together  as  soon  as  the  wound  became  heale.I. 
On  the  loth  of  Inly  Wrangell  an.l    Kosmin,   with  their  companions,  ar- 
rived at  the  Tschukotschie   River,  whither  the  fishing  parties  had  been 
sent  forward,  and  where  they  were  glad  to  see  that  success  had  crowned 
their  efforts.     Here  they  landed,  proposing  to  make  the  coast  join-ney  to 
the   Indigirka   on   horseback,   and    while  waiting  for  the   arrival   of'the 
Jakut  owners  and  the  horses,  they  succeeded   in   killing  three  reindeer. 
With   only  five    animals-all  that  could    be  procurcd-two  to  serve   as 
pack-horses  and  three  for  himself  and  two  companions,  Kosmin  under- 
took    to  traverse  the   desert  waste  between   the  two  great   rivers,  and 
started    off  on    the   14th   of  July.     His  companions  were  a  Jakut  and  a 
Cossack,  a.id  they  took  with  them  two  light  canoes  for  crossing  streams. 
Wrangell  occupied  himself  witli   determining  some  positions  on  the 
river,  the  north  being  still  blocked  with  ice.     On  the  27th  of  July,  while 
absent  in  the  mi.ldle   of  the  river  with   the  two   companions  who  alone 
remained  with  him,  the  tent  on  shore  to.^k  fire  and  was  destroyed  before 
they  could  reach  it.     Wrangell  had,  however,  the  good   fortune  to   save 
his  papers   and  instruments;  but   the  survey  of  the   Kolyma  was  aban- 
doned, and  he  returned  to  Nishni  Kolymsk.      Me  found  Matinschkin  and 
Kyber  ready  to  start  lor  the  Aniuj,  as  previously  agreed,  and  under  the 
advice  of  the   latter   he   retired    to   the   more  genial   climate  of  Sredne 
Kolymsk,  in  the  hope  of  being  relieved  from  the  rheumatism,  which  for 
some  time  had  been   growing  more  troublesome,  and  now  threatened  to 
unfit  him  for  prosecuting  his  future  sledge  journeys. 

After  spending  nearly  seven  weeks  among  the  hospitable  Jakuts,  near 


"■ptWHHBP"* 


WINTER  AT  LOW  EH  KOLTMSK.  35, 

Srccl„e  Kcly.nsk,  WruMKcll,  m„ch  invif^oratcl  by  the  repose  and  kindly 
treatment  he  ha.l  enjoyed,  proceede.l  down  the  river  in  his  shallop,  arriv- 
inj,.  at  Nishni  Kolymsk  on  the  ,2th  of  SeptemI.er.  Here  he  found  Res- 
cheln.kovv  ret..rne,l  from  his  mission  to  the  IJaranicha  River  where  he 
lia.i  completed  the  re,,uired  hnihlinj^s.  Soon  Nechoroshkow  joine<l 
•iH'.n  (ron,  .he  flshin,  ^.rounds,  an.l  reporte.l  exceptional  snecess  in  that 
undertakin,^  On  the  .  ith  of  October  Matinsehkin  and  Kyher,  and  -. 
week  later  Kosmin,  arrived  in  safbty  fron,  their  respective  expeditions, 
and  the  wiiole  party  was  thus  re-united  for  the  winter  at  Nishni  Kolymsk 


'P  ' ! 


UJJIJI 


i; 


N' 


It. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

wrangell's  third  sle'kh:  journey — easti-...  ..jnday — views  the 
open  sea  —  explore  the  tundras  —  meet  kosmin — impor- 
tunity ok  hereshnoi^generosity  ok  a  jakut — return    to 

KOLYMSK. 

In  preparing  for  the  third  journey,  VVrangell  and   his  party  encoun- 
tered a  very  serious  difficulty.     An  epidemic  broke  out  among  the  dogs, 
in  which  four-fifths  of  the  whole  stock  perished.    By  great  exertion  they 
were  able  to  procure   forty-five  dogs   instead  of  the   ninety-six  Wrangell 
had  designed  to  use  on  his  third   trip  to  the   north.     The   Cossacks,  who 
were  the  fortunate   owners  of  most  of  the  dogs  that  had  survived   the 
epidemic,  now  volunteered,  in  conjunction  with  some  of  the  other  inhab- 
itants, to  fit  out  twenty  sledges,  each  with  twelve  dogs,  for  the  use  of  the 
expedition.     Wrangell  now  selecti^.d  five  traveling  sledges,  and  nineteen 
to  carry  provisicns,  which  last  were  to  be  sent  back  as  soon  as  possible,  as 
out  of  the  whole   number  of  dogs,  amounting  to   nearly  three  hundred,, 
only  enough  for  the  traveling  sledges  could   be   found   which   were   fit 
to  make    the  whole  journey.      His   immediate   companions   for  the  trip 
were  Matinschkin,  Kosmin  and  Nechorowsky,  Kyber  being  again  prc- 
veiiied,  very  much  against    his  wishes,  by  the  weak   state  of  his  health, 
from  accompanying  thi  m.     Wrangell  proposed  to  make  this  journey  a 
continuation  of  his  former  one  by  proceeding  as  directly  as  possible  to  the 
limit  previously  attained,  and  prosecuting  his  labors  from  that  pnint. 

With  forty  days'  provisions  for  the  men,  and  thirty-five  for  the  dogs, 
they  set  out  once  more  from  Sucharnoi  Island  on  the  26th  of  March, 
1822,  reaching  the  greater  Baranow  Rock  on  the  next  day.  On  the  28th, 
after  clearing  the  rock,  they  directed  their  course  toward  the  northeast 
for  the  intersection  of  71°  30'  v/ith  the  meridian  of  Cape  Schelagskoi, 

at  a  distance  from  the  same  of  about  ninety  miles.     At   a  point  about 

252 


EASTER  SUVDAi 


m9 


ci^HitecM  .nilos  oast   ..f  the  limit  of  the  previous  journey,  they  made  the 
Mitcmie<l  deposit  of  provisions  on  t  le  6th  of  April,  and  next  day  dismissed 
the  last  thirteen  of  the  provision  sledges,  six   having   been  already  sent 
back,  and  one  intermediate  .leposit  of  provisions  naving  been  establishe.l 
on  the  1st,  at  70^  19'  by  ,4'  east  of  the  greater  IJaranow  Rock.     Ma- 
tmschkin  was  sent  t<.  t!)e  northeast  on  t:>e  6th,  with  five  days'  provi 
sions  and  two  sledges,  and   Wrangell  and  Kosmin  set  out  on  the  7th 
with  the  three  remaining  sledges  and  three  days'  provisions,  toward  the 
north,  both  parties  to   return   on  the    loth  to  the  depot.     No  land  ha.l 
beci  discovered  by  either  party.     On  the  12th  they  resumed  their  explo- 
ration together  towanl  the   north,  having  found  by  the   previous  short 
trips  that   Ihe  way  was  more   op<m    in   that   direction.     The    14th  was 
Easter  Sunday,  which  they  devoted  to  rest,  the  mild  weather  and  bright 
sunshine  adding  to   their  enjoyment  of  the  occasion.     It  was  the  i8th  of 
April  before  they  arrived  at  the  limit  reached  by  Wrangell  and    Kosmin 
on  the  9th,  newly.formed  hummocks,  as  well  as  the  enlargement  of  the 
old  ones,  being  the  chief  cause  of  this  great  disparity  in  the  rate  of  pro- 
grcss.     A  sick  sledge-driver  was  sent  back  with  two  companions  and  a 
double  team  of  twcnty-four  dogs,  releasing  one  sledge,  which  was  used 
for  repairing  tuc  others.    A  small  deposit  of  provisions  was  also  made. 

There  were  now  but  five  men,  with  three  sledges  and  two  small  tents, 
the  largest  tent  having  been  turned  over  by  Wrangell  to  the  use  of  the' 
invalid.     On  the  21st  of  April,  having  reached  71  "53'  by  3°  23'  east 
of  the  great  Baranow  Rock,  and  the  increasing   number  of  new  hum- 
mocks rendering  further  progress  extremely  difficult,  it  was  determined 
to  return.     Tiiey  had  about  reached  the  limit  of  the  shore  ice  of  Siberia, 
as   they   judgc<l,  but    before    turning    their    backs    to    the  threatening- 
north,    Matinschkin  in    a    lightly-equipped   sledge  proceeded    six  miles 
farther  to  the  north,  where  all  further  advance  was  stopped  b^-  the  com- 
plete breaking  up  of  the  ice,  and  the  near  approachto  the  open  ^vater  of 
the  Polar  Sea.     He  here  "  beheld  the  icy  sea  breaking  its  fetters;  enor- 
mous fields  of  ice,  raised  by  the   waves  into  an  almost  vertical  position, 
driven  against  each  other   with  a  tremendous  crash,  pressed  downward 
by  the  force  of  the   foaming  billows,  and  reappearing  again   on  the  sur- 


m .. 


854 


/iV  T//E  TtrXDHAS. 


(fH|a.(p 


face  covered  with  the  torn-«p  ::-.cn  mtul  «vhich  everywhere  here  for.ns 
the  hotto,„,  and   which  we  had  so  often   seen  on  the  highest  hummocks. 
On  h.s  retmn    Mr.  Matinschkin  fotnxl   a  great  part  of  the  track  he  had 
passed  over  already  gone,  an.l   large  spaces  wiiich  he  had  just  tVavcrsed 
now  covered  with  water."     He  had  heen  gone  six  hours.     Now  striking 
to  the  west-northwest,   they  reached  72"  2'  on  the  24th,  at   a  clistancc  of 
^5'  '".Ics  i.,a  straight  hne  from    the   nearest   land,  the  great  IJaranow 
Rock,  ami  ahout  3°  50'  east  of  its  „,cri.lian.     Progress  in  this  direction 
was  stopped  hy  the  same  ohstacles  as  hcfore,  and  it  was  now  detemuned 
to  make  for  the  central  depot  of  provisions. 

On  the  4th   of  May   at  the  distance  „f  fortysix    miles   fron,    Cape 
Sehelagskoi,  with  a  clear  sky  and  an  opc-n  horixon  to  the  north  and  east 
extendmg  twenty-nine  miles,  an.l  no  lan.l  in  sight,  thev  concluded  that 
the  'Mnhahitcl  north  country"  was  prohahly  not  to  he  found  in    fi.e   me- 
nduu.  of  that  cape,  nor  of  the    Maranow  Rocks.     Five  days  later   ihey 
reachcl  (heir  provision  depot,  which   they  found  uninjured,  and  restin-r 
one  day  for  the  rcfreslnnent  of  mum,  and  .logs,   they  started   for   Nish.W 
Kolymsk.      On  the    ,6th   of  May,  at    Pochotsk,    they    met    Lieutenant 
Anjou  and  party  on  their  retur.,  to  the  Ya.ia  River  from  the  islands  „f 
New   Siberia;  and    on  the  17th   arrived    without   serious  disaster  of  any 
kmd,  at  Nishni  Kolymsk,  after  an  absence  of  f.fty-three  days,  and  a  jour- 
ney of  7S3  miles. 

EXPLORATIONS  IN  THE  TUNDRAS. 

The  only  important  expeditions  of  the  summer  of  1S23  were  Matinsch- 
kin's   journey    across    the   Eastern    Tundra,  and   Wrangell's    own    trip 
through  the  Hilly  Tundra.     They  parted  company  on  the  13th  of  Juh-, 
at  Pantelejewka,  a   few  miles  nortii   of  Nish.n    Kolymsk,  the  proposed' 
scene  of  Wrangell's  exploration  lying  almost  due  north  of  that  point,  .n<l 
Matinschkin's  away  oast  toward  Tchann  Bay  an<l  Cape  Sehelagskoi.   The 
latter  was  accompanied  hy  the  merchant  Hereshnoi,  who  was  hound  on  a 
trading  journey  to  the  Tchuktchis  <.f  Tchaun  Ray,  taking  Ostrownol  „n 
the  way  with  the  hope  of  securing    an   interpreter.     v\rriving  there  on 
the    32d,   they    hire<!      Mardowskij,  a    Tchuwanzian    chief   who  un.icr- 


ii«ili*inn 


.««ie#"wa****" 


TRACES  OF  TCIWKTC/II.  gjj 

stoml  the  Tchuktchi  language,  to  accompany  them.     A  week  later  they 
arrived  at  the  Fedoticha  River,  on  the  confines  of  the  wide-snre.dinff 
tundras.     By  this  name  are  designated  the   mossy  Hats  or  vast  ph.in, 
which  horder  on  the  Arctic  Ocean,  chiefly  in  Siberia,  hut  also  aion^  the 
north  coast  of  Europe.     The  word  originated  with  the  Finns,  who^c-dl 
these  wastes  tunturs.     They  are  of  the  same   general    character  every, 
where,  being  great  tracts  of  swamp-lands,  partly   covere.l   over  with  -, 
thicK  iayc  ■  of  hog.moss.  and  partly  with   a  dry  snow-white  coverin<r  of 
rein<leer-moss  and  difTcrent  kinds  of  lichens  an.l  similar  Arctic  vegetaUon 
There  are  no  trees,  or  even  shrubs,  and  it  is  only  the  reindeer  that  ren- 
ders these  frightful  wastes  habitable  for  the  honles  of  aboriginal  nom.ds 
A  great  portion  of  them  can  only  be  traversed  in   winter  when   fro.en 
over;  and  to  these  belong  the  tundras  of  Northern  Siberia  which  retain  a 
covcnng  of  snow  throughout  the  year. 

On  the  2d  of  August  Matinschkin  rejoined  Wrangell.  who  had  mean- 
tunc  reached  the  buildings    previously  erected  on  the  Great    Baranich-r 
and  on  the  I3th  crossed  the  three  arms  of  that    river  in  Kosmin's  boat' 
On  the  14th  they  met  Kosmin  himself,  in  the  shallop,  who  had  come  to 
nsh  m   those  waters,  accompanied   by  four  companions.     With    his  aid 
.  hght  boat  was    constructed  for    Matinschkin.    who  pushed  forward    on 
t  e  .5th  with  Bereshnoi,  the  interpreter,  three  Jakuts,  and  sixteen  horses. 
On  the  36th  of  August  when  they  had  about  determined  to  abandon  the 
h.therto  fru.tless  search  for  the  Tchuktchi    and  turn  back,  they    reached 
to   Taunmeo   River,  and   the   ensuing   day,  on    the  other  side,  found 
abundant  as  well  as  recent  traces  of  that  people,  who,  however,  had  all 
disappeared  some  short  time  before  their  arrival. 

Hereshnoi  was  now  importunate  to  turn  homeward,  and  proceeding 
up  the  nver  unt.  the  first  of  September,  they  then  turned  their  faces  t: 
the  wes  for  N.hn.  Kolymsk,  striking  the  route  of  the  Tchuktchi  to  the 
annual  fan-,  at  Ostrownoi.  On  the  3d  they  were  without  food  of  any 
ku,d  except  a. ngle  wild  duck  which  one  of  the  Jakuts  had  killed,  un^ 
known  to  the  rest  of  the  party.  This  he  furtively  o^-red  to  Matinschkin. 
-y.ng:  .  There,  take  and  eat  it  alone;  it  is  too  little  to  do  .ood  to  all 
of  us.  and  you  are  very  tired."     The  generous  ofFer  was.  of  ;ourse  re- 


teB#*f„?,sS«e#Psiwa^***-- 


256 


RETURN  TO  KOLTMSK. 


fused,  and  the  Jakut's  duck  was  put  into  the  kettle,  the  broth  making  a 
refreshing,  though  light  repast  for  all.    On  the  5th,  after  three  days'  fast- 
ing and  great  labor  in  crossing  snow-covered    hills  and  ravines,  they  lay 
down  at  night  on  the   bank  of  a   stream,  in   which  they  exerted   them- 
selves to  place  a   net.      Matinschkin  had  suggested   the  killing  cf  one 
of  the   horses,  but  this  was  overruled,  as  the  Jakuts  declared  that  in 
the  heated  state  of  their  blood  the  use  of  their  flesh  would  cause  serious 
illness.     Hoping,  and  yet  feariug  the  downfall  of  their  hopes,  they  hesi- 
tated to  draw  the  net  next  morning,  and   were  delighted  to  find  three 
large  and  several  small  fishes.      They  reached   the  Aniuj  the  same  day, 
and  found  more  fish  than  they  could  consume.     The  surplus  they  were 
thoughtful   enough  to  place  as  a  deposit  for  some  future  travelers;  and 
were  rejoiced  to  learn,  some  n:onths  later,  that  the  5000  fishes  they  had 
thus  taken  the  trouble  to  store,  were  found  by  some  distressed  wanderers, 
and  supplied  them  with  food  for  a  month.     And  as  if  in  direct  return  for 
their  thoughtfulness,  they  themselves  found  a  similar  deposit  of  clothing, 
which  they  much  needed  in  the  daily  increasing  cold.     On  the  12th  they 
resumed  their  journey,  and  four  days  later  arrived  at  a  small  settlement, 
where  they  rested.     Matinschkin  now  concluded  to  devote  the  remainder 
of  the  season  to  a  survey  of  the  country  from  the  Aniuj   to  Nishni 
Kolymsk,  a  distance  of  nearly  300  miles,  and   took   his  departure  on  the 
iSth.     He  reached   Molotkowo  on   the   25th,  in  the  boat  of  his  friend 
Karkin,  by  whom   himself  and   Dr.  Kyber  had  been   hospitably  enter- 
tained  the  year  before.      Finally,  on  the  6th  of  October,  he  reached 
Nishni    Kolymsk,  after    an  absence  of  eighty-six    days  since    leaving 
Pantelejewka. 


w;k«hi«^IHWii>- 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 
.:.'.c„._„„,v,o„s    o.    .    .o„,,,„„,    coKT,.K„  _„,„;;"■ 

WR^NGELL    SEES  THE  ARCTIC-nAvr-T^o  AFLOAT  — 

AKL TIC— DANGER—MEET  WITH  MATINSrTr 
KIN -A     NATIVE     SPECULATOR -_  SERFDOM        .  '  ^^-^^NSCH. 

GELL'S    EKKORTS.  «^«^I>OM  -  CLOSE      OP      WRAN- 

To  secure  a  good  selection  of  does  for  his  fn„rfK   • 
of  the  Poh.r  Sea   Wrincoll  «  V  :    ,    ,  '^''"'"^^  ^'^  ^^^  '^^ 

Ishmds,    to    ascertain    definitely    whethn.-   fl  •'"' 

.1.0,  Haa  Bero.  seen.     He  l:.::   ,::;;;:*:  "■'"  '""' 
a  complete   reexamination  of  fh.      .    ,  '  ^'''"^  '"'''^^ 

,  uiiuei    iviatmschknr,  accompanied  by  Dr  Kvhor  fo         ^ 


ass 


RUMORS  OF  A   NORTHERN  CONTINENT. 


I  Ci 


shelter  very  desirable,  the  thermometer  having  sunk  to  42"  below  zero. 
Three  days  were  consumed  in  final  prei^aration,  repacking  the  nineteen 
remaining  sledges  with  what  they  had  brought  along,  and  what  had 
been  previously  stored  in  the  buildings.  The  fourth  day  was  so  stormy 
that  they  could  not  set  out,  and  it  was  therefore  the  17th  of  Mi.rch  before 
they  were  fairly  under  way  on  the  fourth  and  last  sledge  journey  over 
the  ice  of  the  Polar  Sea.  In  three  days  they  reached  Cape  Schelagskoi, 
where  they  met  a  kaimakai,  or  chief  of  the  Tchuktchi.  A  subordinate 
governor  in  Turkey  is  known  as  kahnakain.,  whicii  suggests  a  possible 
relationship  between  this  remote  aboriginal  tribe;  or  possibly  the  word 
in  that  form  may  have  been  borrowed  from  some  of  the  Tartar  hordes  of 
Siberia. 

Our   travelers  found   the  Tchuktchi  chief  friendly  and  serviceable,  as 
soon  as   he  became   satisfied   that  their  intentions  were   entirely  pacific. 
From  him  they  learned  that  the  region  of  the  cape  was  only  temporarily 
inhabited  by  his  people  for  bear   hunting  purposes,  and  that  it  had  been 
previously  occupied  by  the  Schelagi  and  Tchewani  tribes,  whose  names 
sm-vive  in  Cape  Schelagskoi  and    Tchaun  Bay,  but  who  had  themselves 
migrated    westward    many  years    before.     When  questioned   about  the 
"inhabited  country  to  the  north,"  ho  said:  «  There  is  a  jwrt  of  the  coast 
between  the  capes,  where  from  some  cliffs  near  the  mouth  of  a  river  one 
might,  on  a  clear  summer  day,  descry  snow-covered  mountains  at  a  great 
distance  to  the  north,  but  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  so  far   in  winter." 
These  distant  mountains,  in  his  opinion^belonged  to   an  extensive  coun- 
try, not  to  islands;  and   he  had  heard  from   his  father  that  a  kaimakai  of 
their  race  had  migrated  thither  with  his  horde  years  before  in  boats,  but 
what  had  become  of  them  was  never  learned  in  the  country  they  had  left. 
He  had   himself  seen  herds  of  reindeer  coming  from  that  land  on  the  Ice, 
and  landing  on  the  Siberian  continent.     He  also  attributed  to  the  inhabi 
tant.,  of  that  linil  the  wounding  of  a  whale  which  was  found  stranded  on 
an  island  off  the  coast,  with  slate-pointed  spears  still  adhering  to  its  body. 
But   Wrangell   thought  it  more   likely  that  it  had  been   attacked  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  who  are  known  to  use  just  such 
spears. 


II  (WJ«"|iii  I II  iliffWWWpiiKwiBwmmwuasm- 


jj^iiiiliii******* 


CAPE  KTBER. 


42"  below  zero, 
ing  the  nineteen 
J,  and  what  had 
y  was  so  stormy 
of  Miirch  before 
ge  journey  over 
ipe  Schelagskoi, 
A  subordinate 
jgests  a  possible 
)ssibly  the  word 
Tartar  hordes  of 

d  serviceable,  as 
entirely  pacific. 
>nly  temporarily 
that  it  had  been 
:s,  whose  names 
had  themselves 
oned  about  the 
•art  of  the  coast 
h  of  a  river  one 
itains  at  a  great 
far  in  winter." 
extensive  coun- 
it  a  kaimakai  of 
)re  in  boats,  but 
■y  they  had  left, 
land  on  the  ice, 
d  to  the  inhabi 
and  stranded  on 
ing  to  its  body, 
attacked  by  the 
3  use  just  such 


259 


The  latitude  of  the  isthmus  back  of  Cape  Schelagskoi  where  they 
ha,i  encamped  was  found  to  be  70°  3',  and  the  longitude  i.x  °  ,'  pj 
ceedn.g  eastward  on  the  3.d,  they  arrived  at  Cape  Kosmin,  in  70°  i '  by 


SKA  BEARS  OF  SIUBHIA. 

■7'    55',».Klf„„„d  the  case  line  to  ,1k- east  uneven  and  hilly  ,„  the 
n,™,  .,..,..  We..,.„,  the  „.,„„  h.„a,„n<,  of  which  W,ange,l  UeU 

h.8l.  ».»1  eleven  and  a  half  geo^raphieal  n.iles  distant  f,„,„  the  low  east- 


IP 


I      - 


V\ 


SCO 


AFLOAT. 


ern  bank  of  <he  river.  To  the  small  island  two  miles  to  the  north  he 
gave  the  name  of  Schalarow  Island,  in  honor  of  the  merchant  navi<.ator 
of  that  name,  who  perished  in  this  vicinity  in  .765.  About  three  miles 
from  the  shore  and  in  the  longitude  of  the  east  bank  of  the  Werkon,  they 
constructed  a  depot  of  provisions,  on  the  25th,  and  sent  back  the  emi^ty 
sledges  to  Nishni   Kolymsk. 

The  next  day  they  fell    in    with  hummocks  at  the  distance  of  ten 
miles    from   the  depot,    where   the   crowbars    were    brought    into    req. 
uisition;      and     the     37th     was     consumed    in    making     three     miles. 
Another   deposit    was    now    made    to    lighten    the    sledges,    and     eight 
of  these  were  sent  homeward.     A  twenty-three  days' supply  for  men  Tnd 
dogs  was  here   buried,  and  only  four  sledges  and  five   men    remained  in 
Wrangell's  section.     This  was  at  70°  12'  by  174°.     On  the  29th  the  ice 
on  which  they  were  became  detached  from  the  main  body  in  a  storm,  but 
on  its  subsidence  became  again  united.     On  the   31st  they  made  only  six 
miles,  and   were  only  ten   miles  from   the   coast.     Finding  the  way  due 
north   or  northeast  blocked   bv  impassable  hummocks,  they  struck   out 
toward  the  west-northwest,  on  the    ist  of  April,  and   having  gone  about 
five  miles   they  came  to  a  place  where  the  covering  was  thin,  new  ice, 
too  frail  to  venture  on,  and  encamped  on  its  margin.     But  the  next  day, 
seeing  no  alternative,  they  risked  the   new  ice,  and  had  the  good  fortune' 
to  get  across  in  safety,  owing  largely  to  the  alertness  of  the  dogs  and  the 
lightness  of  the    sledges,    which   bore    at   this   time    only  a  few    days' 
provisions. 

Notwithstanding  these  advantages  the  trial  was  extremely  dan- 
gerous,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  heaviest  of  the  sledges  broke 
through  the  thin  crust  several  times,  but  only  to  be  whisked  out  the 
more  rapidly  by  the  dogs,  whose  energies  were  evidently  stimulated  by  a 
keen  sense  of  danger.  This  was  at  70-^  20'  by  174°  ,3',  as  ascertained 
after  crossi.ig.  On  the  night  of  the  3d,  after  having  made  twenty  miles, 
they  camped  among  hummocks  and  surrounded  by  fissures,  where  they 
got  detached,  but  succeeded  jn  reaciiing  the  main  body  in  the  morning  by 
a  pontoon  bridge  of  ice  blocks.  Two  sledges  were  here  ordered  back 
to  the  depot,  and  their  provisions  transferred  to  the  remaining  two,  with 


mm'^mmravm:^ 


.,j^»M»^»*»^**P* 


DANGER. 


S61 


whicli  Wrangell  detennined  if  possible  to  move  on  to  the  north  On 
the  4th,  at  70°  51 '  by  175°  27',  and  distant  in  a  straight  line  from  land 
ahoft  sixty  miles,  they  encountered  the  open  water,  not  less  than  ,00 
yards  wide,  and  extending  east  and  west  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 

"We  climbed  one  of  the  loftiest  ice  hills,"  says  Wrangell, "affording  an 
extensive  view  toward   the  north,  and  from   thence  we  beheld   the  wide 
.mmeasurable  ocean  spread  out   before  our  gaze.     It  was   a  fearful   and 
magnificent  spectacle,  though  to  us  a  melancholy  one.    Fragments  of  ire 
of  enormous  size  were  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  agitate^!  ocean,  and 
were  dashed   by  the  waves  with  awful  violence   against  the  ed<.e  of  the 
field  on  the  farthest  side  of  the  channel  before  us.    These  collisions  were 
so  tremendous  that  large  masses  were  every  instant  broken   away,  and  it 
was  evident  that  the  portion  of  ice  which  still  divided  the  channel  from 
the   open  sea   would    soon   be    completely  destroyed.      Had   we   made 
the  attempt  to  ferry  ourselves   across  upon  one  of  the  detached  pieces  of 
ice,  there  would  have  been  no  firn,  footing  on  reaching  the  opposite  side. 
Even  on  our  own  side  fresh  lanes  of  water  were  constantly  forming,  and 
extending  themselves  in  every  direction  in  the  field  behind  us.    We  could 
go  no  farther." 

On  the  night  of  the  5th  they  camped   at  the  second  depot  of  provi- 
sions where  they  found  the  two  returned  sledges  and  the  supplies  intact 
On  the  8th   they  were  in  imminent  danger,  having  been  detac.ed  from 
the  mam  body  on  a  floe  of  only  ,50  yards  wide.  "Every  moment,"  says 
Wrangell,  "huge  masses  of  ice   floating   around  us  were  dashed  against 
each  other  and  broken  into  a  thousand  fragments.     Meanwhile,  we  were 
tossed  to  and  fro  by  the  waves,  and  gazed,  in   helpless  inactivitv,  on  the 
w.ld  conflict  of  the  elements,  expecting  every  moment  to   be  swallowed 
"p.     VU,      d  been  three  long  hours  in  this  painful  position,  and  still  our 
■slanc    held   together,  when  suddenly  it   was   caught  bv  the   storm   and 
nnled   against  a   large  field   of  ice.     The  crash  was  tei'rific,  and  we  felt 
he  mass  beneath  us  giving  way,  and  separating  in  every  direction.     At 
that  dreadful   moment,  when  destruction  seemed  inevitable,  the  in,pulse 
of  self-preservation  implanted  in  every  living  being  saved  us.  Instinctively, 
and  with  the  quickness  of  thought,  we  sprang  on  the  sledges,  and  urJd 


mm>m>>»^t*m- 


il' 


111'" 


I.      !^ 


•Mil  fJ  .s  * 


m>\^ 


263 


GRAVE  OF  SCHALAROW. 


tlie  dogs  to  their  utmost  speed.  They  flew  across  the  yielding  fragments 
of  the  field  against  which  it  had  been  stranded,  and  safely  reached  a 
part  of  it  of  firmer  character,  on  which  were  several  hummocks,  and 
here  the  dogs  immediately  ceased  running,  apparently  conscious  that  the 
danger  was  passed." 

Proceeding  forward  they  soon  reached   the  first  depot  of  provisions, 
and  taking  with   them   all   they  could,  they  hastened   to   the   shore   and 
camped  under  a  cliflT  near  the  mouth  of  the  Werkon.     They  spent  the 
night  in  bringing   away  the  remainder  of  their  provisions  from   the  first 
depot;  but  some  they  had  left  at  the  second  could   not  be  reached.     On 
the  loth  they  rested,  and  ascertained  the  location,  which  was  found  to  be 
69°  51',  by    173"  34',  on   the  east   side  of  the    Werkon.     On   the    nth 
they  made  another   efibrt   to   reach  the   second   depot  of  provisions,  but 
encountered  too  many  water  lanes,  and  returned   in  six  hours,  Wrangell 
occupying  the  interval  in  examining  and  naming  Cape  Kekurnoi,  in  69" 
51'  by  174°  34'.     They  started  eastward   on   the    14th   in    the  hope  of 
falling  in  with  Matinschkin,  as  their  provisions  were   running  low,  and 
their  northern  depot   on  the    ice  could    not  be   reached.     They  had  gone 
over  forty  miles  without  meeting  him,  when  it  became  necessary  to  make 
for  the  central  depot  at  the  Greater  Baranicha,  two  hundred  miles  to  the 
west,  with  a  very  poor  prospect  of  being  able  to  reach  it,  as  their  pro- 
visions were  nearly  exhausted.     They   had  scarcely  proceeded  six  miles 
when,  to  their  great  joy,  they  fell  in  with   the  object  of  their  search, 
whom  they  found,  as  anticipated,  in  possession  of  full  supplies.    Matinsch- 
kin, during  his  survey  of  the  tundra  east  of  the  Werkon,  discovered  a 
hut  on  the  coast,  which  both    he  and  Wrangell  concluded  was  the  last 
resting  place  of  Schalarow,  in  1 765,  who,  therefore,  succeeded  in  the  great 
object  of  his  ambition,  the  doubling  of  Cape  Schelagskoi,  but  did  not 
live  to  return  to  civilization. 

Before  leaving,  they  here, 69"  4S'  by  ,76^  10', established  a  dep(,l  of 
provisions,  and  sent  back  eight  sledges,  retaining  three  for  Matinschkin's 
party,  and  four  for  Wrangell's.  On  the  20th  the  latter  reached  Ca,>c> 
Yakan,  69°  42',  by  ,76  '  33',  whence,  according  to  certain  Tchuktchis, 
"the  northern  country  "  was  sometimes  visible.     But  it  faile.l  to  appear 


Si^lMilKsiW***-! 


A  NATIVE   TRADER. 


263 


to  his  close  scrutiny.  About  three  miles  farther  they  reached  the  Yakan 
River.  Nine  miles  to  the  east,  at  69°  36',  by  176"  58',  « the  warmth  of 
the  weather  oblij,'ed  them  to  halt."  Here  they  observed  bones  of  the 
whale  stuck  upright,  and  were  informed  by  the  Tchuktchis  that  they 
were  the  remains  of  dwellings  formerly  occupied  ly  a  icsident  tribe, 
which  had  ilisappearetl.  Traveling  forty  miles  from  their  halting  place, 
they  arrived  at  6<)"  28',  by  177"  44',  where  they  had  the  good  fortune' 
to  fall  in  with  a  lot  of  driftwood,  mostly  fir  and  pine. 

Q\\  the    3 1st    Matinschkin    made    one     more    break    for    the    north, 
taking    the    ice,    with     his     three     sled-es,    and    provisions    for    fifteen 
days,  while  Wrangell,  Kosmin,  and    ixybei    proceeded    east    with    the 
other  four  sledges,  and  provisions  for  thirteen    days.     The    last-named 
crossed    Kuyegan  River,  twenty-eight   miles  to  the  east,   and    reaching 
69"    12',  by    179°    13',  seven  and  a  I.     f  miles  farther,  bv  five  o'clock 
the    next    morning,   they    halted.       Having    journeyed    thirteen    and    a 
half  i.ules    along    the    coast,  which    here    trends  a  little    south  of  east, 
they    reached    on    the    morning  of  the   23d,  the    headland    which  Capt. 
Cook  had    sighted   in    177S,  and    named   Cape    North.     Here  they  met 
Etel    and    his  tribe  of   Tchuktchis,  wlio  evinced   a  friendly  disposition. 
Inviting  Wrangell  to  his  tent,   "  There,"  said   he,  -  look  well  at  all  those 
things,  take  from  them  what  you  like,  and  give  me  in  return  a  gun,  and 
powder  and  shot,  as  I  am  very  fond  of  hunting,  and  am  sure  I  could  use 
a  gun  better  than  the  mountain   Tchuktchis,  am.M.g  whom   I  once  saw 
one,  and   shot  with  it."     A  barter   was   effected   for  thirteen    seals  and  a 
supply  of  firewood,  which  were    more  valuable    than   all   the   household 
treasures  of  the  chief.     With  Etel    as  guide,  they  set  out  on  the  25th  for 
Kolyutschin— by   Cook   named   Jiurney— Island,  and  having  made   fifty 
miles,  they  halted  in   the    night   at    the    huts  of  two    Tchuktchi   families 
kn,)wn  to  the   chief.     Twenty-three    miles    farther  on   they  crossed  the 
Ekechta  River,  also  three  smaller  streams,  which  fall  into  the  same  bay, 
and  the  Amguyim  River.     Eight  miles  beyond,  where  the  tundra  again' 
gives  way  to  more  elevated   land,  they  ascertained  the  latitude  to  be^eS" 
10',  and  longitude  182"  6'.     They  made  nearly  fifty  miles  on  the  second 
day,;.ls„,  reaching  a  small  settlement  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Wankarem 


m 


A   STIiANGE  INSTITUTION. 


u\ 


I ' 


'    If 


ijjBipnBiii 


R.ver,  and  near  the  Cape  of  that  name.  "  There  is  a  remarkahle  simi- 
lanty,"  says  Wrangell,  "between  the  three  promontori.s  „f  Schela-skoi 
Ir-Kaipij  and  Wankarem.  They  all  consist  of  fine  grained  syenite^with 
greenish  white  feldspar,  dark  green  hornblende  and  miea,  and  are  united 
to  the  mainland  by  a  narrow  isthmus.  The  elevation  of  the  headland 
and  breadth  of  the  isthmus  are  greatest  at  Cape  Schelagskoi,  an<l  least 
at  Cai^e  Wankarem." 

On    the    37th,   doubling    Cape    Onman,    they    sighted   Kolyutschin, 
or  Burney    Island,    about  twenty  miles  to    the    southeast    in    the    en- 
trance   to    the    bay  of  the  same    name,   looking    like    a  circular  moun- 
tarn.        On     the     southern    shore    was    a    Tchuktchi     village,    where 
some   seventy  men  soon   gathered   around   the  strangers,  eager  to  trade 
whale's  flesh,  of  which  they  had  an  abundance,  for  tobacco  and  trinkets 
They  rested    two  days  on  the  island,  and  not   having  wherewith  to  con- 
tinue his  barter  with  the  natives,  Wrangell    now  determined  to   re-tra- 
verse the  600  miles  that  separated  him  fro.n  Nishni  Kolymsk.     He  had 
reached  the  point  where  Captain   Billings'  survey  from  the  east  had  left 
off,  a  generation  before.     Ascertaining  the  location  of  the  southern  point 
of  the   island  to  be  67°   37'   by   ,84°   34',  they  set  out  on  the  return 
trip  on  the   evening  of  the  39th,  and   three  days  later  arrived   at  Etel's 
village,  back  of  Cape  North.     A  peculiarity  noticed  among  the  Tchuk- 
tchis  of  the  coast  was  the  existence  of  a    lass  of  servants,  e.Uirely  depend- 
ent upon  the  wealthier  of  the  natives,  by  whom  they  were  fed  and  clothed 
in  return  for  their  services,  and  not  entitled  to  hold  propertv  of  any  kind- 
m  fact,  slaves.     Of  this  institution  no  history  or  explanation  was  offered' 
other  than  that   "  it  had  always  been  so,  and  must  always  continue  to 
be  so." 

On  the  5th  of  May  they  reached  the  point  whenc  Matinschkin 
had  started  northward,  and  found  a  cross  erected  by  him,  with  a  notice 
attached  stating  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  get  farther  than  ten  miles 
from  the  coast,  owing  to  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice.  On  the  7th  they 
slept  at  Schalarow's  hut,  and  six  days  later  reached  the  village  to  tlie  rear 
of  Cape  Schelagskoi,  with  their  provisions  for  men  and  dogs  exhausted. 
The  natives  had  had  a  bad  season  of  hunting  and  fishing  since  their  de- 


*iii 
w 


CLOSE  OF   ly/iAIVOELVs  EFFOIiTS.  gaS 

parlure,  and  could  give  them  but  little  assistance.  So  there  was  nothing 
to  do  except  to  push  on  for  the  Greater  Baranicha,  with  dogs  foot-sore 
and  weary,  but  eager  to  get  ahead  as  fast  as  possible.  Reaching  their 
supplies  on  the  15th,  they  remained  two  days  in  camp  to  rest  the  over- 
worked animals,  and  on  the  17th  resumed  their  journey.  On  the  33d 
they  arrived  at  Nishni  Kolymsk,  after  an  absence  of  seventy-eight  days, 
and  a  round  trip  of  1330  miles.  Matinschkin  had  arrived  on  The  i6th' 
having  taken  occasion  to  survey  Tchaun  Bay  on  his  return  from  his  fruit- 
less  journey  to  the  north.  He  and  Kyber  left  for  St.  Petersburg  about 
the  middle  of  July,  and  Wrangell  and  Kosmin  followed  toward'the  end 
of  August,  1833. 

Thus  closed  this  remarkable  series  of  sledge  journeys  over  the  ice  of 
the  Polar  Sea,  leaving  the  parties  engaged  therein  still  disposed  to  believe 
in  the  existence  of  the  alleged  northern  country,  the  discovery  of  which 
was  denied  to  their  long  continued  efforts  and  heroic  endurance.     Wran- 
gell suggested  that  if  the  attempt  should  be  resumed.  Cape  Yakan  ou-ht 
to  be  selected  as  the  base  „f  operations.     Too   much  time,  energy  Tnd 
provisions  were  necessarily  wasted   before  getting  fairly  under  way  from 
Nishni  Kolymsk.     The  ice  king  of  the  north  had  proved  unconquerable. 
Four  well-planned   campaigns  had  been  fought  and  lost,  the  vanquished 
retiring  with  only  the  sense  of  having  bravely  done  their  utmost  to  obtain 
an  almost  impossible  victory.     Had  they  started  from  Cape  Yakan  there 
is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  they  would   have  discovered  the  object  of 
their  search,  of  which  the  southwestern  corner  was  only  about  one  degree 
\o  the  east,  and  a  degree  and  a  half  to  the  north  of  that  point,  or  aboul 
;o3  miles  in  a  direct  line  to  the  northeast. 


CHAPTER        V- 
parry's  second  vo.  agk  to  the  noktii west  — sharp  natives  — 

CAIRNS    DISCOVERED  —  NUMEROUS     DISCOVERIES  —  EXPLORATION 
IN    MOATS— IN    WINTER    QUARTERS— THEATRIC  A  IS    AS  A   PASTIME 

ESQUIMAUX    SNOW    HUTS INTELLIGENCE    AMONG     N  \TIVES— A 

NORTHERN     GEOGRAPHER— A    SORCERER— KILLKO    RY    A    FALL. 

The  second  expedition  under  Commander  Parrv  comprised  the  Fury 
of  377  tons,  and  the  Hecla,  of  the  previous  expedition,  of  375  tons,  to  be 
accompanied  by  the  transport  Nautihis  until  they  readied  the  ice.     The 
instructions   were   to  proceed   to  Hudson's   Strait,  and   thence   throu<,rii 
Hudson's  Bay  to  Rowe's  Welcome,  or  through  Fox  Channel  to  Repulsu 
Bay,  on  the  south  coast  of  Melville  Peninsula.     From  the  neighborhood 
thus  indicated  it  was  hoped  a  channel  might  be  found  to  the  Pacific,  and 
it  they  should  succeed   in  reaching  that  ocean  by  any  route,  they  were  to 
proceed  through  Behring  Strait  to  Kamchatka,  and  thence  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  or   to   the   Canton    River,  in   China,  whoe   they  were  to 
refit   and    re-victual    before    returning   to    England.       Though    Parry's 
commission  was  dated    Dec.  30,  1S30,  they  did    not   leave   the   coast  of 
England  until  May  i,  1821.     The   Hecla  was  under  the  Immediate  com- 
mand of  Capt.  George   Francis   Lyon,  and    the    Nautilus  was  in  charge 
of  Lieut.  Scymgour.     On  the  14th  of  June,  in  latitude  60''  48',  and  Ion- 
gitude  53°  13',  in    the   entrance  to   Davis'  Strait,  they  met   the  first  ice- 
berg, and  in  obedience  to  instructions  took  the  surplus  stores  of  the  trans- 
port aboard  the  Fury  and  Hecla. 

The  Nautilus  was  ready  for  dismissal  on  the  first  of  July,  vvlioii 
she  proceeded  on  the  homeward  voyage,  and  her  late  consorts  made 
for  the  ice.  Two  days  latei-  these  were  stopped  by  the  ice-floe, 
with  over  thirty  icebergs  in  sight,  and  on  tiie  5th  weie  completely 
beset   by  the    ice,    ajrainst    which    thev    were    often,   driven    with    nnmc 

266 


WltWHIilllUII! 


•m^mmmmmmm--- 


UNNATURAL  PARENTS, 


m 


violence,  but  without  serious  injury,  both  being  very  strong^-  l,uilt,  and 
well  adapted  for  the  roujjh   usajre  they  received.     Eight  days  later  they 
sighted  two  vessels  of  the    Hudson  Hay  Company,  and  on   the    .4th  the 
I.ord  Wellington,  with  .60  settlers,  mostly  foreigners   tor  the  Red  River 
of  the  North.     A  week  later,  by  c<,nst.nU   effort  fn  taking   advantage  of 
.very  opening,  and  by  forcin-^  their  way  where  no  such  opening  ofKred 
they  .cached  6,  '  50'   ,3'   In      ;  '  7'  35",  ,•„   the  entrance  of  TludsonC 
Stra.t,  and  in   sight  of  Sad-U.-back  Is'and.      Here,  while  anchored  to  an 
ice-Moe  about   four  or  five  nnMes  from  land,  they  were  visited  l,v  ov.r  one 
hundred  Esquimaux,  male  and  female,  all  very  eager  to  traffic,' but  by  no 
n,cans  w.lhng  to   pa,,  with   their  wares  at  a  sacrifice.     Parry  tound  this 
tnbco.h„r,lemuch   less  honorable  than  the  small    body  he  h    I  encoun 
tered  the   previous   year.      They  were  rea.Iy  to  steal  all    thev  coul.l,  and 
evenofTere,!   to  barter  their   cl„ldren   for  goods.     "  They  seem  to  hav. 
acquire<l,"  says   Parrv,  M,y   an    annual   .     -rcourse    with   our   shii      for 
nea  ly  a  hundr^.l  y.ars,  ,nuny  of  the  vices  which  ur.happilv  :      -hd  a  first 
mtcrcourse  with  the     Ivili^ed  world,  without  having   imbibcu  .ny  of  the 
virtues  or  refinements  which  ad.,.  ,1  an<l   render  it  happy." 

On  Sunday,  the  zu\  of  July,  a  favorable  wind  arose,  and  tl,ey  pro- 
cceded  rapidly,  undo  all  sail,  through  the  Straits,  finding  ample  open- 
n.gs  between  the  ice-fioe.  Thev  were  no,  a  l.ttle  surprised  at  the 
amount  of  rocks,  shells  an,!  wee..,  which  thev  noticed  on  these  floes 
"Masses  of  rocks,"  says  the  observant  commander,  ^M>ot  less  than  a 
lunMnd  pounds  in  weight,  are  sometimes  observed  in  the.  nv  !,- ..f  a 
lloe,  measuring   half  a  mile  or  more   each  wav,  and  of  which  tl  ' 

surface  is  n.ore  ..r  less  covered  with  smaller  stones,  sand  and  sheas  " 

On  ihe  first  of  Au,:ust  they  arrived  off  Southampton  Island,  and 
wore  vsned  by  son,e  natives  .vitl>  whom  they  change<l  commoditie- 
"Many  ot  the  jackets  of  tl,  ,e  ,eonle,  and  partic.darly  .hose  of  the 
Icnales.  were  lined  with  the  skins  of  ,„rds,  hav.ug  the  leathers  ins.de  " 
Siwrtu.g  the  n.>rth  coast  of  this  large  islan.l  or  group,  the,  arrived  on 
tlH-  .5>i.,  at  a  bold  headland,  which  Parry  name.l  Cape  Bylot,  jucLnn^.  it 
to  !"'  the  most  western  point  seen  h  "     * 

Channel,  in  161  c,      H 


jjoini  seen  b\     lie  navigator  of  th: 


it  name  in  Fox 


■lii^^&^ 


ivn)g  soon  arrived  within   fi 


\c  or   six   miles  of  the 


208 


AiV  ARCTIC  NECROpOirs. 


ll     It 


entrance  t„  what  Capt.  Mkhllcto,,  ha.,  na.ncci  the  Fro.en  Strait  in  .74. 
the  co.„,nan.ler,  aco.npani.-.l  by  Mr.  Ross,  wen,  ash„re  east  c.f  CapJ 
WelsfonJ,  where  they  found  the  coast  about  ,ocx>  feet  high,  but  indente.l 
w.th  a  number  of  small  eaves  at  short  intervals  between  the  p.-ojectin.^ 
caves  of  gneiss.  In  one  of  these  they  imp.ovised  a  tent  and  .cn,ained 
overnight;  but  a  favorable  wind  arising  they  hastened  aboard  on  the 
morning  of  the  .7th,  and  making  all  sail,  discovered  »  one  of  the  most 
secure  and  extensive   harbors   in   the  whole  world,"  which  they  na.ned 


Duke  of  York's  Bay, 
opening  soiuh  f loin  Cape 
VVelsford.  They  here 
found  the  lemains  of  an 
extensive  Esquimaux  en- 
campment,   which    they 

judged  to  be  capable  of 

accommodating  over  120 

persons.     These  huts  did 

not    present    any    novel 

features  of  construction, 

but   three    miles    farther 

inland  they  fell  in   with 

what  they  judged  to  be 

a  native   burial    o-roiinn 

Ml      ^rOUnO.  nRK.S,  OK  NATIVES ,      .. ..  v...^ ..      u.C 

l-rozen  Strait,  at  the  northern    entrance  of  Rowe's  Welcome,  in  thick 

weaiher,    and    passing    its    no,-theastern     headla.i,!     the    Cape     Fn-nd 

of  Middleton,  they  found    themselves    on  the    32d,  in    the   land-locked 

inlet   to    the    northwest,    know.i    as    Repulse   Bav.       They    asce.tained 

then-  exact   situation  to   be  in    latitude  66'^  30'  58",  just  58",  or  about 

one    mde    north   of  the   A.ctic    Ci,-cle,  and    in    1,  ngitude  86°   30'    ^o" 

Havmgbee.i    i.istructed    to  "  keep    along     the     line    of    this    coast    to 

the    northward,  always    exa.nining    every    bend  or  inlet    which    mi..ht 

appear    likely     to    afTonl    a    practicable    passage    to    the    w^estwa,xl," 

over    SIX    weeks    were    spent    in    ca.efully    following,    exa.nining    and 

surveying  the  coast  line  for  about  600   miles.     They  discove.ecl    iiurd's 


Here  th-^y  found  nine  or 
ten    cairns    about    three 
feet    in    height,  and     as 
many  wide  at  the  base. 
In  a  cursoiy  exa,nination 
they  found  one  skull,  and 
a    n  u  m  be  r    of  sin  all 
objects,    such    as    arrow 
heads,  spear   heads,  and 
miniature  canoes — repre- 
sentatives of  the  imple- 
ments most  used  by  the 
deceased  during  life. 

On  August  21    they 
a  rri  ved,    through   the 


PMI 


mm 


«*,»•««»*<**** 


DIFFICULTIES  OF  ICE  NAVIGATION. 

Channel,  so  called   i„   honor   of  Thomas   Hurd,   hydro^.raph.r   to   the 
nritish  Admiralty,  (Jore  Hay,  Lyon  Inlet,  Iloppnc-r  Inlet,  and  Ross  Bay, 
besKlcs  Hushman,  Vansittart,  and    S.ur.^es    Honrne  Islands,  Cane  Mon- 
ta^^ue  and  Mrook's    Hh.ff,  named   in  honor  of  the  officers  of  the  expe.Ii 
t.on.     They  be^jan  their  slow  northern  proj^ress  on   the   23d  of  Aucr„,t 
and  went  uito  winter  quarters  on  the  Sth  of  October.     Before   thatltj 
they  had  found  new  ice  of  the  season  be.^inninjj  to  form,  and  Parrv  thus 
describes  the  obstruction  ^  presents  to  successful  navij^ation  • 

"The    formation    of   yoimg    ice    upon    the    surface    of    the    water 
is   the    circumstance    which    most    decidedly    begins   to    put    a    stop   to 
the    navigation  of  these    seas,  and    warns  the    seaman  that    his    season 
of  active    operations  is  nearly  at    an    end.     It    is    indeed  scarcely    pos 
sible   to   conceive    ^he    degree    of    hindrance    occasioned    by    this    im- 
pediment,   triHing    as    it    always    appears    before    it    is    encountered. 
When    the    sheet    has    acquired    a    thickness    of    about     half    an    inch 
and  IS  of  considerable  extent,  a  ship  is  liable  to  be  stopped  by  it  unless 
favored  by  a  strong  and  free  wind  •  and  even  when  still    retainin..  her 
way  through   the  water  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  an   hour,  our  course   is  no^ 
always  under  the  control  of  our  helmsman,  but  depends  upon  some  acci- 
dental  decrease   or  increase  in   the  thickness  of  the   sheets  of  ice  with 
which  one  bow  or  the  other  .omes  in   contact.     A  ship  in  this  helpless 
state,  her  sails  in  vain  expanded  to  a  favorable  breeze,  her  ordinary  re- 
sources failing,  and   suddenly  arrested    in    her  course  upon  the  element 
through  which  she  has  been  accustomed  to  move  without  restrain,  has 
often  renunded  me  of  Gulliver  tied  down   by  the  feeble  hands  of  Lilli'- 
putians.     Nor  are  the  struggles  she  makes  to  effect  her   release,  and  the 
apparent   insignificance  of  the   means   by  which  her  efforts  are  opposed 
the  least  just  or  least  vexatious  part  of  the  resemblance  » 

They  were  at  one  time  driven  across  to  Southampton  Island,  finding 
themselves,  on  the  3d  of  September,  almost  at  the  spot  they  had 
k-ft  on  the  6th  of  August,  which  serves  »  to  show,"  says  Parrv  "  the 
value  of  even  the  smallest  geographical  information  in  seas  where  not  nn 
hour  must  be  thrown  away,  or  unprofitablv  emploved,"  r)„  the  ''th  of 
bcptember  they  again  sailed  northward,  and   leaving  the  ships 'in  as 


i»*M«s*wa4ie?.»«.iuiwii*;»*** 


4       ji.  limn 

' '  Ifli 

KjJa.  ,  T! 

i  I  iuii 

ll  ? 


"'.#««« 


pr^uMN 

"■:"r'       -      •    ■ 

- 

Ui 

270 


i  iwr » ii  ,:  J 


IIM>iliiiriBWi»iiwiiiii;iniji|||||n.iia||ijiffi|i)^^i_j^..,.., 


ygw^g 


IN   WINTER  QUARTERS. 


371 


sheltered  spots  as  could  be  found,  they  carried  on  the  exploration  of  the 
coast  in  repeated   trips  by  boat,  using  the  ships  as  a  base  of  supplies,  to 
which   they  retin-ned   when   needful.     Thus  they   labored   indefatigably 
until  the  8th  of  October,  when  the  new  ice  was  already  three  and  a  half 
inches  thick.     "  In  reviewing  the  events  of  this,  our  first  season  of  navi- 
gation," says  Parry,  "and    considering    what    progress   we   had    made 
toward  the  accomplishment  of  our  main  object,  it  was  impossible,  how- 
ever trifling  that  object  might  appear  on  the  chart,  not  to  experience  con- 
siderable satisfaction.     Small   as  our   actual   advance  had   been   toward 
Behring's  Strait,  the  extent  of  coast  newly  discovered  and  minutely  ex- 
plored  in  pursuit  of  our   object   in   the  course  of  the  last   eight  weeks, 
amounted  to  more  than  two  hundred   leagues,  nearly  half  of  which   be- 
longed to  the  Continent  of  North  America.     This  service,  notwithstand- 
ing our  constant  exposure  to  the  risks  which  intricate  siioal  and  unknown 
cliannels,  a  sea  loaded  with  ice,  and  a  rapid  tide  concurred  in  presenting, 
had  providentially  been  eflTected  without  injury  to  the  ships,  or  suffering 
to  the  oflicers  and  men;  and  we  had   now  once  more  met  with  tolerable 
security  for  the  season." 

IN   WINTEr.  QUARTERS. 

Tho  bay  selected  for  winter  quarters  on  what  they  named  Winter 
Island,  at  the  entrance  to  Lyon's  Inlet,  "was,"  says  Parry,  "as  fine  a 
roadstead  as  could  be  desired  if  situated  in  a  more  temperat- climate," 
hut  was  entirely  open  to  the  south.  The  ships  were  therefore  exposed 
t(.  a  double  danger  from  ice-floes  driven  against  them  from  the  south,  or 
against  which  they  might  be  driven  if  torn  from  their  moorings  by  a  gale 
from  the  north.  The  chief  protection  was  from  the  new-made  ice  be- 
tween them  anil  the  heavier  bodies  to  the  south,  and  in  the  commander's 
fertility  of  resource  in  any  emergency  which  might  arise.  Having  per- 
fected their  arrangements  for  the  security  of  the  ships  and  stores,  as  well 
as  for  the  warmth  and  comfort  of  officers  and  men— substantially  the 
same  as  on  the  previous  expedition,  but  with  the  improvements  sug- 
gested by  that  experience— they  were  ready  to  be  amused.  After  a  few 
days  spent  in  "rigging  the  theater,"  the  season  of   1831-2  opened  auspi- 


272 


ESQUIMAUX  SNOW-HUTS. 


ciously  on    the    9th    of  November,  with    Sheridan's  comedy  of  "  The 
Rivals,"  Capt.  Lyon  laking  the  place  of  manager,  so  acceptably  filled  by 
Lieut.  Beechey  of  the  former  expedition.     Musical   concerts  alternated 
with  theatrical   representations,  and  a  school  was  opened,  but  the   news- 
paper   venture  does  not  seem    to    have  been  renewed.     Christmas  was 
celebrated  with  such  of  the  usual  observances  and  festivities  as  they  could 
command,  and  the  general   health  was  excellent,  there  being  only  a  sin- 
gle  case   of  sickness,  the  carpenter's  mate.     «  To  increase  our  ordinary 
issue  of  anti-scoibutics,   liberal  as  it  already  was,"  says  Parry,  "  we  had 
from  the  commencement  of  the  winter  adopted  a  regular  system  of  grow- 
ing mustard  and  cress,  which  the  superior  warmth  of  the  ships  now  ena- 
bled us  to  do  on  a  larger  scale  than  before.     Each  mess,  both  of  the  offi- 
cers' and  ship's  company,  was  for  this  purpose  furnished  with  a  shallow 
box  filled  with  mold,  in  which  a  crop  could  generally  be  raised  in  from 
eight  to  ten  days."     On  the  18th  of  January,  ,822,  the  stove-pipe  in  the 
commander's  cabin  took    fire,  creating  a   momentary  alarm,  but  no  dam- 
age.    On  the  1st  of  February  they  were   very  agreeably  surprised    <^  a 
visit  from   a  party  of  Esquimaux,  who    had  settled  in   winter   quarters 
about  two  miles  from  the  ships.     A  small  party  of  iJnglish  accompanied 
•them  to  the  village,  which  consisted  of  five   huts  recently  erected.     The 
establishment  comprised    sixty  persons,    with    their   liogs,    sledges    and 
canoes.     On  examination  it  was  found  that   the  huts  were  made  entirely 
of  snow  and  ice.     "After  creeping  through  two  low  passages  having  each 
its  arched  doorway,  we  came  to  a  small  circular  apartment,  of  which  the 
roof  was  a  perfect  arclied  dome.     From  this  three  doorways,  also  arched, 
and  of  larger  dimensions  than  the  outer  ones,  led  into  as  many  inhabited 
apartments,  one  on  each  side,  and  the  other  facing  us  as  we  entered.    The 
women  were  seated  on  the  beds  at  the  sides  of  the  huts,  each  having  her 
little   fireplace  or  lamp,.with  all    her  domestic   utensils  about  her.     The 
children  crept  behind  their   mothers,  and  the  dogs  slunk   past  us  in  dis- 
may.    The  construction  of  this  inhabited   part  of  the  hut  was  similar  to 
that  of  the  outer  apartment,  being  a  dome  formed  by  separate  blocks  of 
snow   laid  with  great   regularity,  and   no   small  art,  each  being  cut  into 
the  shape   required   to  form  a  substantial  arch,  from   seven  to  eight  feet 


'*W*^''«'*^^Pf^?^?^?W5'^*^g<' 


'  of  "  The 
ly  filled  by 
alternated 
the   nevvs- 
stmas  was 
they  could 
Jnly  a  sin- 
r  ordinary 
"  we  had 
1  of  grow- 
now  ena- 
Jfthe  offi. 
a  shallow 
'd  in  from 
>ipe  in  the 
:  no  dam- 
'ised    -.y  a 
quarters 
ompanied 
ed.     The 
Jges    and 
e  entirely 
nng  each 
v'hich  the 
o  arched, 
inhabited 
•ed.    The 
iving  her 
er.     The 
us  in  dis- 
imilar  to 
blocks  of 
cut  into 
ight  feet 


!Kr«''^g|Pjip|gf?gj^»3PWii=?^J<':- 


274 


PARnrS  EULOGT  ON   THE  NATIVES. 


high  in  the  center,  and  having  no  support  whatever  except  what  this  prin- 
ciple  of  building  supplies.     Sufficient  light  was  admitted  into  these  curi- 
ous  edifices  by  a  circular  window  of  ice,  neatly  fitted  into  the  roof  of  each 
apartment."    The  unexpected  cleanliness  of  these  huts  astonished  the  vis- 
itors, but  they  afterward  found   that  it  was   largely  due  to  their  newness. 
The  usage  of  a  few  inonths  made  them  much  less  attractive,  but  the  tribe 
were  nevertheless  judged  to  be  more  neat  than  most  of  their  race.    With 
one  or  two  exceptions  they  were  found  to  be  honest,  and  in  their  domes- 
tic  relations  quite  affectionate.     One  of  the  boys  declined  all  overtures  to 
leave  his  parents  because  it  would    make   tliem   cry.     The  women  were 
occupied  with  the  usual  domestic  cares,  and   not  required  to  take  part  in 
fishing  or  hunting.     But  few  of  them  could  count  beyon.l  five,  and  were 
slow  to   learn  English.     Yet  within  the  range  of  their  own  experience 
they  were  sharp    and    alert.     They  kept    themselves    comfortably  and 
neatly  clothed,  and   were  ingenious   in  devising   means  of  providing  for 
their  wants.     When  their  supply  of  food  ran  low  fcM-  a  few  days,  and  the 
ship's  bounty  was   extended  to  them,  it  was  noticed    that  their  first  care, 
before  partaking  of  any  of  it,  was  to  hurry  back  to  the  village  to  feed  their 
little  ones. 

There  was   noticeable  among  them  the   usual   variety  of  disposition 
and   intellect;    and    Parry  grows  enthusiastic  over   one  of  the  boys   in 
whom  he  recognized  an  aptness  to  learn,  which  would  have  made  him  a 
famous  scholar  in   England.     His  sister,  Iligliuk,  also   attracted  their  no- 
tice  by  her  marked  intelligence  and  love  of  music,  and  became   useful  as 
an  interpreter  between  the  English  and    the  more  stolid  or  indifferent  of 
the  tribe.     IIa\'ing  (observed  that  thev  were  acquainted  with  the  four  car- 
dinal points  of  the  compass,  the  commander  marked  them  on  a  sheet  of 
paper,  on  which  he  designated  also  a  spot  to  represent  the  location  of  tlic 
ships.     Iligliuk  was  then   requested  "  to  complete   the  rest,  and  to  do  it 
m7'/6ec  (small),  when,  with  a  countenance  of  the  most  grave   attention 
and  peculiar  intelligence,  she  drew  the  coast  of  the  continent  beyond  her 
own  country,  as   lying  nearly  north  from  Winter  Island.     The  most  im- 
portant part  still   remained,  and  it  would    have  amused  an   unconcerned 
looker-on  to    have  observed  the  anxiety  and  suspr^nse  depicted   on  the 


\ 


SOUVENIRS.  275 

countenances  of  our  part  of  the  group   till   this  was  accomplished   for 
never  were  the  tracings  of  a  pencil  marked  with  more  earnest  solicitude 
Our  surprise  and  satisfaction  n,ay,  therefore,  in  some  degree  be  imagined' 
when,  without  taking   the  pencil  from    the  paper,  Iligliuk  brought  the' 
contn,ental  coast  short  round  to  the  westward,  and  afterward  to  the  south 
s<n>theast,  so   as   to  come  within  a  few   days'   journey  of  Repulse   Ray 
Ihe  country  thus  situated   upon  the  shores   of  the    Western   or   Poltr 
Sea  .s  called  Akkoolcc  (now    Melville   Peninsula),  and  is  inhabited  by 
numerous  Esquimaux;  and   halfway   between   that  coast  and    Repulse 
Bay,  Iligliuk   drew   a   lake   of  considerable  size,  having   small  streams 
t.on.  .t  to  the  sea  on  each  side.      To  this  lake   her  countryn.en  are  annu- 
ally m  the  habit  of  .esorting  during  summer,  and  catch  there  lar^^e  fish 
of  the  salmon  kind,  while  on  the  banks  are  found  abundance  of  rel^ndeer 
To  the  westward  oi' A kkoolcc,  as  far  as  they  can  see  from  the  hills,  which 
she  described  as  high  ones,  nothing  can  be  seen  but  one  wide,  extended 
sea.     Ben.g  desirous  of  seeing   whether   Iligliuk   would   interfere   with 
Wager  R.ver   (about  ,00  miles  to  the  south  of  Winter  Island,  opening 
to  the  west  from  Rowe's  Welcome),  as  we  know  it  to  exist,  I  renuested 
her  to  continue  the  coast  line  to  the  southward  of  Akkoolee,  when  she 
nnmediately  dropped    the  pencil  and  said  she  knew  no   more  about  it  " 
"Others  of  the   more   intelligent  of  the   tribe  being  tested   on  the  same 
sul,ect,  '.  their  delineations  of  the  coast  n.ade  without  any  concert  among 
Hk..,  agreed  in  a  surprising  manner."      Fro.n  the  head  of  Repulse  Bay 

to  the   northern   sea  of   these   Fsniiinn..x-    „         i 

'"^'^'^  i-squnnaux,  now  known  as  the  Gulf  of 

bootlTa,  was  three  senicks  (sleeps),  or  days'  journey 

"  Considering  it  desirable,"  says  Parry,  u  to  increase  by  all  the  means 
...  om-  power  the  chances  of  these  people  giving  information  of  us,  we 
'l.stnbuted  an.ong  several  of  the  men  large  round  medallions  of  sheet 
copper,  having  these  words  punched  through  them:  '  H.  B.  M.  S.  Fu.v 
and    llecla,  all   well    A    D     iS->t '"     c       n  .  , 

IT    ,       .      „     '''^'''^•^^'    '^^^•^-         Smaller   medals  With   "  Furv  and 

locia,  .S33,  only,  were  given  to  th.  ^o.,  „,  to  be  shown  to  -..y  Kab- 
loona  (Europeans)  they  might  fall  in  wi.h.  Five  or  six  of  the  most  de- 
servng  men  were  presente<l  with  staffs  for  their  spears,  into  the  wood  of 
wluch  were  driven  small  nails  forming  the  words  "Fury  and  Hecla,  1823  " 


376 


A   SOBCEROR. 


As  the  weatlier   gi\ w  warmer,  the  huts  were  felt  to  be  too  confined, 
and   they  proceeded   to  cnhirge  them  in   a   manner   highly  creditable  to 
their  ingenuity.      They   built   the  new  around    and  over   the   old,  which 
they  then  removeil  from  within.     They  had  early  exhibited  to  their  vis- 
itors, at  the  commander's  request,  the  method   of  construction,  erecting 
one  in  their  presence  in  a   {cw    hours.     Parry  and   some   others   accom- 
panied  them  in  one  of  their  seal-fishing  expeditions,  and  noted  with  sur- 
prise and  admiration  the  skill,  patience  and  endurance  with  which  they 
carried  on  that  important  business.    "It  w;.s  impossible  not  to  admire  the 
fearlessness  as  well   as  dexterity  with  which    the  Esquimaux  invariably 
pursued  it."     Among  other  noteworthy  characteristics  of  these  people  it 
was  observed  that,  although   the  seal   or  walrus,  or  whatever  else  they 
succeeded  in  catching,  was  invariably  taken  to  the   hut  of  the  party  im- 
mediately  concerned   in   securing  it,  :ill   others    were   made   partakers  of 
this  good  fortune.     Early  in  Marcii  a  number  of  them  transferred  their 
residence  to  the  ice,  some  five   or  six    miles   from  the  ships,  perhaps  for 
greater    convenience    in    fishing,    and    quickly    erected    four    new    huts. 
Some   two  weeks  later  they  were  joined   by  others  from  the  old  villao-e 
and  a  lew  erected    huts  near  the  ships;  but  far  or  near,  intercourse   was 
kept  up.     The  English  noted  many  superstitious  practices  among  them; 
and  one  was  found  to  be  an  acknowledged  angctkook,  or  sorceror,  who 
was   believed   to   have   a  ioor?tgoxv,  or  familiar  spirit.     He   was  about 
forty-five  years  of  age,  and  bore  the  name  of  Ewerat.     He  did  not  seem 
to  be  a  conscious   impostor,  but  on  the  contrarv,  was  a  sensible,  oblisrin" 
man,  and  a  first-rate  seal  catcher.     When  appealed  to  on   occasion  of  ill- 
ness, or  for  other  purpose,  to   exercise  his   art,  «  his   lips  began  to  quiver, 
his  nose  moved   up   and   down,  his   eyes  gradually  closed,  and   tiie   vio- 
lence of  his   grimaces  increased   until  every  feature  was   hid-ously  dis- 
torted; at  the  same   time   lie   moved   his   head    rapidly  from    side  to  side, 
uttering  sometimes  a  snuffling  sound,  and  at  others  a  raving  sort  of  civ. 
Having  worked  himself  into  this  ritliculous  sort  of  frenxy,  which  lasted 
perhaps  from  twenty  to   thirty  seconds,  he   suddenly  discontinued  it  and 
suffered  his  features  to  relax  into  their  natural    form;  but  the    motion  of 
his  head  seemed  to  have  so  stupefied  him,  as  indeed  it  well  might,  that 


..-*i|i«*** 


DEATH  FROM  A   FALL  ^ 

..here  remaincl  .-..i  unusual  vacancy  and  a  drowsy  stare  upon   his  counte- 
nance  for  some  time  afterward.      Togalat,  his  wife,  asked   him   in  a  se- 
rions  tone  some  questions  respecting  me,  which  he  as  seriously  answered." 
Early  in   May  Capt.  Lyon,  accompa.iied   hy    Lieut.  Palmer,  five  sea- 
men and  three  iruarines,  was  dispatched  on  an  exploring  expedition,  with 
provisions  for  twenty  days.     He  was  instructed,  after  crossing  to  the  con- 
tnient  to  proceed  along  that  coast  to  the  northward,  carefully  examining 
any  bend  or  inlet  he  might  meet  with,  so  as  to  leave  no  doubt,  if  possihle, 
of  its  actual   extent  and   communications,  thereby  preventing  the  neces' 
sity  of  the  ships  entering  it  on  their  arrival  there."      The  result  of  this 
expedition,  from   which    they  returned    in    safety   on   tiie   evening  of  the 
2ist,was   to  confirm   what   they  had   learned   from   Iligliuk,  of  "he  con- 
formation of  the  mainland,  around  the  northern  extremitv  of  which  they 
lH.pe.1  to  find  the  coveted  passage  to  the  Polar  Sea.      On  the  15th  James 
Pringie,  a  seaman,  was  instintly  killed   by  falling   fn„n    the  topmast  to 
the  deck  of  the    Hecla;  and   forty  days   later   they   lost  two  men  on  the 
Fury,  by  disease;    William   Souter,  quartermaster,  after   a  short  illness, 
and  tlie  invalid,  Reid. 


il 


|1    I; 


t  ■ 
If-,,; 


,a;i5afSLJi 


i     :  ! 

I    .i  '■ 
i 

i 


lilM 


IH 

;<    !    ?     .     S     J 

»tf;;....  »>i:'i«# 

'          ■ 

■■k. 

B. 

,, 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 


PARKY    ATTEMPTS    TO    KHKe     HIS    SUM'S 


Kil.OOKLIK    ISLAND A    NE- 


cnopoMs  — siriM-osKi)    niscovKuv  ok  tiik    polar    ska  — hkcla 

AN.,  FITKY  STRAIT-  .M.irrro.VY  -UNUSUAL  PIIKNOMKNON- 
MKLVILLK  PKMNSULA  KXI'LORICD-SUCCKSSFUL  ANCiLINO— STILL 
DKA-ni       KROM       SCURVY  —  WKLCOMli       AT       SHETLAND 


RESET  — 
ISLANDS 


From  the  30!  to  the  3  ist  of  June  they  were  en-a-ed  i.,  c.tlin-  o.u.als 
loi  the  ships   to  escape   to  sea   Nvhenever  an    opportunity  nlYcvcd.     Tliis 
opportunity  ^vas  suppleniente.l  hy  the  action  of  the  ice  itself  towani  the 
close  of  tiieir  lah.,rs.     On   the    .9th  a  hody  of  sea  ice  was  driven   hy  a 
southerly   hrec/e  a,<,^,inst   the  bay  ice,  Nvhieh,   weakened   hy  their  lahc.rs, 
hroke  asunder,  forniin-  a   new  channel,  hut  closin-  the  canal   they  ha,l 
constructed.     In  a  few  days  the  action  of  the  wind  and  tide  reversed,  re- 
opening the  artificial   channel,  into  which  they  hastened    to   float   some 
loose  masses  of  ice  to  keep  the  sides  from    being  again   driven   together. 
It  was  not,  however,  till  the  id  of  July,  after  almost  nine  months'^deten- 
tion,  that  the  ships  were  able  to  leave  the  roadstead.     Sailing  northward, 
they  were   in   great  danger   from    ice-floes  and    icebergs   until  the  12th,' 
when  they  reached,  in  latitude  67°  ,S',  the  m.nUh  of  a  river,  where  tiicy 
anchored.     This   they  named   Barrow  River,  in    honor  of  Sir  John  Bar- 
row,  secretary  to  the  admiralty,  and  an   active   promoter  of  Arctic  voy- 
ages.      On    the   next  day,  in  pushing   their  exploration   up  stream,  they 
found  a  beautiful  cascade  of  two  falls  of  ninety  and  fifteen   feet,  respcc 
tively.  Higher  up  they  found  two  other  smaller  cataracts;  and  were,  alto- 
gether,  much  delighted    with   the   novelty   of    llie   experience.       Their 
pleasure  was  further  enhanced   by  the  richness  of  the  vegetation   on   its 
banks,  and  the  killing  of  some  reindeer.     Leaving  Barrow  River  with  a 
favorable  ^vind  they  soon  reached  a  headland,  which  they  named  Cape 

378 


SiTlMlin'iMi'MW'WiM'-iiimMWw 


^^!^*HP**>»^****f"* 


mm 


I 


IGLOOKL/K  IHLAND. 


279 


I'oiirliyn,  and  on  the  iic-xt  day  encountered  great  nnmbcrH  of  walrus,  as 
llu'v  liiid  been  letl  to  expect  from  the  accounts  previously  jjiven  by  liifr- 
link  and  the  other  Escjuhnaux.  They  were  seen  lying  in  large  herds 
upon  loose  pieces  of  drift-ice,  huddled  close  together,  and  even  upon  one 
another,  iu)t  less  tiian  two  hundred  being  in  gunshot.  They  killed  a  few 
and  found  the  Hesh  palatable,  though  somewhat  objectionable  at  first, 
liccaiisc  of  its  dark  color. 

On  tile  1 6th  they  arrivetl  at  tlie  entrance  of  tiie  channel  whicii  Ilig- 
liiik  had  marked  on  the  cliart  as  opening  to  the  west,  but  only  to  find  it 
closed  by  an  unbroken  sheet  of  ice.  Here  they  encountererl  some  Esqui- 
maux, witii  whom  they  landed  on  Iglooklik  Island.  Tlu'  encampment 
comprised  sixteen  tents,  in  two  divisions 
of  eleven  and  live,  half  a  mile  apart. 
These  natives  were  found  willing  to 
exchange  commodities,  but  altogether 
unaccustomed  to  receiving  anything 
without  giving  an  equivalent.  Unfor- 
tunately the  visitors,  in  their  desire  to 
win  the  confidence  of  lliese  simple 
people,  began  to  bestow  presents,  and 
naturally  they  soon  became  as  willing 
as  their  kindreil   oi\  Winter   Island,  and  iligulk. 

others  of  the  same  race  elsewhere,  to  take  gifts.  After  a  night  spent 
ill  the  tents,  to  which  they  had  been  driven  ])ack  from  the  sea 
by  the  stress  of  weather,  the  visitors  gained  their  ships  and  stood 
to  the  west.  They,  however,  made  but  little  progress,  and  landed 
again  on  the  33d,  to  visit  the  village,  having  meanwhile  been 
visited  on  shipboard  by  the  Esquimaux.  This  time  thev  had  an 
opportunity  of  inspecting  the  permanent  villages  at  the  distance  of  less 
than  a  mile  inland  from  the  tents.  These  were  of  the  same  shape 
as  the  snow  huts  on  Winter  Island,  but  of  different  material.  Here 
tiie  lower  part  of  the  circle  was  of  stone,  and  the  re-.t:  of  bones  of 
till,  whale  and  walrus,  gradually  inclining  inward  an<l  meeting  at  the  top, 
with  the  interstices   lUletl   with   turf,  a   layer  of  which   also  covered  the 


■V 


^** 

i»l'^^ 


280 


SUPPOHED  DISCOVERT  OF  POLAR  SEA. 


whole  of  the  outside.     This,  with  the  added   layer  of  snow  which  envel- 
oped  the  whole   structure  iu  winter,  made  these   huts  quite  warm.     The 
entrance  is  always  from  the  south,  and  consists  of  a  passajre  ten  feet  long 
and  not   more  than  two  in  hci,<,Wit  and  width,  throujjh  which,  therefore, 
it  is  necessary  to  crawl  to  jrain  the  hut.     These  passajjes  are  made  of  flat 
slahs  or  lar},re  stones,  and  like  the  huts,  are  covered  with  turf  to  keep  out 
the  cold,      Lyinj,'  all    around  were   seen  great   (luantities  of  bones  of  the 
whale,  walrus,  seal,  as   well    as   hears,  wolves   and    dogs.      The   visitors 
were  not  a  little   shocked  to  fuid    human  hones  among  the  others.     But  a 
greater  surprise  was  in  store  for  them ;  for  as  soon  as   tiiey  were  seen   to 
put  a  skull  or  two  into   their   hags,  the   natives   volunteered    to  hunt  up 
some  more,  which  they  thrust  into  the  same   receptacles,  with    no  more 
compunction  than  if  they  had  been  the  skulls  of  wolves,  instead  of  per- 
haps  their  own  grandfathers. 

On  the  24th  they  were  able  to  get  some  salmon  from  a  late  arrival  in 
the  village,  who  stated  that  more  could  be  obtained  ai:  a  distance  of  three 
days' journey.     Capt.  Lyon,  accompanied  l)y  George  Dunn,  volunteered 
to  go  with  the  new-comer,  Toolemak,  in  search  of  the  coveted  salmon. 
Equipped  with  the   necessary  supplies  and  fom-  days'  provisions,  they  set 
out,  but   were  prevented    by  open    water  from    reaching  the   designated 
fishing-ground   in  their  sledges.     On  the   27th,  while  on  this  excursion, 
Lyon  ^discovered  over   thirty  small    islands,  varying   i«i   size  from  a  hun- 
dred yards  to  a  mile   or  more  in  length,  which  he  named  Coxe's  (Jroup. 
Meanwhile,  the  ships  waited   in  vain  for  the   breaking  up  of  the  ice,  and 
could  only  gain  at   intervals  of  several  days  a  half-mile  or  so,  as  an  occa- 
sional break  would  occur.     On  the  14th  of  August  the  commander,  with 
one  officer  and  four  men,  and  ten  days'  provisions,  set  out  to  reach,  if  pos- 
sible, a  point  on  the  mainland  whence  he  could  overlook  the  strait.     On 
the  1 8th  they  reached  the  desired  point,  whence,  looking  to  the  west,  thev 
could  see  no  land,  and   quite  naturally  inferred   that   they  had  discovered 
the  Polar  Sea,  in  what  is  now  known  as  the  Gulf  of  Boothia.      The  nar- 
row channel  at  their  feet,  connecting  Fox  Ciiannel   with  this  sea.  Parry 
named  the  Strait  of  the  Fury  and    Ilecla,  which  it  still  retains.     It  varies 
in  width  from  eight  to  forty  miles,  and  is  studded  with  islands.     Its  west- 


\       '■       ■■  .iU 


;.-;.»,:■  M 


NBC  LA       /Z?  PVliT  .      RAIT.  ^ 

erii  entrance  is  in  latif...Je  70°  and  longitude  85°.  Returning  on  the 
3oth,  the  ships  slov^  1, bored  to  tht-  west,  and  on  the  36th  were  at 
tlio  entrance    to     '  rrows,  when    their    way   was    again  effectually 

blocked  by  a  co.,  h_,us  line  of  unbr..Ken  ice  lying  right  across  the  strait. 
This  they  tried  |.  hon»  through  1  crowding  ■  '  and  di.l  succeed  in 
penetrating  t.  a  ...stance  of  300   yanN  cmpelled   to  desist. 

Casting  and.  <,  the  ed-o  of  the  H  ,e,  the.  rcronnoitered  on  all  sides, 
and  on  the  39th  found  an  ojwnin-  which  enabled  them  to  push  a  little  to 
the  west,  to  the  vicinity  m  wl,  vas  afterward  named  Amherst  Island. 
Three  exploring  parties,  under  Capt.  Lyon  and  Lieuts.  Reid  and 
Palmer,  were  now  dispatched  in  the  hope  of  finding  an  open  chan- 
nel. On  the  3d  of  September  the  commander  set  out  on  the  same  orrand 
at  the  head  of  a  small  party,  and  satisfied  hin  elf  that  there  was  no  nav- 
igable passage  for  ships  in  that  latitude.  '1  investigations  of  the  oth- 
CMS  tended  to  confirm  this  opinion;  and  nothing  remained  bul  !o  await 
the  dislodgment  of  the  ice,  which  it  did  not  seem  probabK  would  occur 
that  season.  Here  they  lay  until  the  1  7th,  without  any  opportunity  to 
advance,  and  finding  the  new  ice  rapidly  forming  around  the  ships,  they 
concluded  to  return  to  Iglooklik  Island  for  winter  quarters.  On  the  34th 
they  arrived  in  front  of  where  the  Esquimaux  encampment  had  been 
when  they  had  first  entered  those  waters,  and  soon  saw  their  old  friends 
scampering  from  the  huts  to  the  beach  to  greet  them. 

After  some  days  spent  in  exploring  the  neighboring  islands  in  boats, 
and  receiving  additional  confirmation  that  the  Strait  of  the  Fury  and 
Hecla  was  the  only  channel  to  the  west,  they  settled  down  to  the  work 
of  berthing  the  ships.  This  occupied  the  first  half  of  October,  and  the 
same  provision  was  made  for  the  security  of  the  ships  and  stores,  as  well 
as  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  men,  as  on  former  occasions.  The 
daily  visits  of  the  friendly  natives  were  a  never-ending  source  of  interest 
and  amusement  to  officers  and  men,  which  no  resources  of  their  own 
could  have  so  well  supplied.  This  enabled  them  to  dispense  with  the 
labor  of  theatrical  representations,  which  had  also  lost  their  novelty  and 
attractiveness.  They  secured  a  sheltered  space  for  exercise  and  recrea- 
tion  by  erecting  high  snow  walls,  which  not  only  added  sensibly  to  the 


'M^ 


n 


^a 


A. 


A/. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


% 


:/ 


!.0 


I.I 


11.25 


II2_8 


3.2 


•^    I 

IIP 


20 

1.8 


U    111.6 


Pnotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


<^ 


vs 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


'^ 


ri>^ 


11: 
i 


f  ' 


,!  :.      k 


GLf/TTO.Vr. 
~    of  .he    ship,   b„,    „,,    „„,_,   „    p„,^,,„„    ^^^._^^  ^_^^^ 

The  Esq„™„,„    ,„flered  f,-om  .card.y  of  provisions  before  .he  close 
o       e  w,„.a,  .h„„,h  with  »„y,hi„g  liUe  econ.™,  .he,  eo.„d  e„sii,  have 
We^  on    he  supphes  .hey  h,,.,  provided  in  advance,  as  i.  see,ne<,  ,o  .hei 
E^hsh    „e„ds.     I.  had  already  been  „f.e„  no.ic«l  .vha.  i™n,c„se  , 

.nake  a  careful  ,c,t  „.    .heir  ,K,wers  in  .ha,    direcion.     For  .his   n„r 
pose  a  yonn,  .nan,  scarcely  fal,  ,rowr„  was  se.ec.ed,  and  left  a.  en.ire'ih-' 
«y  .o  ea.  all  he  wan.ed  of  s.aple  fo.nl    previously    weighed.     I.    „a, 
fonn       ha.  ,„  .wen.y    honrs  he  had  consumed  S^  Ihs.  of 'sea-horse  Z 

Xl'rT'f''  ''°^"  """  "•"'  '""'^■"-"""  "-^  ""•  -'■  "-"'.  "=■ 

.^  pm.s  of  gravy,  soup,  ,  gallon  „f  water,  ,  .umbler  of  whisky 

and  w      .,  „„   ,„.,^,  „,„^  ^„,^^_  ^^.  __^^  ^^^^^^^^     ^^^^^  ^^^^   _^^  .    y 

dence  o  gorgn,g  or  over-feeding  in  .his  performance,  and  ,he  par.y  con- 
cerned d,d  no.  .nanifes.  any  sense  of  having  consun,ed  an  'bnorm  , 
<,uan.,.y  of  food.     The  English  had,  however,  no.iced  a  .endency  ^. 

XZrr  '"'  "'"'■  ""'"^■^'  '-''"'''  ""™  P'™'^  ---''»" 
p.-  a.,on.     Some  were  seen  in  .he  hn.s  so  dis.ended  by  .he    quan.i.y  of 

van,    n      .    .hey  had  ea.en,  .ha.  .,-.ey  were   unable  . I  n,ove  and  con  . 
pcdo     severe   pain   which  .he    observers  could    only  ascribe  .o  .ha. 
cans  .     a  ley  ,„ferred  .ha.  a  grea.  par.  of, he  illness  fro,n  which  .he  in- 
hab,..an.s  o,  ,g,ooklik  suffered,  and  of  .he  dea.hs  which  ensued,  was  due 
o  the  frcquen,  changes  fron,  excessive  .o  insnfficien.  feeling.     On  Win- 
.er    s  and,  where  .here  was  less  fluc.uation  in  this  respect,  .here  had  bee,, 
bn.  ,„,le  stckness  an,l  no  dea.hs,  .he  p,cce,ling  winter,  a,nong  .he  na.ives. 
For  .he  firs,  .nne  in  Parry's  Arctic  experience,    he    frecnen.lv    saw 
"hard,  well.define.l  douds,  a  fea.ure  he  had  hi.her.o  considered  asahno^ 
unknown  n,  .he  win.er  sky  of  .be   Polar  regions."     And  in  .he  spriu., 
abon.  .he.n.eof  .he  sun's    teappearance,  ..he  glowing  richness  of  .he 
trnts  w,.h  wj„ch  .hey  were   adorned,"    excited    his   a.lmhation.    ..An- 
other pecuharity  observed  in  .his  win.er,  was  .he  rare  oceurrJnce  of  .be 
Atrrora  1  orealis,  and  .he  ex.raordinary  poverty  of  i.s  display  whenever 
.t  d,d  make  ,.s  .appearance.     I.  was  ahnost  invariably  seen  ,o  the  son.h- 


'^i^rii'H 


^^SSSSnsu. 


mim^mt 


iction    against  snow 


MELVILLE  PBmNSULA   EXPLORED.  ,,, 

ward ;  never  exhibited  any  of  tho<5e  ran.Vl  ^^A  , •  *      , 

.      ,    ■     .1  ^     '^""  complicated  movements  oh 

served    m  the  course  of  thn    ,^.-,.^    r  •  *^«'ii.uts  oo- 

iKc        the   p.ccedmg  wmter;  and  did  not  produce    -inv 
sensible  effect  on  the  gold  leaf  in  the  electrometer  »  ^ 

On  the  2oth  of  April  the  commander  announced   to  tho     ffi 

a,,  ™e„  as  chose  to  „>,„„.ee.  .„  .e,„ai„  wUh  ,„e  e.pe,,lo„.  ot 
5th  of  May,  „.,h  the  aid  of  thci,-  .logs,  the  necessary  tn.nsfe,-  of  p  ovi 
».ons  and  store,  for  one  year  was  .naUe  fron,  the  HeCa  to  the  f™  " 
w.ho„.  any  exposnre  or  labor  to  the  crews  on.si.le  their  respeeti  e  IT'' 
As  a  ,i,„srat,onof  what  the  .,o,s  eo,.,d  achieve,  Parry  state  .ftTt' 
mnedo,sofCaptan,  Lyon's  dragged  ,,6„  ponnds  a  dist  nee  ^  ^^^ 
yards  .„„.ne  ..nntes,  and  that  they  worked  in  a  sintilar  wav  btw  „ 
the  sli.ps  for  seven  or  ei.-lit  Jiotn,  a  dav  "     Tl,  ,  ,  """"" 

.w .  .i,  tin,  d  the  do,s  the  hithat^o:,,:;::  ::::r-- 

On  the  7.h  of  June,  having  previously  „,ade  all  neecssarj-  prepara 
hons,  Captan,  Lyon,  acco„,pa„ied  by  .wo  ,nen  and  ten  do  '  TTh 
necessary  provisions  for  a. rip  of  thirty  day,    so,  „„,   ,„,.         '  ° 

Of  Akkoolee,  which  they  had  nan,ed  Mei:ii;c  ;:;;;:J      "  V:,t:'r 

';::rLi:v::;;t:::t::r-'--'- '-::r 

t       ="»=  ""th  f,on,  niformat.on  received  of  the  Esani 
man.     had  been  ,nade  before  going  into  winter  .natters.     Parr^  ^ 

Pruned  Lyon  for  a  few  days  with  a  s,nall  party   in    the  hope  of  i" 
Toolemak-s  Sainton  lake  on  ,be  route.     They  found  the  lake,  1.  'r 

.wentyfonr  hours  fishing  through  a  hole  in  the  ice,  tbey  f.iled    to 
any  salmon  or    fish  of  any  kin.l       Lv„n         .     ,         , 
1-ting  contpany  with  pL      n  I  K    '""""'  '"""'  ""   "^  ^"'' 

.elves  in  shooting  .luck,   L^^LT  T""""'.°"^' ^""'  "-"^-"  "-- 

makuig  observations   until    the  r  .th   ,,ri 

:.T""' "  ";■""'" ' '"'" "  "■» "-  ~^  0.1*; 


«if^^imi»miimimigMk'* 


H 

m 

IT  M 

1    w% 

* 

1 

1 

■ 

1 

ill 

.1 

p 

'  t  ■ 

^ 

tMHa 

1 

I 

J 

r 

t 

iiJI 

ill 

Si 


;  I 
it  . 


KS<)i,!MALX   FISHING. 


d84 


n*i42tt^pi"^*<ii'^»i^"»»>i"-i'*«*«***-'*'''^'*^  "*** 


APPEAL    TO   THE   GODDESS  OF  FISHING.  335 

wore    the  Dextenty   of    Leith,  and  the   Aurora    of  Hull,    which   were 
abandoned  on  the  38th  of  Au,n,st,  183 1,  about  the  latitude  of  7,^  ^„  ^,^^ 
west  coast  of  Baffin's  Hay.     On   the  .4th  Parry  set  out  a.aiu,   this  ti.ne 
...  con.p.u,y    with   Toleemak,  f;.  the   sabnon  fishery,  and   reaching  it    as 
be  ore  wuiun   two  days,  by  sledge,  they    succeeded,   after  several   hours' 
fishu.,.  on  the  .5th  and  36th,  in  catchin,.  one  small   fish-only  one   not-" 
wthstandino-  the  earnest  supplications  of  Toolemak  and    his   wife   to   the 
goddess    of  fishings  entreating  her  special  ^n-aciousness  to  the  good  Kab- 
l"o..a  who  ha<l  done  so  much  for  her  f  .ithful  Esquimaux.      On  the    ^7th 
.n  another  pool,  Toolen.ak  had  better  success,  and  before   leaving  for  the' 
ships  on  the  3Sth,  he  directed  the  English  to  a  stream  .R  son.e  distance 
wh,ch  proved  to  be  the  true  sabnon  fishery.     On  the    ist   of  July    they 
found  the  spot  and  saw  the  remains  of  two  salmon  that  h.d  been  thrown 
«po..  the  ,ce,  and  returne<l  on  the  3d  to  the  ships,  intending  to  send  ou^  a 
fi.shn,g  party  for  whose  use  they  left  behind  their  fishing  equipment     On 
th,s  ,r,p,  whc  ,    hey  had  gone  into  camp  at  ton  o'clock  the  first  r.i..ht  out 
Pa.-.T  f.nuKl  that  his  team  of  ten  dogs  had  drawn  his  sledge,  loaded  with' 
about  .,300  pounds,  a   distance   of  forty   statute    miles,  half  of  the  road 
beu.g  very  in.iifFerent.      Lyon  had  however,  returne.l   unsuccessful  from 
the  mainlaiul. 

They  were  now  visited  by  a  party  of  twenty  Esquimaux  from 
the  shores  of  Bafiin's  Bay,  and  the  same  region  as  their  forn.er  visitors. 
ihese  also  were  acquainted  with  the  story  of  the  abamlonment  of  the 
t-.o  whalers.  Lieutenant  Iloppner  now  conceived  the  idea  of  crossing. 
Cockburn  Island  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster,  with  one  of  the  twenty  a^s 
J,n.ule,  but  found  the  whole  party,  together  with  what  might  be  termed 
the  resKlent  Esquimaux,  had  abandoned  Iglooklik  on  the  4th.  It  now 
became  necessary  for  the  English  to  p.ovide  ^valrus-meat  for  their  do^^s 
am!  l„i„-  boats  were  so  engaged  for  three  weeks. 

()u  the  ,6th  Iloppner  returned,  having  only  reached  the  south  coast 
of  Cmburn  Island,  beyond  which  his  guides  had  not  yet  determined  to 
proceed.  Two  of  the  Esquimaux  accompanied  Hoppner's  partv  to  the 
ships,  loaded  with  various  useful  presents,  and  reltn-ned  the  next  .!av  to 
then-  fishing  grounds.     On  the  19th  the  parly  which  had  be.n  sent  to  the 


286 


THE  HECLA   FREED. 


i:M;i<.J: 


I  1  M 


salmon  stream  returned,  with  ample  proof  that  Toolemak  had  not  been 
deceiving  them  with  an  Esquimaux  fish  story;  for  they  brought  back 
640  pounds  of  salmon,  besides  ninety-five  of  venison.  The  fish  varied  in 
length  from  twenty  to  twenty-six  inches,  and  one  of  the  largest,  when 
cleaned,  weighed  eight  and  a  half  poimds.  Toward  the  end  of  the  month 
symptoms  of  scurvy  appeared  in  four  or  five  of  the  crew  of  the  Fury,  but 
soon  yielded  to  medical  treatment. 

The  1st  of  August,  1S23,  had  now  arrived,  and  yet  the  ships  were  as 
securely  held  by  the  ice  as  in  mid-winter.    On  the  4th  they  began  to  saw 
the  ice,  and  on   the  Sth   the  ice  about  the  Fury  began  to  move  under  a 
northern  breeze,  when,  crowding  sail    on  the  ship,  she  was  got  entirely 
free;  but  the  Hecla  still  remained   beset.     On  the  next  day  she,  with  th«i 
floe  in  which  she  was  embedded,  was  carried   out  to  where  the  swell  of 
the  sea  soon    broke  awa>  the  ice  girdle,  and   she  was  also  free.     Mean- 
while, Parry,  with  the  concurrent  advice  of  his  officers,  had   determined 
not  to  risk   another  winter  in   these  regions,  with  the  small    liope  there 
was  of  penetrating  to  the  west  in  the  short  season  that  remained.     Both 
shijis  returned  to  their  late  winter   quarters,  which  they  named    Turton 
Bay,  to  lighten  the  Fury  by  the  re-transfer  of  the  surplus  stores,  and  to 
make  their  arrangements  for  final   departure  from  the  scene  of   their  ten 
months'  detention.     On  the  12th  they  sailed  away  to  the  southeast  under 
a  favorable  wind,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  were  olTOoglit  Island, 
twelve  leagues  distant  from  Iglooklik.     Here   they  received  a  final  visit 
from  a   number  of  their   Esquin  aux    friends,  whom   they  loaded   down 
with  gifts,  being    more   free  to       vc  what  they   would   no  longer  need, 
as  the  ships   were  now  bound  for  home   and   plenty.     Full   rations   had 
been  restored  to  the  men,  and  entire  freedom  in  the  use  of  anti-scorbutics, 
the   recognized  tendency  to  scurvy  in   numbers  of  the  officers   and  men 
having    been    perhaps  the    most  weighty  influence  in    determining  the 
commander    to  forego    his  contemplated    purpose  of  spending    another 
season   in   the  attempt   to  get  through   the   Strait  of  the  Fury  and  the 
Hecla.     On  the  27th  they  were  able  to  leave  Owlittecwik  Island,  havin<>- 
made  but  little  progress  for  the  preceding  fortnight.     Now,  however,  be- 
ing less  beset  by  ice,  and  again  favored  by  a  breeze  from  the  north,  thev 


WELCOME  AT  LERWICK.  287 

proceeded  more  rapidly  to  the  south,  and  on  the  3:st  they  reached  Winter 
Wand.  The  distance  from  Oocrlit  was  about  i6o  miles;  of  these  they 
had  really  sailed  only  forty,  having  drifted  the  remainder  with  the  ice  by 
which  they  were  beset,  showing  an  average  drift  rate  of  fifteen  miles  a 
day,  and  five  of  sailing.  On  the  6th  of  September,  Fife,  Greenland  or 
ice  master  of  the  Hecla,died  of  the  scurvy,  owing  partly  to  his  own  aver- 
si«>i  to  the  use  of  unpalatable  remedies.  They  continued  to  be  cmbar- 
rassed  by  the  ice-one  or  the  other  of  the  ships  being  in  immediate  dan- 
ger of  destruction,  or  at  least  serious  injury,  or  permanent  detention- 
until  the  17th,  when  at  length  they  were  able  to  make  due  east  in  an 
open  sea  across  Fox  Channel  for  Hudson's  Strait. 

Passing  by  Trinity  Islands  on   the    18th,  and   meeting  no  obstruction 
from  ice  or  other  cause  in  Hudson's  or  Davis'  Straits,  they  made  a  quick 
voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  reaching  the   Orkneys   in    three  weeks  from 
the  western   entrance  of  Hudson's   Strait,   on  Oct.  9,  after   an  absence 
of  twenty-seven  months.     On  the   loth  they  entered  the  harbor  of  Ler- 
wick in  the  Shetland  Islands,  finding  it  impossible  to   proceed  south  be- 
cause of  adverse  winds,  which  also  kept  them  weather-bound  for  three 
days,  in  Bressa  Sound.     "  On  the  first  information  of  our  arrival,"  says 
Parry,  "  the  bells   of  Lerwick  were  set  ringing,  the  inhabitants  flocked 
from  the  country  to  express  their  joy  at  our  unexpected  return,  and  the 
town  was  at  night  illuminated,  as  if  each  individual  had  a  brother  or  a 
son  among  us."     On  the  13th  they  proceeded  soufh,  arriving  off  Buchan 
Ness  on  the  next  day.     On  the  i6th  Parry  left  the  ships,  going  ashore  at 
Whitby,  whence  he  proceeded  by   land  to   London.     Arriving  on   the 
morning  of  the  i8th,  he  went  at  once  to  the  Admiralty  to  give  an  account 
of  liis  second  voyage  to  the  northwest.     The  ships  soon  arrived  safely  in 
the  Thames,  with  1 13  out  of  ,  ,8  officers  and  men   in  good  health,  after 
spending  two  consecutive  winters  in  the  ice,  with  the  mean   temperature 
several  degrees  below  zero. 


bin'  iUii 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

SECOND  VOYAGE    OF    FKANKLIN STATE    OK  ARCTIC    SCIENCE HREPA- 

RATIONS    AND    PLAN DEATH    OK    KRANKLIN's    WIFE KRANKLIN 

PLANTS    HIS    KI.AG    ON    AN    ARCTIC     ISLAND  —  KORT     FRANKLIN 

DESCEND    THE     MACKENZIE SEPARATION    OF    THE    TWO    PARTIES 

SERIOUS  ADVENTURE  WITH  ESQUIMAUX  —  THE  KOATS  PLUN- 
DERED —  FRANKLIn's  RETURN— SUCCESS  OF  RICHARDSON  —  RE- 
TURN   TO    ENGLAND. 

Arrived  in  England,  Franklin,  Back,  and  Richardson  were   honored, 
congratulated,  and  feted,  in  a  manner  somewhat  resemhling  the  triumphs 
given  to  the  ancient  Latin  heroes.     Upon  Franklin  was  also  bestowed 
the  rank  of  Captain.     It  would  naturally  be  supposed    that   th(;se   bold 
men,  after  suffering  the  agonies  of  hunger  and   braving  the  dangers  of 
Boreas  for  three  long  years,  would   be   content  to  rest   on  their  laurels. 
Such,  however,  was  not  the  case.     The  explorations  of  the  early  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  particularly  the  events  just  narrated,  had  whotled 
the  appetites  of  scientific   men  for  more  accurate   knowledge  concernincr 
the  mysterious  regions  of  the  eartii's  axial  termini.     Investigation,  too, 
was  bcjdnning  to  take  a  more  definite  form,  and  to  strike  at  a  more  defi- 
nite object.     The  existence  and  possible   commercial   value  of  a  North- 
west Passage  was  more  firmly  believed  in,  and  operations  in   the  line  of 
exploration  were   largely  conducted  with  reference  to  its  discovery,  or  to 
its  utility  in  that  important  event.     It  was  desired   to  know  more  fully 
the  character  of  the  land  bordering  on   the  Polar   Sea — of  the  resources 
which  it  possessed,  of  the   people  who   inhabited  it,  and  of  the  probable 
future  value  to  civilized  nations  of  this  hitherto  unexplored  wild.     >4ore- 
over,  Arctic  explorations  had   been  hitherto  fostered   almost  wholly  by 
Great  Britain,  and   that,  too,  it   may  be  said,  in  a  disinterested  way,  and 
not  wholly  nor  chiefly  for  her  own  political  or  mercantile  aggrandizement. 

m 


THE    WALNUT  SHELL.  ggj, 

In  .825,  then,  the  admiralty  havinc.  decided  to  investigate  more  fully 
the  vvcstera  portion  of  America's  northern   coast,  Capt.  John   Frankhn 
was  chosen  as  the  leader  of  an  expedition  for  that  purpose.     Dr.    Rich- 
ardson a,.ain  offered  his  services  as  surgeon;  which  the  ach..iralty,  know- 
■  ng  I1.S  peculiar  powerand  value,  were  glad  to  accept.    Lieut.  Kendall    a 
distinguished  draughtsuKvn   and  surveyor,  was  engaged  to  assist  in  the 
technical  portion  of  the   work.     The    party    was  further  to   be   accom- 
panied  hy  the  accomplished   Lieut.  Bushnan ;  but  that  voung  man,  and 
promisnig  officer,  died  just  before  the   expedition  set   ou't.     Lieut     B.ck 
returned  just  at  this  time  from  the    West  Indies,  and   being,  as  we   have 
seen,  somewhat  familiar  with  Arctic  navigation,  his  services  were  also 
sought  and  engaged. 

The  preparations  for  this  journey  were  ma<le  with  particular   refer- 
ence  to  avoiding  the  harrowing  scenes  of  the  previous  voyage,  and  as  we 
shall  gladly  record,   the  effort  was   entirely  successful  in  this  particular. 
Ihe  boats  for  the  occasion  were  built  at  Woolwich,  under  Capt.  Frank- 
l..n's  direct  supervision,  and  were  well  calculated  to  withstand  the  shocks 
•dways  foreseen  in  the  Frigid  Zone.  One  of  them,  designated  the  "Walnut 
Shell,"   deserves  especial  mention.     It  was  only   eighty-five  pounds  in 
wcght,  and  was  so  constructed  as  to  admit  of  being  taken  to  pieces,  and 
conveniently  carried  from  place  to  place.     When  thus  in  pieces,  it  could 
be  put  together  again   in   twenty   minutes.     It  was  fitted  with  a  rubber 
covenng,   making   it   a   comfortable   renrlezvous    from   storms   and   bad 
weather.     A    trial   of  these   vessels   was  made  at  Woolwich,  in  the  pres- 
ence  of  several  officers  of  the  navy,  and  they  were  found  to   endure  well 
any  test  nnposed. 

The  directions  given  by  Earl  Bathurst,  the  Lord  of  the  Admiralty 
for  the  guidance  of  the  party,  were  substantially  as  follows: 

The  whole  party  were  to  proceed  to  the  interior  of  America  in  the 
summer  of  ,835,  and  were  to  establish  winter  quarters  somewhere  on 
MacKenzie's  River.  They  were  to  spend  the  winter  in  explorin-^  and 
surveyn.g  such  of  the  more  important  lakes,  rivers,  and  mouutaL  in 
their  vicinity,  as  had  not  previously  been  examined,  and  were  to  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  start  early  in  the  spring  of  1826,  upon   their 


890 


AT  FORT  CHIPEWTAN. 


I  ; 

f 


'(.       5r 


\^ 


\M 


trip  to  the  mouth  of  the  MacKcnzie,  in  order  to  have  as  much  of  the  sum- 
mer as  possible  for  the  important  woik  which  they  were  about  to  un- 
dertaite.  Arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  river,  Capt.  Frani<lin,  with 
Lieut.  Bacl<  and  a  part  of  the  men,  was  to  explore  the  coast  westward, 
until  he  should  meet  a  party  who  were  to  arrive  by  way  of  Behring's 
Strait,  and  were  to  co-operate  with  him  in  his  investigations.  In  the 
meantime,  Dr.  Richardson  and  Lieut.  Kendall,  with  the  residue  of  the 
men,  were  to  proceed  eastward  from  the  MacKenzie  to  the  Coppermine, 
which  will  be  remembered  as  the  point  of  departure  of  their  previous 
coast  survey.  This  would  make  an  unbroken  and  nearly  complete 
chain  of  surveys  between  east  and  west;  and  thus  the  preliminary  work 
of  proving  the  existence  of  a  Northwest  Passage  from  Baffin's  Bay  to 
Behring's  Strait,  would  be  in  substance  accomplished. 

The  death  of  Franklin's  wife  on  the  day  after  his  departure  has  al- 
ready been  referred  to;  she  had  been  very  low  for  some  time,  but  in 
spite  of  her  condition,  she,  with  remarkable  ambition,  urged  him  to  leave 
her,  and  to  sail  on  the  day  appointed  by  the  Admiralty.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  calamity,  Franklin,  when  the  news  was  brought  him,  concealed 
his  sorrow  as  far  as  possible,  so  th.at  he  might  not  be  the  means  of  de- 
pressing the  spirits  of  his  ofticers  and  men. 

The  expedition  having  been  duly  conveyed  to  Hudson's  Bay,  the 
boats  and  crew  all  the  way  by  water,  and  the  officers  by  land  through 
New  York  and  Canada,  the  whole  party  met  about  1,200  miles  in  the 
interior,  on  the  29th  of  June,  1825.  This  junction  took  place  in  the 
Methye  River  (latitude  56°  10'  north;  longitude  108°  55'  west)  which 
is  almost  the  head  of  the  waters  that  flow  from  the  north  into  Hudson's 
Bay.  After  traversing  this  river  with  much  difficulty,  on  account  of  its 
rapidity  and  siioals,  the  expedition  pushed  on  to  Fort  Chipewyan,  where 
it  arrived  about  the  middle  of  July.  The  inhabitants  here  were  much 
surprised  to  see  the  adventurers  so  early  in  the  season;  being  only  two 
days  later  than  a  former  party,  who  had  spent  the  preceding  winter  in 
Canada.  At  Fort  Chipewyan,  the  party  received  material  addition  to 
their  store,  and  also  secured  the  service  of  several  Indians,  whose  faithful- 
ness they  had  had  opportunity  to  prove  upon  the  previous  voyage. 


,  ,tmm*mmi^ 


PLANTING  THE  FLAG  ON  THE  ARCTIC. 


291 


As  there  was  still  considerable  time  before  winter  would  set  in,  Frank- 
lin proceeded  according  to  .i  plan  which  he  had  cherished  ever  since  he 
set  out  from  England.  He  first  conducted  the  party  to  the  MacKenzie, 
anil  descended  to  a  point  which  he  deemed  suitable  for  winter  quarters. 
He  then  instructed  Dr.  Riciiardson  to  proceed  across  the  country  and  dis- 
cover  some  convenient  point  on  the  Coppermine  to  reach,  when  he 
should  traverse  that  river  in  returning  from  Iiis  projected  trip  for  the  follow- 
ing summer.  He,  himself,  thought  it  prudent  foi  him  to  descend  the 
MacKenzie  to  the  sea,  and  make  with  a  selected  crew  some  observations 
l)ivliminary  to  leading  the  whole  party  there  in  the  following  summer.. 
This  plan  was  executed,  and  the  sea  was  reached  after  an  eventful  jour- 
ney. The  occasion  of  their  arrival  at  the  seaboard  is  thus  described  by 
Franklin: 

"Immediately  on  reaching  the  sea,  I  caused  to  be  hoisted  the  silk  flag 
which  my  deeply-lamented  wife  had  made,  and  presented  to  me  as  a 
parting  gift,  under  the  ex^)ress  injunction  that  it  was  not  to  be  unfurled 
until  the  expedition  reached  the  sea.  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  my 
emotions  as  it  expanded  to  the  breeze;  however  natural  and  irresistible, 
I  felt  that  it  was  my  duty  to  suppress  them,  and  that  I  had  no  right  by 
ail  indulgence  of  my  own  sorrows  to  cloud  the  animated  countenances  of 
my  companions.  Joining,  therefore,  with  the  best  grace  I  could  com- 
mand, in  the  general  excitement,  I  endeavored  to  return  with  correspond- 
iiig  cheerfulness,  iheir  warm  congratulations  on  having  thus  planted 
the  British  flag  on  this  remote  islantl  of  the  Pola  r  Sea." 

As  the  autumn  drew  on,  both  parties  returned  to  the  point  which  had 
been  previously  selected  as  quarters  for  the  winter.  Substantial  huts  of 
wood  and  stone  were  erected,  and  every  precaution  taken  to  make  the 
coming  winter  as  tolerable  as  could  possibly  be  don6.  The  place  was 
named  Ft.  Franklin,  after  the  gallant  leader  of  the  expedition.  The 
whole  establishment  now  numl)ered  about  fifty  persons;  including 
five  ofticers,  nineteen  British  seamen,  mariners,  and  voyagers,  nine  Cana- 
dians, two  Esquimaux,  three  women,  seven  children,  and  one  Indian 
lad;  besides  several  infirm  Indiana,  who  required  temporary  support. 
The  winter  was  spent  according  to  the  instructions  of  the  admiralty,  in 


208 


SEPARATION. 


exploring  and  surveying  the-greal  lakes  am!  the  ailjacciU  mountains,  ami 
in  making  topographical  sketches  of  the  ccantry.  Of  this  work,  Dr. 
Richardson  chicHy  had  charge;  and  his  reports  have  become  classics  up- 
on  the  geography  of  the  portions  examined. 

The  summer  of  1826  found  them  preparing  to  descend  the  MacKenzie. 
Before  starting,  the  boat  and  all  the  supplies  were  divided  between  the 
two  parties  which  wore  to  separate  at  the  mouth  of  this  river.  The 
men  were  chosen  out,  and  complete  preparations  made,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  delay  and  inconvenience  of  doing  it  in  a  less  comfortable  place. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  MacKenzie,  as  at  the  mouths  of  most  great 
rivers,  there  is  a  separation  of  the  main  stream  into  two  principal  parts, 
inclosing  land  to  a  considerable  extent  between  them.  Before  this  di- 
vision was  arrived  at  the  v-xpedition  encamped  to  spend  the  night,  antl  to 
afford  an  opportunity  for  the  two  parties  to  ,-,..y  their  adieus,  as  tliey 
would  naturally  descend  by  the  two  different  mouths,  according  to  their 
instructions.  As  the  parties  entertained  for  each  other  sentiments  of 
true  friendship,  the  evening  before  their  separation  was  spent  in  the 
most  cordial  and  cheerful  manner.  They  felt  that  they  were  oidy  sep- 
arating to  be  employed  in  services  of  equal  interest;  and  they  naturally 
looked  forward  with  great  delight  to  their  next  meeting  when,  after  a 
successful  termination,  they  might  rehearse  the  incidents  of  their  respec- 
tive voyages. 

It  is  impossible,  for  obvious  reasons,  to  give  the  minute  details  of  their 
intp-»;sting  and  successful  enterprises.  The  judgment  of  British  ship- 
Wrights  seems  to  have  been  well  taken,  for  the  boats  used  on  these  oc- 
casions  proved  exactly  adapted  to  the  service  required  of  them,  and 
carried  their  valiant  crews  through  all  the  storms  and  ice-bound  bays 
with  no  fatal  and  few  serious  disasters.  I'^anklin  explored  every  bav, 
cape,  mountain,  river  and  inlet,  as  far  as  he  went  to  the  westward,  but 
did  not  succeed  in  finding  a  single  good  harbor.  He  was  the  f-rst  to 
discover  that  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  not  a  contiguous  chain  but  con- 
sist of  several  parall"!  ranges  of  greater  or  less  extent. 

During  this  season  of  the  year  Esquimaux   were   very   frequent   and 
anxious  to  trade.     A  difficulty  occurred   with  them   on    this   trip    which 


M' 


\\\\\ 


'41^'"  i  Iff! 


»;'  'k 


%^*«> ' ''.'"'Bl'''"  '"*«i'«*^ 


ENCOUNTER  WITH  NATTVES. 


203 


threatened  to  be  .I,,„,.r„,..     a  ,<„„,  ,,,„,,  „^^,„^,        ^^^^  ^^ 
en., ,.,  owner  wa,  plunge.1  i„,„  ,„„  wmcr  with  hi,  hon.l   in  .he  mn.i 
and  wa,  apparently  ,„  dan^^or  „r  hein^  dr„wne.l.     They  instantly  ex- 
tncated  inn,  iron,  hi,  „„pk„„„„  ,,„„,„„  „„,,  „„,^  ^.^  .^_^  _    J 

antdthe  water  eonid  he  thrown   „„,   „f  ,h„  ,„y,.,,  ,    An,.„u„  (,he 

lv«.,nn.an,  n.terpreter),  seeing  hin,  shiver  „i.l,  e„ld,  wrapped  hin,   np 

".h„o„n  ..reateoat.     At  ,ir,t  the  fellow  was  exceedin,dy  a y    Z 

»..».    ecame  reeonoiled  ,o  his  ,i,„ati„„,  and  lookin,  ahont,  di:,.„';.,ed 
1.     hey  had  many  bale,  of  ,o«,„  and  other  article,  in  the  boat  which 
had  hee„  carefully  covered  and  concealed  from  the  natives.     He  „,o„ 
bc<,'an  asking  for  every, 
thin;,'  he  saw,  and  ex- 
)  rc.ised  i.>,:ch  displeas- 
ure on   their    refusing 
to    coinpli'    with    his 
demands.      He    went 
sulkily   away,  a  n  d 
doubtless  his  tale  ex- 
cited sympathy  in  the 
n)inds   of    the    whole 
tribe,   for   an    attempt 
was  soon  after   made 

to  dispossess  .he  crew.         .^„,„„  „,„..  ..^        _  ^ 

™  ,„  catch  ,„  hands  whenever  he  atten,p.cd  to  li«  hi.,  ,nn,  or  ,he  hr 
cla..er  wh.ch  h„n,  at  his  :,idc.     The  whole  way  -o  the  sh  re  the-     cp 
repeaun,  .he  word  .^Teyma,"  beating  gently  on   Kranhlin's  lef.  br  . ,' 
nd  pre,,sn,.his  h.nd,  a,ain,t  their  own.     A,  .he  heach  was  „c,  ^  ' 
two  oo,„,ak,  full  of  women  arrived,  and  the  shou.s  were  redoubled     T 
otherhoat.load  followed,  and  both  were  now  brought  to  the  sho,  ■      T 
hreen,euwo  had  held  Franhlin  now   leaped  ashore., .hose   who 

A  numerous  party  now  drew  their  knives,  an.l  stripping  themsclvc, 
to  the  wa,st  ran  to  the   Reliance  (,hc  largest   boats  L,  having  11^: 


of  their    whole  store. 
A   favorable   chance 
presenting  itself,  two  of 
thi  ,.iOst  powerful  men 
jumping    on    board   at 
the  same  time,  seize<l 
Franklin  l>y  the  wrists, 
and    forced  him  to  sit 
between  them;  and  as 
he   shook   them    loose 
two  or  three  cime's,  a 
third  Esquimaux  took 
his  stati«)n  in  front  of 


1 


204 


MOUNTAIN  WAnmORS. 


m 


\\\        A 


haulcJ  her  as  far  as  they  could,  began  a  regular  pillage,  handing  the  arti- 
cles to  the  women,  who,  ranged  in  a  row  behind,  quickly  conveyed  them 
out  of  sight.  Lieut.  Back  ordered  the  muskets  to  be  drawn  on  them,  but 
not  to  be  fired  till  the  word  of  command.  This  display  frightened  the 
natives,  and  they  quickly  dispersed.  They  afterward  gave  as  a  reason 
for  their  actions,  tl.at  they  had  never  seen  white  men  before,  and  seeing 
so  many  things  together,  they  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  steal 
them.  They  strenuously  promised  better  behavior,  and  wished  to  be 
restored  to  the  good  graces  of  the  commander.  A  plot  was  also  laid  at 
one  time  to  murder  the  whole  party,  including  Augustus,  the  interpreter, 
but  it  was  fortunately  frustrated  before  any  attempt  was  made  to  carry 
it  out. 

Franklin  had  intended  and  hoped  to  reach  Behring's  Strait,  or  at  least 
to  proceed  far   enough  west  to    meet  Capt.   Becchey  and  his  party,  who 
were  supposed  to   be  approaching  in   that  direction.     Having  seen  no 
traces  of  him,  however,  and    the  summer  being  well  gone,  he  decided  to 
return  to  the   MacKenzie.     Two  other  important  facts  also  justified  liis 
discontinuing  the  voyage.     The  instructions  of  the  Admiralty  had   been 
to  return  at   a  certain   time,  which  time   was   now   nearly  at  hand.     An- 
other reason  was  found  in  tlie  following  generally  believed  report :     The 
mountains  along  the  shore  were  inhabited  by  a  savage  and  cruel  tribe  of 
Indians,  of  whose   numbers   and  ferocity  the   Esquimaux   gave  thrilling 
accounts.    They  had  been  accustomed  to  trade  with  the  Esquimaux,  and, 
on  hearing  of  the  white  men's  approach,  and  seeing  the  things  whicli  the 
Esquimaux  had  obtained  in  Inirter,  they  feared  that  their  own  trade  with 
the   natives   would   bo    ruined.      .Accordingly,  a   plan    was  laid   lo   come 
down  and  destroy  the  whole  party  of  whites,  and  take  possession  at  once 
of  their   stores   and    trade.      This  could   be  easily  accomplished,  as   they 
were  determined  and  powerful  warriors.     All  things  considered,  Frank- 
lin thought  it   prudent  to   reverse  his   course,  and    was   soon    on  his  way 
back  to  the  mouth  of  the  great  river.     In  spite  of  storms  and  difiiculties, 
he  had   traced  the  coast   to  the   or.e   hundred   and  fiftieth    meridian,  and 
seventieth  parallel.     Nearly  400  miles  of    coast  were    thus    more  accu- 
rately traced  and  located  than  it  had  hitherto  been  possible  to  do. 


as  a  reason 


EULOGT  UPON  KBNDALI^  gOo 

In  the  meantime,  Dr.  Richardson  had  been  equally  successful  in  his 
trip  toward  the  east.  He  explored  the  coast  all  the  way  from  the  Mac- 
Kenzie  to  the  Coppermine,  besides  examining  much  of  the  interior. 
His  untiring  perseverance,  uniform  justice,  and  great  nautical  wisdom," 
d.d  much  to  make  Franklin's  expeditions  successful.  His  foresight  was 
seen  in  all  he  undertook,  and  his  party  always  found  in  him  an  example 
of  diligence  and  of  ma>dy  courtesy.  He  eulogized  Lieut.  Kendall  as  a 
very  accurate  and  companionable  gnitleman,  and  as  an  instance  of  the 
former  quality,  cites  the  following  fact: 

Having  been  deprived  of  chronometers  by  the  breaking  of  the  two 
intended  for  the  eastern  detachment,  during  the  intense  cokl  of  winter, 
the  only  resource  left  them  for  correcting  the  dead  reckonings  was  lunar 
observations,  whenever  circumstances  would  permit.  Yet^when  they 
approached  the  Coppermine  River,  Mr.  Kendall's  reckoning  of  the  posi- 
tion of  that  place  differed  from  the  previous  location  by  Franklin  onlv 
by  a  few  seconds-being  a  very  trifling  disparity  when  the  great  distance 
is  taken  into  consideration. 

Richardson  secured  1,500  specimens  of  floral  and  animal  life,  many 
of  which  had  never  been  classified  before.  His  report  of  his  voyage  was 
very  full  and  complete,  and  was  completely  satisfactory,  both  to  Frank- 
lin and  the  admiralty.  Having  joined  Franklin's  party  in  the  interior, 
the  winter  of  1S36-7  was  spent  in  Canada;  and  the  party  having  suc- 
ceeded beyontl  the  general  expectation,  returned  to  England  in  th^  sum- 
mer of  1827. 


-^«S?tr--  ■ 


THE  WALNUT  bll£U., 


Ij 


Hi'  '  i! 

r^    '1. 


if' 


! 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

parry's   third    expedition— slow    progress  — new  ice  encoun- 
tered—  the  kurv  swki't  away — winter  at  port  bowen 

observations— hunting — capture    of    a    WUAI.E THE    FURY 

aleak  — inspecting    the    ships— the    FURY    ABANDONED RE- 
PORT   TO    THE    ADMIRALTY. 

The  third    expedition  to    the  Northwest,  in  charcrc   of  Commander 
Parry,   was  soon   equipped.     To    the  usual  stores  were  added  preserved 
carrots,  parsnips,  and   sahnon,  together  with  pickled  onions,  beets,  cab- 
bage, and  split  peas;   also  a  small  quantity  of  beef  pemmican,  made  after 
Capt.  Franklin's  rec'pe.  oy  cutting  the  meat  into  thin  slices,  which,  being 
dried  in  tiie  sun  anil  i)ounded,  are  mixed   with  a  small  quantity  of  melted 
fat,  and  compressed  into   bags.      The  ships  were  the  same  as  before;  bin 
the  Hecla  was  under   the  immediate  command  of  Parry,  and  tiie   Furv 
under  Captain  Hoppner,  promoted  from  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  which  he 
held  in  the  previous  expedition;  Captain  Lyon  being  detailed,  as  we  will 
see  farther  on,   for   a  special    exploration   in   tiie    Griper.      The    William 
Harris,  under  Lieut.    Pritchanl,  was  joined   to  the  Ilecla  and    Fury  as  a 
transport  until  they  siiould  reacii  the  ice.      They  left  Deptford  near  Lon- 
don, May  8,  1S24,  and  on  tiie    loth    took   alioard    their   ammunition    and 
powder  at  Northtleet,   near   Gravesend,   at   the   mouth  of   the   Thames, 
whence  they   proceeded    on   their   voyage.     On  tlie  3d  of  Julv  they  dis- 
missed the  William  Harris,  after  having  transferred  her  surplus  stores  to 
the  Hecla  and   Fuiy  amid  tlie  ice-floes  of  Davis'  Strait,  out  of  which  she 
was  towed  by  the  ship's  boats  into  clear  water.    With  their  now  heavily- 
laden    vessels,  under  light  northerly  winds   they  made  but  little  progress 
for  several  days.      Once  or  twice  it   became    necessary  to   tow    the  ships 
with  their  boats  from  a   dangerous  ])roximity  to  icebergs,  of  which  they 
countetl    at   one    time    no    less    than    one;    iiundred    and    three  from  the 

290 


f 


SLOIV  P/fOG/fESS. 


297 


deck.  The  crews  were  kept  constantly  at  work,  heaving,  warp.'ng,  saw- 
,ng,  and  usmg  every  device  known  to  their  craft  in  Arctic  navigation,  to 
keep  clear  of  the  icebergs,  and  make  a  little  headway. 

By  the  end  of  July  they  made  but  seventy  miles 'to  the  west,  since 
parting  with  the  transport.     Vive  weeks  longer  they  kept  t.p  the  daily  and 
hourly  struggle  with  the  ice,  some  of  which  was  over  twenty  feet  thick 
above  tiie  surface  of  the  water,  and  reaching  out  of  sight  from  the  mast- 
head.    Through  such  barriers  and  obstacles  they  couhl  often  only   work 
by  towing  with  boats  and    warping  with  hawsers,  gaining  here   an  en 
trance  by  sawing  the   ice,  and  there   through  some  natural  opening  be- 
tween the  floes.     By  such  toil   and  labor  did    they  achieve  a  progress  of 
about  four  hundred  miles,  arriving  at  length  in  sight  of  the  headlands  of 
Lancaster  Sound,  in  open  water,  on  the  loth  of  September.     It  was  no- 
ticed  that  for  some  time  the  ice   had   been  growing  less  in  thickness  as 
well  as  >n  the  extent  of  the   floes,  so  that  on  the  whole  the  farther  thev 
got  to  the  northwest,  the  easier  was  their  progress,  the  obstruction   bein^ 
greatest  about   the   middle  of  the   ice-pack,   where   also   were    seen   tbe 
largest  number  of  icebergs. 

They  had  now   acco.nplishe.l  only  the  preliminary  stage  of  the  voy- 
age,  Lancaster  Sound  being  again  the  preconcerted  starting  point  of  tl  e 
exploration.     It  was  hoped   that  the  ice-barrier  encountered    five  years 
before,  after  ,)enetrating  Prince  Regent  Inlet,  would  prove  to  have  been 
peculiar  to  the  season;  and  that  a   passage  would    now  be  found  practica- 
ble by  that  route.     It  was  determined  that  the  trial  should  be  made,  and 
this  was  the   direct   object  of  the   present   expedition.      Unfortunately   it 
liad  set  out  too  late,  or  had   been   too   long  detaine.l   in    the   ice-pack  of 
Baffin's  Bay,  to  have  much  chance  of  success  the  first  season.     On  the 
I3tli,  in  sight  of  Cape  York,  the  eastern  headland  of  Prince   Regent   In- 
let,  they  encounter-l  new  ice,  which  formed  very    rapidly,  and  grew  in 
tliickness  from  day  to  day.     Towing  with  the  boats,  backing  and   veer- 
>ny,  and  hauling  the  ships,  they  kept  moving,   but  often  as  much   back- 
ward as  forward,  until  the  night  of  the  ,7th,  when  they  were  completely 
lienimed  in.     The  ice  extended   in  one  mass   to  the  shore,  thickened    by 
the  natural  process  of  continual  freezing,  and   still  more  by  the  action  of 


298 


THE  FUnr  SWEPT  AW  AT. 


ff 


7' 


!  6  i.  'II 


!  ;'  li    • 


I 


J  ft  I  tl 


l/i 


fll 


II 


li  ll  '^ 


1; 


the  wind  and  swell,  which  rolled  it  upon  itself,  layer  upon  layer,  some- 
times to  a  hundred  feet  in  thickness,  forming  impenetrable   hummocks. 
They  now  began  to  saw  a  canal  so  as  to  get  the  ships  nearer  the  shore, 
in  the  event  of  being  unable  to  get  out  of  the  ice.     On  the  2ist,  through 
the  opening  thus   partially   effected,  the    ships  were   slowly    squeezed 
toward  the  land    by  the  pressure  of  the   ice   from  without,  but   on   the 
next  day  were  threatened  with  being  driven  with  the  surrounding  ice  out 
to  sea  by  a  change  of  wind.     Hawsers  were  now  run  out  to  the  land-ice, 
and  the   Hecla   was  thus  secured;  but  the  Fury,  which  lay  farther  out, 
was  swept  off  with  the  ice.     The  hawsers  of  the  Hecla   were   soon   cut 
one  after  another  by  the  drifting   ice,  but  not  before    they  had  succeeded 
in  casting  anchor.     In   an  hour  the  r.-.oving  floe  was  parted  in  two  by  its 
own  action  against  the  chain  cable,  and   the  sawing  operations  of  the 
crew,  leaving  the  Hecla  afloat  in  clear  water-  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
shore.     Meanwhile  the  Fury   had  been  carried  by  the  wind  beyond  an 
iceberg  grounded  off  a  small  headland,  and  was  cleared  from  the  floe  by 
great  exei  tion  on  the  part  of  her  commander  and  crew,  some  five  or  six 
miles  away,  where  she  was  joined  by  the  Hecla  before  night.     On  the 
morning   of  the  27th  they   found   themselves  at   length  free  of  ice,  and  ' 
within   a  few   miles  of  the  western    shore  of  Prince   Regent  Inlet.     At 
noon   they  were   abreast   of  Jackson    Inlet,  and  before  night  had  made 
Port   Bowen,    which    Parry  had  now  determined  to   make   their  winter 
quarters  for  the  season. 

Here  the  usual  arrangements  were  made,  with  some  improvements 
for  heating  and  ventilating  the  ships,  and  with  masquerades,  instead  of 
theatrical  representations,  as  amusement  for  the  men.  The  schools 
were  resumerl  with  very  satisf^xctory  results,  and  less  distraction,  as  there 
were  no  Esquimaux  in  the  vicinity.  Taught  by  experience,  they  had 
learned  to  place  the  stoves  in  the  very  bottom  of  the  hold,  which,  with 
their  other  appliances,  enabled  them  to  keep  the  temperature  of  the  ships 
r"  an  average  of  56";  so  that  witli  improved  heating  apparatus  and  the 
preserved  and  pickled  vegetables  alreatly  referred  to,  the  general  health 
of  the  men  suffered  less  derangement  than  on  an^  of  the  preceding 
expeditions. 


:'"*  *?WV^^TVT  r^t'-ti 


.1 


ipon  layer,  some- 
rable   hummocks, 
nearer  the  shore, 
the  2 1st,  through 
slowly    squeezed 
lout,  but   on   the 
rrounding  ice  out 
ut  to  the  land-ice, 
I  lay  farther  out, 
I   were   soon   cut 
ay  had  succeeded 
•ted  in  two  by  its 
operations  of  the 
'  a  mile  from  the 
wind  beyond  an 
from  the  floe  by 
some  five  or  six 
;  night.     On  the 
I  free  of  ice,  and 
2gent  Inlet.     At 
night  had  made 
ake   their  winter 

3  improvements 
rades,  instead  of 
I.  The  schools 
raction,  as  there 
'ience,  they  had 
>ld,  which,  with 
ture  of  the  ships 
)paratus  and  the 
e  general  health 
f  the  preceding 


398 


,  J^m!^sm^^i^»i■Jtm^.,mim^iS^>*>'»''**'^•'■ 


300 


OBSERVATIONS. 


f'n', 


An   incident    related    by   Parry   is    worth   rcproducinoj  in   illustration 
of  the  distance  which  the  voice  can  reach  in  favorable    circumstances. 
Lieut.  Foster  havin-j  occasion  to  send  a  man  from  the  observatory  to  the 
opposite  shore    of  the   harbor— a  measured   dist;ince  of  6,696   feet,   or 
about  one  statute  mile  and  two-tenths— in  order  to  fix  a  meridian  mark, 
had  placed  a  second   person  half-way  between,  to  repeat  his  directions; 
but  he  found  on  trial  that  this  precaution    was    unnecessary,   as  he  could 
without  difficulty  keep  up  conversation  with  the  man  at  the  distant  sta- 
tion.    "The  thermometer  was  at  this  time  iS°  below  zero,  the  barometer 
30.14  inches,   and  the  weather  nearly  calm,  and  quite  clear  and  serene." 
It  was  noticed  that  the  meteors  or  falling  stars  were  much  more  frequent 
especially  in  December,  than  in  any  previous  winter  of  their  residence  in 
the   Arctics.      They    also   observed    a     particularly   brilliant    display    of 
Aurora  Borealis  on  the  23d  of  Feburary,  the  next  day  after  the  sun  had 
become  visible  at  tht>  ships.     Owing  to  the  height  of  the  hills  surround- 
ing Foit  Bowen,  the  sun  had  been  hidden  from  the  harbor  for   131  days, 
though  to  those  wlio  took  the  trouble  to  ascend  the  hills  his  reappearance 
was  made  manifest  twenty  days  earlier.     "  It  is  very  long  after  the  sun's 
reappearance    in  these  regions,  however,  before  tiie  effect  of  his   rays,  as 
to  warmth,   became    perceptible,"  says   Parry;  "  week  after  week    Jith 
scarcely  any  rise  in  the  thermometer  except   for  an  hour  or  two  durin- 
the  day;  and  it  Is  at  this  period,  more  than  any  other,  perhaps,  that   the 
lengthened   duration  of  a   Polar   winter's  cold  is   most  wearisome,   and 
creates  the  most  impatience."      It  was    not  till  the  middle   of  June   that 
there  was  any  considerable   amount  of  water  from  the  melting  snow  on 
shore. 

There  were  more  bears  killed  by  the  crews  this  winter  than  in  all  the 
previous  seasons  put  togetiier.  From  October  to  June,  twelve  were  se- 
cured, and  many  more  seen  that  they  were  unable  to  kill.  On  two  oc- 
casions they  witnessed  the  strengtli  of  parental  affection  in  these  animals, 
the  mothers  staying  to  protect  their  young  when  they  might  easily  have 
escaped.  One  or  two  foxes  were  killed,  and  four  were  caught  in  traps. 
"  The  color  of  one  of  these  animals,  which  lived  for  some  time  aboard 
the  Furv.  and  became  tolerably 


'ry, 


tame,   was  nearly  pure  white,  till   tlie 


33J''«WW'5SlBKi 


t^umm  mmmmmmmm^^i^*'i^» 


ng  in  illustration 
le    circumstances. 
>V)servatory  to  the 
of  6,696   feet,   or 
I  meridian  mark, 
It   his  directions; 
ary,   as  he  could 
the  distant   sta- 
•o,  the  barometer 
car  and  serene." 
ch  more  frequent 
:hcir  residence  in 
liant    display    of 
ifter  the  sun  had 
ti  hills  surround- 
or  for   121  days, 
his  reappearance 
g  after  the  sun's 
t  of  his   rays,  as 
ifter  week    with 
r  or  two  durintf 
2rhaps,  that   tlio 
wearisome,   and 
le   of  June   that 
letting  snow  on 

r  than  in  all  the 
welve  were  se- 
ll. On  two  oc- 
1  these  animals, 
ght  easily  have 
lught  in  traps, 
le  time  aboard 
white,  till   tiie 


A  WHALE  CAPTURED.  ^. 

801 

.nonth  of  May,  when  he  shed  his  winter  coat,  and  became  of  a  dirty  choco- 
late color,  wi.h  two  or  three  light  brown  spots."  Only  three  hares  were 
kdled,  whose  fur  was  "  thick,  soft,  and  of  the  most  beautiful  whiteness 
nna,nnab le.  One  ermine  and  a  few  moose,  complete  the  scanty  list  of 
quadrupeds  at  Port  Bowen.  No  deer  or  wolves  were  seen,  but  toward 
tno  end  of  June  they  were  able  to  kill  several  hundreds  of  dovekies 
^vlnch  made  an  acceptable  change  in  their  diet.  On  one  of  the  nume' 
,ous  excursions  for  shooting  these,  John  Cotterell,  a  seaman  of  the  Furv 
was  drowned  in  a  crack  of  the  ice,  on  the  6th  of  July. 

Six  days  later  the  ice  began  to  detach   itself,  and   they  succeeded  in 
kdhng  a  small  whale,  the  oil  of  which  they  needed  for  another  winter's 
consumption,  in  the  event  of  their  being  detained  so  long   in  the   Arctic 
reg,ons.     They  began  the  usual  operations   of  sawing  a  canal   for   ti,e 
sh,ps,   the  work   proving   an  unusually   heavy    task,  as  the   ice   was  in 
some  places  over  ten,  ami  generally  from  five  to  eight  feet  thick.  On  the 
19th  a  welcome  stop  ^vas  put  to  this  arduous  labor,  by  the  separation  of 
the  .ce  across  the  harbor,  not,  however,  without  a  final  tug  at  the   saws 
all  night  to  cut  away  the  intervening  ice.     In  two  hours  of  the  ensuing 
day  they  succeeded  in  towing  the  vessels  into  the  open  sea  of  Prince  Re 
gent  Inlet,  after  twenty-six  hours  of  continuous  work.   Parry  now  made 
for  the  western  shore,  intending  to   coast  North  Somerset  to  the  south 
jucgnag  from  his  forn.er  inspection  of  that  region  that  it  would  be  found' 
to  fend  to   the  west.     Trying   in  vain  to  penetrate  the  ice-barrier,  they 
moved  northward    untd  the  .4th,  when  a  channel  was  found  alon<.  the 
western  shore  about  two  miles  wide,  the  ice  having  been   driven  to    the 
cast  by  a  gale.     They  were  then  at  Leopold   Island,  in  Barrow's   Strait 
whence  they  proceeded  again  to  the  south  along  the  channel  thus  opened 
along  the  coast  of  North  Somerset.     On  the  .Sth  their  further  progress 
was  blocked  by  the  ice  in  latitude  7^^'  5  ^ '  5 '  %  within  about  twelve  miles 
of  the  most  southern  point  sighted  on  the  same  coast  in   1819    On    the 
30th,  the  Hecla  was    worked  a  mile  and  a  half  further  to  the  south 
-   narrow    channel     having    been    opened    in    the    ice    by    the    action 
o<  the  wind.       The   next  day    the  Fury  was    driven    aground   bv  .he 
pressure  of  the  ice  under  the  influence  of  a  northern  gale,  but  w=^  o^^t 


'•:4mmmm»mmimmtmsim^-v> 


803 


THE  FURY  ALEAK 


Iff 

iiij 


ofT  at  high  water  by  the  exertions  of  both  crews,  without  serious  injury. 
On    the    1st   of  August    both    ships   were    hemmed    in    by  the   ice 
and  driven   with   it  to   the  shore,  on  which  they  grounded,  the  Fury 
being    severely   injured    by    an    extra   pressure   from   the   coming  floe 
after   she  had    already   struck,    which    forced    her    heavily  against    the 
land-ice    of    the    beach.       The  Hecla   was    gotten    off  at    high    water, 
the   ice    fortunately    receding,  and    anchored    to    a    floe    at     midnight. 
The    Fury    also    succeeded    in   getting   afloat,   but   was    found    to   l)c 
leaking     badly.       They    now    made    a    strenuous    effort    to    enter   a 
small   harbor,  which  they  opportunely  discovered  at  a  short    distance. 
The  way  being  fortunately  clear  of  ice  at  the  time,  the>   succeeded  in 
guiding  both  vessels  into  the  only  two  coves  out  of  twenty,  examined  by 
Parry  in  a  small  boat,  of  sufticient  depth  to    float  them    at  low  water. 
These  coves  were  formed  by  groundeil  masses  of  ice,  and  afforded  but  a 
precarious  refuge,  especially  as  it  was  now  evident  that  the  Fury  would 
require  to  be  thoroughly  repaired  before  she  could  be  considered   sea- 
worthy.    Four  pumps  were  at  this  time  constantly  engaged  in  the  effort 
to  keep  her  from  sinking.     In   these  coves,  the  slightest   pressure  from 
the  outside  ice  would  be  sufticient  to  drive  the  ships  ashore,  as   they   had 
only  about  two  feet  of  water  under   tlieir  keels.      Parry  and   Hoppncr 
bestirred  themselves  to  seek  a  more  secure  anchorage,  and  had  the  good 
fortune  to  find,  within   a   mile,  another,  but  deeper  cove,  where  three 
masses  of  grounded  ice  were  so  situated  as  to  afford  an  ice-locked  harbor. 
But    notwithstanding     their    activity,    heightened    if    possible,    by  the 
supreme  urgency  of  the   situation,  before  the  ships  could  be    moved,  the 
ice,  like  a  watchful  enemy,  closed  in  and  again  held    them    fast  in  his 
tightening  grasp.     A  narrow  lane  of  water  affording  a  passage  for  boats 
between  ships,  some  of  the  Fury's  dry  provisions  were  taken  aboard  the 
Hecla,   and  a  quantity  of  heavy  ironwork  and  other   not  easily  injured 
stores  were  conveyed  ashore.  On  the  5th  of  August  they  succeeded,  dur- 
ing a  temporary  opening  of  the  ice,  in  running  the  ships  into  the  harbor 
already  chosen,  but   were   prevented   from    reaching   the  most  desirable 
anchorage,  and  in  twenty  minutes  after  their  arrival  the  ice  again   closed 
around  them. 


_>  'mltm»rit&gM-.^»>hmViiM0^''^'- 


e    coming   floe 


UNLOADING  THE  FURT.  308 

They  now  proceeded  with  the   lightening  of  the  Fury,  and  in  three 
days  had  unloaded  her  so  much   that  two  pumps  were  sufl^cient  to  keep 
her  free;  spars,  boats  and  everything  from  oflf  her  upper  deck,  as  well  as 
tlic  provisions  and   stores,  having  been  removed.     These  were  tempora- 
riiy  housed  under  the  ship's  tents  on  shore;  and  at  the  same  time  prepa- 
rations  were  diligently  made  to  heave  the   Fury  over  on  the  ice  for  re- 
pairs.    Meanwhile,  on  the  8th,  a  southward    movement  of  the  ice  in 
Prince  Regent  Inlet,  drove  the  outer  ice  of  the  harbor  against  and  under 
the  ships,  threatening  to  keel  over  the  Fury  before  they  were  ready,  and 
driving  the  Hecla  on  a  projecting  tongue  of  ice  attached  to  one  of  the  icy 
piers  of  this  rather  dangerous  harbor.     On  the  loth,  by  cutting  four  or 
five  feet  of  ice  at  the  stern  of  the  Hecla,  the  slid  off  the  tongue,  and  was 
once  more  entirely  afloat.     A  little   more   room  being  soon  obtained  by 
one  of  the  ever-recurring  movements  of  the  ice,  they  cleared  the  basin  of 
the  scattered  masses  of  broken  ice,  piece  by  piece,  leaving  the  ships  a  few 
feet  to  spare  in  length,  but  none  in  width.     The  Fury,  on  the  inside  of 
this  harbor,  had   eighteen  feet  of  water,  and  the  Hecla,  on  the  outside, 
twenty-four.     The  clearness  of  the  water  now  enabled  them  to  form  an 
opinion  of  the  injuries   received  by  both  vessels  in  their  long-continued 
batde  with  the  ice.     They  discovered   that  in  the  Fury  "  both  the  stern- 
post  and  forefoot  were  broken  and  turned  up  on  one  side  with  the  pres- 
sure.    We  also  could  perceive,  as  far  as  we  were  able  to  see  along  the 
main  keel,  that  it  was  much  torn,  and  we  had  therefore   much  reason  to 
conclude  that  the  danger  would  altogether  prove  serious.     We  also  dis- 
covered   that    several  feet    of  the  Hecla's    false    keel    were    torn    away 
abreast  of  the  forechains,  in  consequence  of  her  grounding  forward  so 
frequently." 

The  Fury  was  completely  cleared  of  everything  on  the  i6th, 
and  two  unsuccessful  attempts  had  been  made  to  lay  her  down,  when 
on  the  19th  the  ice  once  more  peremptorily  decided  against  further 
action  in  that  direction.  A  huge  outside  floe,  driven  southward  by  a 
gale,  so  pressed  upon  the  harbor  ice  as  to  dislodge  the  ice  piers  and  de- 
stroy the  basin  prepared  with  so  much  labor.  Both  ships  were  now  in 
danger  of  being  again  forced  aground  by  the  next  pressure  from  the  un- 


ao4 


THE  FUItr  ABANDONED, 


certain  ice,  and   it  was  determined  to  save  the   Uecla  from  that  disaster, 
by  preparing   her  for  sea.     And,  if  time   woi  .d  permit,  the  Fury,  too, 
should  he  towed  out  and  stauncheil  with  sails   unt.I  a  more  secure  harbor 
could  be   reached.     Uy  the  21st   they  had   placed  aboard  the  Fury  about 
fifty  tons'  weight  of  coal  ami  provisions,  and  her  anchors,  cahles,  rudder, 
and  spars— all   that  was  deemed  al.solutely  necessary  for  her  equipment, 
should  they  succeed  in  getting  her  out  to  sea.    But  the  ice  again  came  .,n' 
and  drove  her  ..shore,  the  Heclu  having  barely  escaped  the  same  disaster 
by  having  gone  out   to  sea  one  hour  and  five    minutes   before.     At  eight 
o'clock  the  last  man  had  left  the  Fury,  and  at  eleven  half  a  mile  of  packed 
ice  lay  between  her  and  her  consort.     In   the   morning  the  distance  had 
increased   to  four  or   five   miles,  the  Hecla  having  been  borne  south  by 
the  current,  and   during  the  ensuing  night  four  or  five  leagues   farther. 
The  wind   now  changing,  they  were  enabled  to   retrace  their  course,  but 
could  get  no  nearer  to  the  Fury  ihan  twelve  miles.     This  was  at  noon  of 
the  24th,  in  latitude  72°  34'  57'.  ''"d   »»   the  morning  of  the  25th  they 
were  at   least  fifteen   miles  away,  the  ice   having  pressed   between  them 
and  the  shore  where  she  lay. 

Still  hovering  in  her  vicinity  and  watching  every  opportunity  to 
reach  her.  Parry  and  Hoppner  were  finally  enabled  to  make  an  ex- 
amination into  her  condition.  Getting  within  seven  or  eight  miles  of  her, 
and  a  narrow  channel  opening  the  way  for  the  boats,  Parry  and  Hopp. 
ner  got  aboard  the  Fury  for  the  last  time,  at  half-past  nine.  It  was 
reluctantly  decided  that  her  condition  was  hopeless  in  view  of  all  the  cir- 
cumstances, and  that  it  would  only  endanger  tiic  Hecla  and  the  lives  of 
both  crews  to  waste  any  more  time  in  attempting  to  rescue  and  repair  her, 
with  no  secure  harbor  in  view,  even  should  they  succeed  in  floating  her 
off.  She  was  therefore  abandoned  where  she  lay,  in  latUude  72°  43'  30", 
and  longitude  91°  50'  5",  about  half  a  degree  south  of  their  late  winter 
quarters,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  Prince  Regent  Inlet,  and  just  above 
where  the  coast  of  North  Somerset  wears  rapidly  to  the  west. 

They  now  proceeded  to  make  both  crews  as  comfortable  as  possible 
on  the  Hecla,  and  sailed  across  the  inlet  to  Neill's  Harbor,  a  little  south 
of  Port  Bowen,  to  refit  and  get  ready  for  the  return  voyage  to  England, 


fHimmmmm* 


''^>">r  ARRIVES  AT  Tim  ADUlRALrr.  ,05 

a.«.,..,o„e„.    John    H„,„,  ..,  ,.„„.„.„,.,„    p„,^,  „„„  J  .^^     ^^^ 

several  ,„„„„,,  fron,  ,.  ^r„f„,„.„  ,,i».„,„,  ,.„„  ,,,. „,  ^^_^  ^  ^ 

.he  „s„a,  ,„,rk,  „f  .e,,.c..  My  ehe  3.,.  al,  noecsary  arn,„,e,„.„  , 
..>clu,„„„a,re,h  ,..,,p,y  ,„■  „..e,  havin,  „„..„  ,.*Ce.,,  .h.y  .,i,.,  ! 
.ho  „o„hwa„,  «,„„„„  .he  open  sea  „f  ,,.„,.w.„  S.rai.  „„  Sept.  ■„. 
They  f„,„„l    .„m„.s  .•  V  ,„y  ,n^„,„,  f,„„  „„.,,  ,,  ^^^  P      _'• 

year,  w,.h,„  f„ur  .,„y.  „.  .„„  ,,„„  ,„„„.  ^,^.^^,  ,„,  ^^^  J  -  ^ 
her,  ,8.4,  .hey  experience,!  the  u.,n„.,  .lifflcl.y  h,  e,eapi„„  J„  ha 
.ce  ,.,,  .he  5.h  ,.,  .Scp.e,„^r,  ,8.5,  an.,  .,.,.„  ,Hir.y  „„!  „f  .nrsal 

,,.,.    here  wa,  „,,  floe  wha.ever,  an. ,y  „„,  „,  ,„„  „„,,„      .^^.^^.^^^ 

On  the  7.h  ,n  .,„.„ae  7."  30-,  and  ,.,„„rn.,e  So'  5'.  they  flr't  eneou t 
.e,ed  ,ee,  w,.h  ,h,r.y.„ine  icebergs  in  sigh.,  I.u.  „,,,  „i,h  ,„en.y  „f   1 
roon,  .„  .he  east.     Nex.  day,  in  Ia.i.ude  ;,»  55.,  ,hey  fe„  i„  J,,  ,C 
whalers  ,„,„,  „or.h, ..,  wh„,„  .hey  were  ahle  .c  give  no  encourage.nen, 
a    they  had  no.  seen  a  single  whale  since  .hey  left  NeilP,  Harbor     Thei^ 
a.lvance    „  .he  east  was  now  ,„„ch  more  re.arded  by  contrary  wind 
an,,  .hey  ,l,d  no.  pass  .he  Arctic  Circle  un.i,  noon  of  .he  .y.h,  bu"  fo  "he 
en.„ng  wee.   .he  winds    were  favorable.     On  ,he   .j.h  Ij^  ^^    hi 
enc„un.ere.    a  very  severe  gale,  after  leaving   Davis'  S.rai.,  and  wh,  a 
sou.heas.  of  Cape  Farewell.    After  .he  g„,e  .hey  had  a  week  of  re™  ^ 

t':/'";  '"'T "'"'■"'"'   """'••"'"'  ''--'--' afterwanl  by  s.rong 

so,  herly  w.nds,  .hey  reached  Mull  Head,  .he  northwes.ern  poin'  „f  .h! 
Orkney  Islands,  on  the  .o.h  of  October.  Two  dw,  ht.r 
»  -herly  wind  o.  Pcerhead,  Co,.,,„a,,der;::  '^r  Lrr::- 
potn  and  se.off  for  London,  arriving  a.  .he  a,l,„ira,.y  on  .he  .6.h.  The 
Hecla  arnved  a.  Sheerness  on  .he  Thames  „„  the  .oth,  where  cl. 
Hoppner,  h,s  officers  and  ,ne„,  being  p„.  „„  .Hal  for  .he  los  of  .h  .  Fnt 
were     o„o,ably  ,ac,„i..ad.  .he  abandonment  of  .be  ship  beingal;^ 


90 


CIIAI'TKK    X.WIV. 


V 


.-_P 


m 


PHI  i 


AKtrir    VOYACJK    <)l'"    SAIIINI';    AND    *  l,A  VKM  I  N(i  -  •  II  AM  MKKI'KST — rof). 

iisiMNc — i»is«.'»)vi:» Y  (»!•  I'Kni)um;m  isi.anhs     i'|{<kki;i>  to  cai'k 

I'AKKY  —  l.ll'K    <)!••    SAIIINK. 

'I'lu-  main  purpose  cj"  this  voyaj^i-  was  to  fyrllu'r  lia-  '  j)c-iuliiitiin  ex- 
pel  imi'Mts  "  of  Captain,  afU'ivvanl  Major  (umiii- il,  Sir  ICilvvan!  Sal)inc, 
for  the  completion  of  which  he  ol)taine<l  the  use  of  the  ship  (Jripcr  of 
the  royal  navy,  which  had  heen  one  of  l*an  y's  vessels  in  his  !lrsl  voy. 
n{ifc  in  search  of  the  Northwest  Passaj^e.  She  was  now  placed  in  coin- 
mand  of  Capt.  Claverin<j,  vvh  >  in  the  intervals  occupied  hy  Sabine  on 
land,  made  some  few  discoveries  in  Arctic  seas.  They  sailed  from  thj 
Nore  on  the  nth  of  May,  1823,  and  arrived  at  Ilammerfest  in  .'^uil 
Oc^  or  Whale  Island,  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Norwav,  70"  40'  7'  l)v 
23"  35'  43*,  on  the  4th  of  June.  Here  Sabine  prosecuted  his  scien- 
title  experiments  until  the  .'3d,  and  leavin<j  him  thus  enfjajjed,  the 
reader  is  invited  to  take  a  survey  of  Ilammerfest,  which  is  a  town  of 
much  interest  in  coi'nection  with  Arctic  explorations. 

Ilammerfest  is  situated  on  the  west  coast  of  tiu'  island,  and  is  the  most 
northern  town  of  its  size  in  the  world.  .Sixty  years  a<j[o  it  had  only  torty- 
four  inhabitants,  Imt  has  now  a  settled  population  of  about  1600.  It  is 
the  capital  of  the  province  of  Finmark,  which  has  an  area  of  over  iS,(K)o 
square  miles,  and  a  population  of  onlv  34,000.  The  town  comprises  one 
lonpf,  windinj^  street  alon-jf  t!ii'  ^li  re,  the  I  ou  ,os  of  which,  made  of 
wood  and  painted,  present  lii^  strikuij;  peculiarity  of  havinjj^  j^rass  plots 
on  the  roofs.  The  warehouses  are  built  on  piles  driven  into  the  wiiti-r, 
jTivinj;  ready  access  to  ships  and  boats,  and,  with  the  adjoininj;  sheds,  are 
usually  well  filled  with  skins  of  the  reindeer,  bear  ami  wolf,  reindeer 
horns,  walrus  tusks,  dried  fish  and  train  oil.  These  the  merchants  obtain 
from   tlic   Films — more  properly  Lapps — from    whom  the  province  dc- 


HAMMERFBSr-NOliTU  CAPE  ^ 

807 

ri,.-,  iK  ,„.,„..,  i„  „xch,„„a.  f,„.  I„:,„,ly,  ,.,,„ec„-.,f  ,„..h  „r  ^„i,,,  „„ 

'":'":'"']  ""'  "'"r" "'-" ■»  '■■■■•  - I  ....„.„„„.„,,  „.  ch  " 

"■■; :'  '-'•"  ■N'"'"-«-  «-",..    The  ,eal  „,.,„„  „  ,  „, „  ;  ^ 

cm  ,.„.     A    ,,r„..  „,„,e  wi.,,  Ard,a„«d,  „„  „.  VVhi.o  S.,,  ,„  ,<„  " 

';":;■  "r;: z  '""■  '"  "'^*  ""■  "^- «-■  "'^-  "^ '^  --i « 

|.".l.nl  s„,„lo  artide  l„  the-  cn,„,„c.rcc  oC  th.  (own 

Tl.....h  »„  f,.  „,,„,,,  ,h.  ,em„ora.,„.e   i,  ,.„er„„,    „„„  ,„„„^,  ,„ 
per,,,,,  ,hc  l,an„  „,hc™c„  „,  „„,.„„„  .„,,,  ,„b„„  ^      ° 

n..ll,..„s  a  :a,.e  pa,,  of  which  are  take.  l,y  .he  R,,,,,,,,.  ,„  J^^,     '^"^ 
.™.™l-  ,s  p,cparc.,,  fo,.  the  „,arl<c..,  of  .he  w„,.,,,  and  sold  „,,  ,,Hcd 

"'"*;*", '   •':'""  "'^-  '•""«   ""y"'  l-r n,al  purchase,  „„„„„,,' 

'"™7"'"^,"';' "" '-     ■"-  wi„.erls,ive„  .,„ne,.r,.n,al<h...       d 

"rcel.a  n,,h,  passe,  wi.ho,,.  .,  f„,,io  .„  s„n,e  so,-..     The  da,  w 

K.  s,,„  ,.eappea.„  ,.,  one  of  ,e„en„  .cjoicin,,  and  everybody  mshe,  in 
-he  ,*e...   .,.   co,„n.,ula.e   his  neighbor.     The   sun,n,er  is  sho,,,   Z 
»on,e.„nes  ,„,.e  oppressive  .'or  a  ,i,.,e  while,  h„,  ,he  e„„,  air  f.nn 
".nv  covere.:  h,lls„,es  and  ravines,  in  so.ne  „f  which  i.  always  lie,    a^d 

." , ':  "':■•;"""  ™"-'  *■-■  ■-"I— e.     The  chief  snhjec.  of  .^ 

I ""  "  ■'  ^"'r''"-  '"'.  "••'  •"-  ■-  ■''  cold  so  Ion,.     N„r.h  C  1 

e  .re,ne  nor.hcrn   poin.  of  Enrope,  i,  only    six.y  ,ni|es  fr„,n  IZ'. 

'  ';; '  «"'^-""^  »"  "''i-'  "f  «-a'  in.eres.  .o  sojo„,.„ers  or  .rav. 

«»  u,  .hose  ,.e,.,o„,.    Thi,  .-ocky  pron.on.ory,  a  .housa  ,,  fce.  in  he  I. 
*"  '  "l...n  .ho  sea,  an,l  is  dilfich  of  ascen.  even  a.  i,s  „,os.  a  ce   Fb  ' 
I--  ...  .1.0   ,ear.     ,.  is,  howeve,-,  ,re<,„cn.,y  vi,i.ed,  and  „„    „      t^ 

tlZ\  ^""' '"  ''"'•""  ^'" '"' '" "--  Of  *^  -"li  , :;; 

from  the  busy  haunts  of  men.  '^ 


308 


DISCOVERIES   OF  CLAVERING. 


But  leaving  Hammerfest  and  North  Cape,  it  is  our  duty  to  return  to 
Captains  Sabine  and  Clavering,  and  tiieir  "good  siiip,"  the  Griper,  which 
set  sail  for  Spitzbergen  seas   on  the  23d  of  June.     They  encountered  ice 
in  latitude  75°    5',  ofT  Cherry  Island,  on  the  27th,   and  tl.rec  days  hitor 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Hakluyt  Headland,  the  northwestern  point  of  the 
Spitzbergen  Archipelago.  On  one  of  the  smaller  groupof  islands,  known 
as  the  Seven  Sisters,  they  landed  Capt.  Sabine  with  his  necessary  equip- 
ments,  and  immediate  attendants,  while    Capt.  Clavciing  continued  his 
course  to  the  north.     But   having  made  about  thirty  miles  in  that  direc- 
tion, he  was  driven  back  by  the  impassable  ice-pack.     Sabine  was  ao-ain 
ready  on  the  34th  of  July,  when  they  set  sail  for  the  east  coast  of  Green- 
land, which  they  struck  at  a    headland  named    by  them  Cape   Borlasc 
Warren.     Here  they  discovered  two  islands  which  received  the  name  of 
Pendulum  Islands,  because    Sabine  chose  them  as  the  field  of  his  experi- 
ments.    Clavering  proceeding  northward,  discovered  and  named  Shan- 
non Island  in    latitude  75°  12';  and    descried  land  as   high   as    latitude 
76*^.     They  discovered  Ardencaple  Inlet,  the  coast-line  of  which  they  cs- 
timatctl  at  about  fifty  miles.     The  latter  half  of  August  was  spent  ashore 
by  Clavering  and  nineteen  others  of  his  ship's  company. 

The  temperature  was  much  milder  than  anticipated,  falling  at  no  time 
lower  than  z^"  above  zero.    At  a  short  distance  inland,  a  circle  of  moun- 
tains almost  surrounds  this  bay,  rising  at  some  points  to  a  height  of  four 
to   five  thousand  feet.     They  met  a  small  tribe    of  twelve  Esquimaux 
with  whom,  however,    they  had  but  little  intercourse.     On  the  29th  of 
August  they  returned  to  the  shi[),  and  01,  the  last  day  of  thc^  month,  hav- 
ing taken  aboard  Capt.  vSabine  and   his  party,  tiiey  proceeded  southward 
along  the  coast    to  Cape    "arry,  in   latitude  72"  22',  longitude  22  '    2'. 
The    cliffs  were    here  observetl   to  be  also  several    thousand   teet   hi<,di. 
Finding  the  coast-ice  likely  to  prove  troublesome,  if  not  dangerous,  tliey 
determined  to  return    homeward.    Leaving  the  coast  on  the  13th  of  Sep- 
tember they  were  driven  southw;.rd  in  a  gale,  but  succeetled  in  cr()ssin<( 
the    Atlantic  in  safety,  reaching    Christiansend    on  the  first  of  OctoiRr. 
Here  the  ship  struck  a  rock,  but  was  got  off  at  high  water  witiiout  seri- 
ous   injury.     Coasting  to   the  northeast  they   arrived  at    Dronthciai  or 


\.    ^ 


mm 


wmm 


DRONTIIEIM 


Tr,,„<lh>m,  „„    the    6th,  whc,    S„„i„c    resumed    his    pcdulum    ex- 

Drouthel™  ,„.  Tt.,„dhje,„  (Tronyem),  the  cpita,  of  the  C,  ,.„„„ehy 
aiul  center  oi  N(»ivve<'iaii  lifi'i-'ifiir-.  : .    •.     ^    t  ■     ^  „  •' 

"i-awn  mti.itiiie,  is  situated  in  63°  2^'  hv  Jo°  -1'  ,.•,.» 

The  dtv  looks  as  !f  it  were  onlv  „(•„.,     1  '^ 

.  ,        ""'-""V  "'>'<=''"-T'l->y,  as  Its  wooden  houses  liave 

l,ee„  ,re.,iien,l,    destio.e.!    h,    „re  and   as   often     rebuilt  of  the  same 
m.ei.,1.     tt  presents  a  pleasin,  appeatanee,  the  houses  ..ei„,  painted  in 
avanetyol  colors;  and  is  a  thriving  pl„ee,  with  ahou.    .j.Jo  inhal.i- 
.™.s.     Us  prosperity  is   mainly  ,„,  ,„  „„    „,,„.^,  ^,^^,    ^^^ 
copper  mines  n,  its  vieinity.     The  lofty   chimneys   of  its  furnaces  and 

'"' "^';"'";'  ■'  '■'"'■■'•"■■""  •="''--  *«  -«icm  in,l,istry  with  it,  inees 

: "'""""'  """   '■"""''  ■'»  -"y  '°  'I-  ancient  seat  of  the  skald.      The" 

l.:i>,;.n  .he  peninsula  o- which  it  stands,   is    remarkable  for  its   beauty 
aa..  .«  .lotted  wi.h  numerous  shipping.     On  its  banks  are  the  villa,  of  I 

wea     y  merchants,  and  on  a  small  is.an.l  is  the  fortress  or  stronghold  of 
Man  ho hn  facin,  .,,0  ,„^,  „„^„   .,  ,,„„^_^^,.  » 

-l.^-l.a   ...  .he  eLeenth  eentuiy,  the  most  eenerable  eei-siastic: 

..ac  ...  .he  k,n,d„,n.    Sh.p.buildin,,  is  carried  on  to  a  eo,„iderable  extent 

a...l  .he  vesse  ,  .here  constructed  rank  hi,,h    for  sailing  qualities.     ThJ 

.....or  harbor  ,s  rather  shallow,  not  admittin,,  vessels  which  draw  more 

than  ten  or  twelve  feet  of  water. 

K.l"a|.l  .Sahi.,e,  the  naturalist  of  several  Aretic  expeditions,  is  worthy 
oi  inoie  than  passing  mention.  He  was  bon,  in  ,788,  .,nd  entered  the 
.ail,.ary  service  a.  an  early  a,e.     Havin,  attained  the  rank  of  lieutenant 

'^  :""■;,""""' "'  "■  "-"-I'-V  Sir.Ioh„  Ross  and  Sir  Edward  Parry 

«..  .he,r     rs,  voya.-es  i„  se.reh  of  the   .Northwest  Passage,  in  ,S.o_,o 

rr"7  ';■       ""    "-    '-••■     « "-   latter  he   eomLmieated     2 

.SI.  .....  las  magnetic  observations  .0  .he  Royal  Socie.v,  and  became  so 

""  '  ■■;"■;:'"'  ■"  '"•"  ' <^""-'  ">i»-  ".■  »cie„.i,ie  uivestiga. Z 

'"■     "■"'■■'  "■»  >vb„,e  time  .0  the  proseeii.io,,   of  researehes    aL   evpe 
;;;;;■:■       -   ..^.i  ,.,   ..,.,„  a  series  of  voyages  .0  several  points  be,: 

::;r; :"  "r.  ■■"'-  '"■  ""'^" "-  - ■ .'  co,.si.iei.a.i 

.    .,     ,             "              '"                '''^''■''  '■"^'^^'^' ''  '-■•''•^t"!  ^^'t  of  observations 
»a  .he  ,e,igth  of  the  ..conds'  ..ndulum-hence  ealletl  pen. r;™: 


I'H*' • 


w 


810 


SAB/JVE'S  EXPERIMENTS. 


ments— on    the  intensity  of  terrestrial   magnetism,  the  dip  of  the   mao- 
netic  needle,  and  related  subjects.     The  results  were  published  by  him  in 
1825,  in  a  work  entitled  "  The  Pendulum  and  Other  Experiments,"  and 
were  regarded  as  highly  valuable.     With  one  brief  episode  belonging  to 
his  military  profession,  during  which  he  served  in  Ireland,  his   history  is 
that  of  a  student  and    observer  of  the   laws   and   phenomena   of  nature 
especially  in  tlie  department  of  terrestrial  magnetism.     His  labors  have 
led  to  the  discovery  of  the  laws  of  magnetic  storms,  the   connection  be- 
tween sun-spots  and   certain   magnetic  phenomena,    and  the    magnetic 
influence  of  the  sun  and  moon  on  the  earth.     To  his  efforts   have  been 
largely  due    the  establishment  of   magnetic  observatories  all   over  the 
world,  and   the  collation  of  the  most  important  facts  thus  obtained.     He 
filled  the  several  offices  of  secretary,  vice-president  and   president  of  the 
Royal  Society,  and  was  successively  promoted  in  his  profession  to  captain 
major,  and    finally,  in  1856,    to   major-general.     In  1869   he  was  created 
Knight  Commander  of  the  liath,  whence  his  title,  Sir  Edward  Sabine. 

Sabine  having  prosecuted  his  scientific  observations  for  several  weeks 
at  Drontheim,  the  Griper  set  sail  for  England  and  arrived  safely  at 
Deptford,  near  London,  on  the   19th  of  December,  1S23. 


I 


i^'liliiiiiiiiBliiititttu.aiMW^ri-ilw-'^^ 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

AVON'S    ARCTIC    VOYAGE  — HOWE'S    WELCOME  —  LYOn's    PRAYER    FOR 
HELP SAFETY— RETURN    TO    ENGLAND. 

Notwithrtamling  the  poor   sailing   qualities   of  the  Griper,  she  was 
soon  again  put  to   use  for  purposes  of  exploration  in  the  Northwest,  be- 
in-  placed  in  charge  of  Capt.  George  Francis  Lyon,   who    had  accom- 
panied Parry  in  one  of  his  Northwest  voyages.     With  forty-one  officers 
and  men,  Lyon  set  sail  June  30,  1834,  with  instructions  to  complete  the 
survoy   or   exploration   of  Melville    Peninsula.       He   w.,^    to   make  for 
Wager  River  ofFRowe's  Welcome,  whence  he  was  tocros.  the  peninsula 
and  attempt   to    reach   Franklin's    Point    Turnagain.     He  was    accom- 
panied hy   a  small    vessel   named    the   Snap,  with  extra  stores,  which 
were  transferred  to  the  Griper  as  soon  as  they  met   the  ice  in    Hudson's 
Strait,  and  the  tender  sent  back.     This   was  successfully   done,  but  the 
Griper  having  taken  aboard   the  extra  load,  made  slow  progress,  which, 
added  to  the  lateness  of  their  departure  from  England,  rendered    failure 
almost  inevitable  from  the  outset.     It  was  the  end  of  August  before  they 
were  able  to  reach  Rowe's  Welcome,  which  they  entered  from  Hudson's 
Bay.     Here  they  encountered  storms  and   fogs,  while  no  trust  could  be 
placed  in  the   compass,  and  the  <lestruction  of  the  ship  became  imminent. 
They  were  obliged  to  bring   her  to  "with   three  bowers   and  a  stream 
ancli.T  in  succession,"    while  she  was  all  the    lime  pitching  her  bows  un- 
der.    Tin-  danger  grew  so   menacing,  that  they   loaded  the   boats   with 
provisions   and    supplies,  fearing   they  would   have  to  take  to   them   any 
moment.   Two  <.f  them  were  almost  sure  to  be  destroyed  as  soon  as  low- 
CMV<1,  and  lots   were  cast,  mainly  to  insure  the   safety  of  such  as  should 
have  the  -ood  fortune  to  draw  the  most  reliable  of  the  boats,  the  unsuc- 
cessful ones  accepting  tiieir    fate  with  the  magnanimity  of  true    heroes. 
Heavy  seas  swept  the    decks,  and  they  were  approaching  a  low    beach, 

311 


813 


L TOIL'S  PRATER. 


"where  no  human  power,"  says  Lyon,  "could  save  us  if  driven  upon  it," 
when  the  fog  opjjortunely  lifting,  showed  them  the  danger.  But  they 
were  soon  face  to  face  with  another.  A  great  wave  lifted  the  vessel 
bodily,  taking  her  ai^parently  along  the  whole  length  of  her  keel,  and 
her  breaking-up  was  momentarily  looked  for,  but  their  alarm  fortunately 
proved  groundless. 

"And    now   that  everything  in    our  power   had  been  done,"  says 
Lyon,  "I  called  all  hands   aft,  and  to  a  merciful  God  offered  prayers  for 
our   preservation.     I  thanked  every  one  for  their  excellent  conduct,  and 
cautioned  them,  as  we  should  in  all  probability  soon   appear  before  our 
Maker,  to  enter  His  presence  as  men,  resigned  to   their  fate.     We  then 
all  sat  down  in  groups,  and  sheltered  from   the  wash  of  the  sea  by  what- 
ever  we  could   find,  many  of  us  endeavored   to  obtain  a  little  sleep." 
They    had   been   three  nights  without  any,  and   exhausted  nature   will 
snatch  repose,  even  when  in   the  very  jaws  of  death.     "Never  perhaps," 
continues  Lyon,  "was  witnessed  a  finer  scene  than  on  the  deck  of  my  lit- 
tie  shij),  when  all  hope  of  life  had  left  us.     Noble  as  the  character  of  the 
British  sailor  is  always  allowed  to  be  in  cases  of  danger,  yet  I  did  not  be- 
lieve  it  to  be  possible,  that  among  forty-one  persons  n<.t  one  repining 
word  should  have  been  uttered.     The  officers   sat  about  wherever  they 
could  find  shelter  from  the  sea,  and  the  men  lay  down  conversing  with 
each  other  with  the  most  perfect  calmness.     Each  was  at  peace  with  his 
neighbor  and  all  the  world;  and  I  am  firmly  persuaded  that  the  resigua- 
tion  which  was  then  shown  to  the  will  of  the  Almighty,  was  the  means 
of  obtaining  His  mercy.     God  was   merciful  to  us;  and  the  tide  almost 
miraculously  fell  no  lower."     The  "three  bowers  and  stream  anchor,"  or 
some  of  them,  had  held   the  ship,  and  when  the  weather  cleared  they 
found  themselves  in  a  bight  of  Rowe's  Welcome,  which  they  gratefully 
named  the  Bay  of  God's  Mercy. 

On  the  1 2th  of  September  they  reached  the  mouth  of  Wager 
River,  where  they  encountered  a  second  terrific  gale,  in  which  the 
Griper  could  make  no  headway,  but  "remained  actually  pitching  fore- 
castle under,  with  scarcely  steerage  way."  She  was  brought  to  by  cast- 
ing her  anchors,  which  fortunately  held,  while  thick  failin-  sleet  coy- 


',jtMmmmmmMmim^i0mm^«m^» 


THE  GRIPER   UNFIT  EOR  DVTT.  313 

ered  the  deck  to  a  depth  of  several  inches.  The  spray  froze  as  it  fell  on 
the  deck;  the  night  was  one  of  pitchy  darkness;  and  to  add  to  the 
danger,  several  ice  streams  drove  down  upon  the  ship.  Great  seas 
washed  over  them  at  short  intervals,  and  their  wet  clothes  were  frozen 
stiff,  while  they  held  to  the  ropes  which  were  stretched  across  the 
deck  to  keep  them  from  being  washed  overboard.  As  the  morning 
dawned  the  danger  became  appalling,  for  all  the  cables  gave  way,  and 
the  ship  was  lying  on  her  broadside.  But  each  man  did  his  duty,'  and 
the  captain's  experience  in  northern  latitudes,  combined  with  the  fertility 
of  resource  learned  in  the  school  of  Parry,  thus  reinforced,  triumphed 
over  the  dangers  of  the  deep,  and  they  were  saved. 

When  the  storm  had  abated,  after  its  two  days'  fury,  Lyon  held  a 
consultation  with  his  officers,  and  it  was  wisely  determined  to  return  to 
England.  The  season  was  almost  spent;  the  Griper  was  without  an- 
chors,  and  at  the  best  was  not  adapted  for  battling  with  the  ice,  as 
Parry  had  ascertained  five  years  before.  Nothing  had  been  achieved, 
but  the  heroism  and  courage  of  officers  and  men  received,  as  they  ri.hly 
deserved,  the  highest  praise.  They  did  not  winter  in  Repulse  Bay  -,s 
predetermined,  Rowe's  Welcome  having  proved  sufficiently  repulsive 
in  the  early  autumn. 

Lyon  survived  his  return  only  eight  years,  dving  at  the  ear.y  age  of 
th.rty-seven.  His  contribution  to  Arctic  exploration  was  not  notewor- 
thy,  but  the  saving  of  his  men  and  ship  under  such  difficulties,  leaves  no 
room  to  doubt  that  under  more  favorable  circumstances  he  would  have 
achieved  success,  and  is  a  notable  illustration  of  the  great  value  of  per- 
fect discipline  in  all  such  expeditions. 


'.>WII«HiMWV«w»wWMiMttW<W»>' 


m  ■ 


ill 


1  ....  «...  I 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

BEECHEy's  arctic  voyage— sail  KIIOM  Sl-ITIIEAU— KOTZEBUE  SOUND 
—REMARKABLE  PHENOMENA— RETURN  REEK —JOURNEY  HOME- 
WARD. 

VVillia.n   Frederick  Bcechey  ( 1 796-1 S56)  had  accompanied  Franklin 
in    1818,  and  Parry  in    1S19,  and   was  now,  in    1825,   deemed   a  suitable 
commander  for  an  expedition    to   tlie  Arctic   Ocean,  tiie  main  pnrpc.se  of 
wiiicli  was  to  carry  snccor  to  hoth   those  celebrated   explorers,   then   en- 
ga-ed,  as  previously  related,  in  pushing  their  discoveries  in  North  Amer- 
ica, by  sea   and   land.      It   had   occurred    to   the   home  authorities  that  if 
the  expeditions  of  Parry  and  Franklin  had  proved  successful  in  reaching 
their  respective   destinations,   and  prosecuting   their  intended   researches" 
their  stores  would    be   exhausted,  or   at   least    need    replenishing,   by  thJ 
time    they    reached   the  prearranged    rendezvous    at    Chamisso    Island, 
in  Kotzebue  Sound.     Franklin,  i.i  any  event,  would  need  transportation' 
home,  in  a  way  that  would  obviate  the  exposure  and  hardship  of  simply 
retracing  his  overland  journey.     Beechey,  therefore,  w.-    intrusted  with 
the  command  of  the  ship-of-war  Blossom,  of  twenty-si.  juns,  but  carry- 
ing for  this   voyage   only  sixteen.     A  large   boat  or   barge,  decked   and 
rigged  as  a  schooner,  xvas   added,  to  be   used  as  a   tender,  and  in   narrow 
or  shallow  water  where  the  large  vessel  could  not  venture.     His  instruc- 
tions   were  to   survey  the   islands  or   coast  of  the   North  Pacific,  if  li,„e 
would  permit,  but   to  use  every  effort   to  reach  Chamisso   Island    before 
July  10,  ,S36.      Shouhl    he  find    on    his  arrival    there   that  Franklin   had 
not  reached  it  before    him,  he  was  to  pn.cee.l   norti,  and   east  to  and   be- 
yond Icy  Cape,  in  the  hope  of  falling  in  with   him  somewhere  ahnitr  the 
coast  of  North  America,  west  of  the  MacKenzie  River.     He  was  ,u,t  to 
return  through  Behring's  Strait  until  the  end  of  October,  in  the  event  of 
not  meeting  Franklin;    and  was   to    renew   the  effort  in   the  summer  of 
1837,  after  spending  the  winter  in  somo  more  southern  latitude. 

814 


i'    i. 


ill 


:iiMliiiiw»«iiiiMiiiiiiiitiiiwiiiniTTniWi^ 


ZEBUE  SOUND 
RNEY    IIOME- 

lied  Franklin 
etl   a  suitable 
in  purpose  of 
:;rs,   tiien   en- 
Morth  Amor- 
oritics  that  if 
1  in  reaching 
cl   i-csearches, 
hing,   hy  the 
lisso    Islauci, 
ransportation 
ip  of  simply 
itrusteil  with 
IS,  but  carry- 

(Icckeil  and 
id  in   narrow 

His  instruc- 
icific,  if  lime 
■iland  before 
'ranklin  had 
it  to  and  he- 
re along  the 
s  was  not  to 
the  event  of 
e  summer  of 
dc. 


315 


■•Tflfriiiiii«w«iiiiOTaMiniiiiiitff"" 


m. 


310 


SAIL   FROAf  SPITIIEAD. 


jjj 


-^' 


The    Blossom    sailed   iVo.n    Spithea<l   on   tbe     lyth   of    May,   1825. 
but  the  earlier  incidents  of  the  voyage  do  not  come  within  the   scope    of 
th.8  work.     On  the  2d  of  June,  1826,  she  left  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and 
on  the  27th  was  becalmed  within  six  miles  of  Petropaulovsky,  in  Kam- 
chatka, which,  however,  was  reached  on  the  next  day.     Here    they  fell 
in     with    the    Russian    ship-of-war     Modeste,     commanded    by    Capl 
Wrangellof  Arctic  sledge-journey   fame.  Here  Becchey  learned  of  Par- 
ry's return  to  England,  which  reduced  his  mission  to  the  single  object  of 
meeting  Franklin,  it  being  already  too  late  to  spend  any  tim^^  in  explor- 
mg  the  islands  of  the  North  Pacific.      Here  they  had  the  opportunity  of 
seemg   the  active  volcano  of  Avatcha  emitting  huge,  dark  volumes  of 
smoke,  and  fron,  the  black  spots  seen  on  the  snow,  they  judged  that  there 
had  been  a  quite  recent  eruption.     This  peak  is  about    1  ,,000  feet   hi^h 
but    farther    inlan.l,  towers  almve  it   the  Streloshnaia  Sopka,  3,000  feet 
higher  stdl;  and  the  peninsida  of  Kamchatka  has  no  less  than   twenty, 
eight  active  volcanoes,  besides  many  that  are  extinct.    Many  of  the  peaks 
of  th.s  Alpine   chain  which  traverses  the  whole  length  of  the  peninsula 
are  of  the  height  indicated,  and  some  as  high  as    16,500  feet,  presentino- 
a  beautiful  panorama  <.f  lofty,  fantastic,  snow-covered    peaks  of  variou^'s 
outlmes,  mterspersed  with  volcanic  cones  emitting  their  dark  columns  of 
smoke,  like  huge  banners  floating  their  waving  folds  high  in  air. 

Beechey  left  Petropaulovsky  July  ist,  but  did   not  get  clear  of  the 
Bay  of  Avatcha  until  the  5th,  when  he   proceeded   north   for  Behring's 
Strait.     "  We  approached,"  says  Beechey,    "  the  strait  which  separates 
the  two  great  continents  of  Asia  and  America,  on  one  of  those  beautiful 
stdl  mghts  well  known  to  all  who  have  visited  the  Arctic  regions,  when 
the  sky  is  without  a  cloud,  and  when  the  midnight  sun,  scarcely  his  own 
diameter  below  the  horizon,  tinges  with  a  bright   hue  all  the  northern 
circle.     Our  ship,  propelled  by  an  increasing  breeze,  glided  rapidly  alon-^ 
a  smooth  sea,  startling  from  her  path  flocks  of  aquatic  birds,  whose  fli.Hn 
in  the  deep    silence  of  the  scene,  could  be  traced  by  the  ear  a  great  dis- 
tance."    Approaching  the  American  shore  just  beyond  Cape  Prince  ..f 
Wales,  they  were  visited  by  some  Esquimaux  from  a  small    neiohhorin-. 
island,  who  were  as  usual   quite   noisy  and   energetic  as   well  as  goo<U 


liEMAHKABLE  PHENOMENON.  317 

humored  and  cheerful  in  their  ea-erness  to  exchan<,'e   tl^eir  various  little 
connnodities  for  the  trinkets,  beads  and   knives  with  which   their  visitors 
had  .supplied  themselves  before  leavin-   Enjrland.      On   the   23d    of  July 
they  ancliored  in  Kotzebue  Sound,  and  explored  a  deep  bay  on  its  north- 
ern  shore,  which    they   named    Ilotham    Inlet.      Three  days   later    they 
arrived  at  Chamisso  Island,  and  not   fnulin-  Fra..klin,   they  set  sa..   for 
the  Icy  Cape  on  the  30th,  dispatchin-  tiie  bar-e  with  instructions  to  keep 
close  to  the  shore  to  watch  for  Franklin's  overland   party.  The    Rlossom 
doubled    Cape  Krusenstern  and  surveyed  the  coast  to  the  north  and  cast, 
successively  passing   Cape  Thomson,  Hope  Point,  Cape  Lisburne,  Cape' 
Beaufort  and    the   Icy   Cape— Captain    Cook's  "  limit."      Dreading    tlie 
closing  in  of  the  ice  ahead,  they  now  sent  forward  the  barge  under  Messrs. 
Elson  and  Smyth,  and   returned    with  the  Blossom  to  Chamisso  Island- 
While  on  this  return  voyage  on  the  night  of  the  25th  of  August,  they 
saw  an  aurora  borealis,  which  Beechcy  thus  describes:    "It  first  api^eared 
in  an    arch  extending  from   west-by-north    to  northeasf;    but  the    arch 
shortly  after  its  first  appearance  broke  up  and  entirely  disappeared.  Soon 
after  this,  however,  a  new  display  began  in  the  direction  of  the  western 
foot  of  the  first  arch,  preceded  by  a  bright  flame,  from  which  emanated 
coruscations  of  a  pale  straw-color.     Another  simultaneous  movement  oc- 
curred   at  both  extremities  of  the  arch,  until  a  complete   segment   was 
formed  of  wavering  perpendicular  radii.     As  soon  as  the  arch  was  com- 
plcte,  the  light  became  greatly  increased,  and  the  prismatic  colors,  which 
had   before   been   faint,   now  shone  forth  in  a  brilliant   manner.     The 
strongest  colors,  which  were  also  the  outside  ones,  were  pink  and  green, 
on   the  green   side  purple   and  pink,  all  of  which  were  as   imperceptibly 
blended  as  in  the  rainbow.     The  -reen  was  the  color  nearest  the  zenith. 
This  magnificent  display  lasted  a  few  minutes;  and  the  light  had  nearly 
vanished,  when  the  northeast  quarter  sent   forth  a  vigorous  display,  and 
nearly  at  the  same  time  a  corresponding   coruscation  emanated  from  the 
opposite  extremity.     The  western  foot  of  the  arch  then  disengaged  itself 
from    the    horizon,  crooked  to   the  northward,  and   the  whole  retired   to 
the  northeast  quarter,  where   a  bright  spot  blazed  for  a  moment,  and  all 
was  darkness.     There  was  no  noise  audible  during  any  part  of  our  ob- 


818 


AN-  ESQUIMAUX  MAP. 


•r 


'  T  ^'t 


%     I 


scrvatioiis,  nor  were  the  comijasscs  pcrtx-ptibly   aflcctccl."     They  arrived 
at  (heir  iiinncdiate  destination  two  dayi    iater. 

Meanwhile  the  har<,'e,  which  had   set  fi.rward  on  the  17th,  made   its 
way  slowly  alor  r  tlu.  sliore,  Elson  lancUii;,'  at  intervals  lo  erect  i)osts  and 
deposit  instrnctions  for  Frani<Iin.     On  (lie   jj.l  :,n  effective   l.ar   to   their 
tnrlher   proirress  was   presented  l.y    llie    loiiir   spit    (.f   land,    the   head   of 
whicii  Jieechey  all'  rward    i.aine-l   I'oinl    Harrow.      TIk^   nv    here   closed 
in  to  tile  shore,  and    was  se<Mi  e\lendin,L;-  to  the    north,  as  l;ir    as  the    eve 
conld  reach,  withont  an  openin;^^      Hack  of  this  pc.int  ||„.y  now  proposed 
to  cRct  the  last  -ruide-post  for  Franklin,  hnl   were  prevented  hy  the  hos- 
tile  demonstrations   of  some   Ksquimanx.      It  was    afterward  ascertained 
that  they  had  reached  within  one  hnndred  and  forty-six  miles  of  Return 
Reef,  whence  Franklin  had  set  out   on  the   iSth,  to   return  to  MacKen- 
zie  River,  abandoning'  the   hope  of  meeting,'   Jk>echey.     Considering  the 
immense  distance  traversed  by   both— constitutiufr  in  fact  a  circuit  of  the 
globe— the  wonder  is  that  tlicy  should  come  so  near   meeting,  not  that 
they  should  fail  to  make  an   actual  connection.     The  barge  having  been 
driven   ashore  by   the  ice,  and    the  natives  showing  an  unfriendly   spirit, 
Elson  and  his  seven  companions  determined  to  set   out  on   their  return. 
Their  alarm    at   the    threatening   attitude   of  the    Esquimaux    and    the 
mgency  of  their  need,  stimulated  their  exertions,  and  they  succeeded  in 
floating  the  barge.     They  now  hastened   to  return,  but   after  proceeding 
some  distance,  they  found  their  way  blocked  by  the   ice.     Around  a  jut- 
ting  point  which  they  named  Cape  Smith,  they  were  obliged  to  haul  tiie 
barge  through  a  narrow  lane,  with    the  ice-floe  momentarily  threatening 
to  close  in,  and  cut  ofFtheir  retreat.     They,  however,  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Chamisso  Island  in  safety  on  the  9th  of  September,  after  an  absence 
in  all  of  forty-one  days,  and  twenty-three  from  the  Blossom. 

The  Esquimaux  who  visited  Ueecliey  oiv  the  island,  exhibited  their 
ingenuity  by  drawing  a  chart  of  the  coast  on  the  sand.  The  coasi-line 
was  first  marked  out  with  a  stick,  and  the  distances  regulated  by  days' 
journeys.  The  hills  and  mountains  were  shown  by  little  mounds  of  sand  of 
varying  heights,  and  the  islands  l)y  collections  of  pebbles  of  proportion- 
ate   dimensions.      They     were    much     surprised    when    Capt.   Ikechey 


H,..    ii 


mmmmmmm^ 


TUB  BLOSSOM  AGROUND. 


819 


chanjjcd  the  position  of  one  of  the  Diomcde  Islands,  but  soon  came 
to  recoj^nizc  the  correctness  of  the  new  location  when  tb"y  looked 
at  it  from  another  point  of  view.  Their  wonder  was  none  the  less  that 
the  stranjjer  could  set  them  right.  They  then  pmcecded  to  desij,'nate 
the  location  of  the  Esquimaux  villaj^'es  and  fishinj,'  stations  hy  bundles  of 
sticks  placed  upri<rht;  and  altotrether,  the  "  map"  elicited  the  admiration 
of  the  visitors. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  move  south  to  avoid  the  ''  ^(  of  },'ettin{; 
frozen  in,  as  also,  because  their  provisions  were  running  ",  .iiid  it  "  s 
determined  by  a  council  of  officers  that,  though  the  prescriu.o  period  of 
their  stay—the  end  of  October— had  not  arrived,  it  was  their  luty  to 
depart.  A  barrel  of  flour  and  some  other  supplies  were  secretly  buried 
for  the  use  of  Franklin,  should  he  reach  the  island,  and  the  usual  bottle 
inclosing  instructions,  was  pl.iced  at  the  foot  of  a  post  or  flag-staff.  T'ley 
accordingly  set  sail  for  Hehring's  Strait,  and  after  a  winter's  cruise  to 
California,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  Bouin  Islands,  the  Loo-Chow 
Islands  and  others,  they  returned  to  Chamisso  Ishuid  on  the  5th  of  July, 
1827,  where  they  found  the  deposits  of  the  previous  year  untouched. 

The  barge  was  got  in  readiness  and  dispatched  to  the  northward 
under  Lieut.  Belcher,  and  the  ship  soon  followed.  It  was  hoped  they 
could  extend  the  survey  beyond  the  point  reached  by  Elson,  and  per- 
haps obtain  tidings  of  Franklin.  They  found  the  posts  and  bottles  as 
they  had  been  left,  and  the  state  of  the  ice  and  weather  more  unfavorable 
than  before,  and  returned  before  arriving  at  Icy  Cape.  On  the  9th  of 
September  the  Blossom  got  aground  on  a  sandbar  off  Hotham  Inlet, 
l)tit  came  off  at  high  water  without  injury,  .and  arrived  at  Chamisso  on 
the  loth.  Not  finding  the  barge  as  expected,  they  carefully  scanned  the 
coast  in  all  directions,  when  they  noticed  a  flag  of  distress  flying  from  a 
peninsula  of  the  sound.  Hastening  to  the  rescue,  they  learned  that  the 
barge  had  been  wrecked  and  three  of  the  men  lost,  and  took  the  surviv- 
ors  aboard.  On  the  39th,  an  unfortunate  collision  with  the  natives 
resulted  in  the  wounding  of  seven  of  the  English,  and  the  killing  of  one 
of  the  Esquimaux.  In  a  thorough  survey  of  the  island  they  discovered 
two  harbors  named  by  Beechey  Port  Clarence  and  Grantle/ Harbor. 


tiiiiAii 


MM 


yoURNEr  HOMEWARD. 


Lcav.njj  the  customary  deposits  for  the  guidance  of  Franklin,  not 
know.ng   that   he  was  ahxady  safe  in  Enghuul,  they   Hnally  took   their 
departure  from  the  Polar   Sea  on  the    6th  of  October,    .827,  narrowly 
cscapmg  disaster  from  breakers, on  which  they  were  unexpectedly  driven 
by   the  wind.     On   the  39th  they  .ere  olF  the  coast  of  Calitbrnia,  and 
procechng  southwar.1,  they  touched  successively  at  Monterey  and   Su. 
Bias,  ...  Mexico,  and  arrived  at  Valparais.>,  Chili,  on  the  .9th  of  April, 
1828.     On  the  last  day  of  June  they  crossed  the  meridian  of  Cape  Horn 
m  a   snowstorm;  and  arrived  at  Rio   de  Janeiro  July  2.st,  where  they 
rcmamed  until  the  24th  of  August.     Leaving  the  coast  of  IJrazil,  they 
arrived  at  Spithead  on  the    lath    of  October,  after  an  absence    of  three 
years  and  five  months,  less  seven  days.     They  now  learned  that  Franklin 
had  reached  home  more  than  twelve  months  before. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

.„.N„o.vK„-.,.„,vK ....  „.e..  c„vK-,..uK.-.,„ ,.,;;:: 

TEIl    OK    POLAR    ICE.  ^"AKAC- 

Sir  E,lwar,l  Parry  ccccivcd  tho  idea  „r  reaching  .he  North  Pole  l,v 

"  :"■ """  "^  *•''«••■  -'I    -«  .-vel,a„en,a,e,y,„ver  .he  ice    ,    I 

wa  er  ianes  ,r„.  ™ch  poi„.,  a,  he  »houM  m,.,  i,„p„,:;„  ,„  „,*,    ;  'X 
..rlv  as  ,he  month  „f  April,  ,S.6,  he  co„.m.,„iea,e,l  this  de,i,„  to  the 

hr«  Lord  of  the  Ad. „,    ,„,,„  s„„™it,ed  to  the  R,.,a,  S  t  i.       Z 

-.v,„«  ,t,  approval,  order,  wc:e  ,ive„  for  it,  exect,.L,„  which  C^^ 
...-.0.    to  ,.,  a.,.Hor,  hi,  con,.i,.io.,  datin,  Nov.  ,  „  .S.V     hJ,: 
^     ,  the    Hecla,  wa.s    to  convey   the  ex,«li,io„  .„  .he    Spi>.ber.e„ 
Seas  a„    two  boa,,  were  constructed  for  the  more  „or,hern  trip     a 
.~l>cc,l,c  plan,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  great  n,vi.,,t„r     '  ^ 
were  twenty  feet  long  and  seven  wide    "  havin  J"         "'"'"""'■     '  '"^>' 

three-sixtecnths  of  an  inch  thick,  then  a  sheet  of  eU '     d        ',    "    ' 

I'clow  it  WIS  a„n.h„  ■        .  '  l"'"J<.'«'ng  considerably 

trtve      T  K    ,     ."      '■""^  "■"'""■■'■•  '"^"''  *'"'  ■™"'«h  «eel,  for  ice 

«cl.    Two  wheels,  «ve  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  sn^Mer  swive    wh  e 
•■ft.  were  also  attache.1,  but  afterward  reiected  .a,,  unserviceable      tL 
were  a  so  provided  ropes  and  collars  whereby  the  men  :::  w^^o  I 
"«e  of  t,mc,  attach  themselves  to  the  boat  to  drag  it  over  t^e  i^e  or 

o31 


:F' 


S22 


PLAN  FOR  :SLLV(JE   J  OUR  NET. 


thiougli  vvatLT  lanes,  when  necessary.  A  locker  at  each  end  alTunled 
st<)ra<:fe  for  instruments  and  some  stores,  and  a  slight  framework  aloiv 
the  side  would  hold  bags  of  biscuit,  pemmicai,,  and  clothing.  A  bamboo 
mast  nineteen  feet  long,  a  tanned  duck  sail,  answering  also  the  purpose 
of  an  awning,  oic  boat  hook,  fourteen  paddles,  one  for  each  of  the  boat's 
crew,  and  one  stecr-oar,  completed  the  equipment.  To  each  boat  were 
assigned  two  officers,  and  two  sledges,  weighing  each  twenty-six  pounds. 
The  aggregate  weight  of  a  boat,  with  its  supplies  and  equipment,  was 
3753  pounds,  or  26S  pounds  to  every  one  of  the  crew. 


SLEIOH   DKAWN   UV  SINGLE  KEINDEEK. 

All  things  being  in  readiness,  the  Hecla  was  towed  down  the  Thames 
March  25,  1S37,  and  on  the  4th  of  April  left  the  Nore.  With  avorahle 
winds  they  were  off  Hammerfest  on  the  17th,  and  reached  its  harhor 
early  in  the  morning  of  the  lytli,  where  they  remained  ten  days.  While 
Parry,  assisted  liy  Lieut.  Foster,  prosecuted  magnetic  and  other  scientific 
observations,  Lieut.  Crozinr  was  dispatched  to  Alten,  sixty  miles  awav, 
to  procure  the  eight  reindeer  necessary  for  the  sledges.  "  Nothing  c;iii 
be  more  beautiful,"  says  Parry,  "  than  the  training  of  the  Lapland  rein- 
deer. With  a  simple  collar  of  skin  round  his  neck,  a  single  trace  of  the 
same  material  attached  to  the  sledge  and  passing  between  his  legs,  and 
one  rein  fastened    like  a  halter  about  his  neck,  this  intelligent   and  docib 


iiia.iiiiii<piuiiiipmiHP! 


keindeeh  travbi..  ^ 

per,,,,™,,  ,„„„„s,„„g  J,,,,,,,,,,,,  ,„,,  ,„„  ,„,,^,,j  ^,,^^      ^1^^^^^ 

U,r„w„  ,.v.r  „,.  the  off  .do  of  the  a„i™.,,  he  i,nmccl„„dy  se.,  o,r  a.  -, 

oha  ,,,,  ,h„  rc,„  over  hi,,  back,  i,  .he  only  whip  .ha.  i,   require,,.     I„  .; 
sho,-.  .„„e  after  sett.ng  off  , hey  appear  .o  be  ,,„,pi„g  fo,.  ,,,,,,„,   ,,,  . 
,,.,.0  o..ha„„.e.  ;  b,,.,  if„„.  ,Hve„  ,„„  fa,,  a.  flr,.,  .'hey^oon  rec"     ,'.  •  , 
,i.c.„.„o.,w,.l,o„.  .Mc„l,y.     The  .,„a„.i.y   of  dea„    ,n„ss  eo„,i, Lred 
,e,„.s„e  for  eaeh  deer  per  day,  i,  four  pounds,  b,„  .hey  wil,  g„  five  or 
„x  day,  w,.hou.  provender,  and  „o.  ,uffer  „a.erially.     A,  ,o,fg  „,  .hey 
can  p,ck  up  snow  as  .hey  go  along,  which  .hey  like  .o  ea.  ,„L  .lean 

tncv  iccuure  no  water-  anf?  iV^  \^  fr.  t-u  ^  ' 

1  waiti ,  and  ice  is  to  them  a  comfortable  bed  " 

Having  procured  the  .eindee,-,  and  so,ne  ,„pp,emen.a,.y  Arc.ic  equip. 
n,o,,  ,,  ,hey  se.  sad  on  .he  .,.h  of  April.     0„  .ho  5.h  of  May,i„  ^'j^' 
W        3f,    oa.,,  , hoy  , no.  loose  iee;   and    -  .o  ,^i,e,  further  .o  .he  nor.h 

"";! '^''  "'  '+; 55',  by  a  few  ,„i,es  oas.of  .he  „,er,dian  of  Greenwic  ' 

on  .ho  ,no,n,ng  of  .he  Jlh,  .hey  encoun.ored  a  con.inuous  ice  s.,e.„„     On 
.1,0  ,o,h  they  fell  in  wi.h  whaler,,  who  were  endeavoring  .o  .;,  .h" 

n,,r,h  .o  latitude  ;S".  .south  of  which  .hey  never  expected;; cafe      vL, 

he  Hecla,  aeco.pan,e.l   by  the  o-halo,,,  ,n.ade  fif.y  n,iles  to   northwa 
■I,  n,g  .he  n,gh  ,  some.i,„e,  .  boring  "  .b.ough  wi.h  difficul.v.     On 
...  ,..n»„ng   Magdalena   Bay,  .hey  arrived  off  Hakiuy.  Hc.iland        d 
"""-"     ••    ;^'  «..n.heast  to  reach  .S.nereuhurg  Harbor,  which  they  f      , 
co,„,„ete,y  iro.on  u,.      Walruses,  dovokies  and  eider-ducks  were  see      ! 

^7 "'"';'""'   """■" ■'""'^•"  ^-^    --  '^^  'hipon   the   Z 

^  :;""^"™~'  "■  -'^*^  -^  ''^l-it  "f  provisions  on  the  Hoadlan,' 

"    "0,0  .lr,ven  off  by  a  high  wind,  which  put  the  ship  al.os.  on  ^^ 

! ;"7  ^!'7  -f-  """--'^  "-y<l".ve   .he  sb-p  through 

'"•  ^""'  :"  '""-  "' '""  ■"- ^"""-  'J.h  found. bcnselve    in  a  pc^fee  Iv 

-■™-  «...^...on,  half  a  ,nile  wi.bin  ,he  ice  pack.  On  the  ..  L  f 
>  0,  C.  Ross,  w,t„  a  pa,,y  of  offlce,-,  and  ,no,„  effected  a  lauding  v^ 
.h yco,  and  found  on  a  hillock  two  graves  wi.h  .he  ,,a.es  ,;„  an,l  ,,6, 

On  *c  .;.h  an  „..e,„p.  was  ,„ade  .o  proeec.l  nonhward  w..h  .he 


Hr 


334 


/'VArH    WEATHER. 


sledjre-huiiLs  on  the  itu,  wliich  around  the  ship  rcsc-inhleil  a  stone-inasoii's 
yard,  with  the  difR-i-ciicc  tiial  the  l)l()cks  were  ten  limes  tiie  usual  dimen- 
sions. The  trial  was  made,  hut  soon  ahandoned  as  utterly  impractica- 
hie,  l)eeause  of  the  hij^h  and  sharp  anj^ular  masses  of  ice  that  constituted 
the  "  stone-mason's  yard."  On  the  29th  and  30th  tiie  greater  part  of  the 
ship's  company,  under  Lieuts.  Foster  and  Crozier,  were  lahoriously  occu- 
pied in  transporting  a  boat  load  of  provisions  over  the  ice  to  Red  Beach, 
six  miles  distant.  On  the  ist  of  June  Parry  was  about  to  make  a  second 
attempt  to  proceed  to  the  north,  when  the  Ilecia  liegan  to  move  to  the 
east  with  tiie  floe  in  which  she  was  embedded,  ami  continued  to  drift 
initil  tiie  6th,  when  she  reached  Mussel  Bay,  where  Parry,  with  some 
officers  and  men,  landed  to  make  a  small  deposit  of  provisions,  and  seek  a 
harbor  for  the  ship,  but  failed  in  the  latter  object.  The  drifting  con- 
tinued until  the  evening  of  the  8th,  when,  under  the  influence  of  a  south- 
erly wind,  they  finally  got  clear  of  the  ice  after  a  detention  of  twenty. 
four  days. 

«  I  do  not  remember,"  says  Parry,  "to    have  experienced  m  these  re- 
gions  such  a  continuance  of  beautiful   weather  as  we   now   had,   durin" 
more  than  three  weeks  that  we  had  been  on  the  northern  coast  of  Spitz- 
bergen.      Day  after  day  we  had  a   clear  ami  cloudless  sky,  scarcely  any 
wind,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few  days  previous  to  the  33d  of  May, 
a  warm  temperatc!re  in  the  shatle,  and  (pn'te  a  scorching  sun.     On  the  3d 
of  June  we  had  a  shower  of  rain,  and  on  the  6th  it  rained  pretty  hard  for 
two    or  three    hours."     ]^ut  now  the  weather  was    thick   and   so    con- 
tinuetl  until  the  loth,  when  under  a  west-southeast  wind  it  cleared,    and 
they  made  for  Brandywine  Bay,  with  the  islands  Low   and   Walden  in 
sights  but  found  every  cove  and  harbor  blocked  with  shore-ice,  cxtendiu"- 
in  some  places  six  or  seven  miles  from  land.     Pushing  northwaid  to  So' 
43'  32%  the  Seven  Islands  were  seen  to  the  east,  and  Lord  Mulgrave's 
Little-Table  Island,  nine   or  ten  miles  to   the   east-northeast.     This    is  a 
mere   crag,   rising  al)out  .).cx)  feet  above  sea-level,  witii  a  low  islet  off  its 
northern  extremity.     "This  island,"  says  Parry,  "being  the  northernmost 
known  land  in  the  world,  naturally  excited  much  of  our  curiosity;  and 
bleak,  and  baircii,  and   rugged  as  it   is,  one  could  not   help  g 


I/ECLA   COVE. 


ne-inason's 
uiiil  diinen- 
iinpractica- 
constituted 
part  of  tliL- 
Diisly  occii- 
led  Beach, 
:c  a  second 
love  to  the 
ed  to  drift 
vvitii  some 
and  seek  a 
iftint^  con- 
:)f  a  soutii- 
-)f  twenty- 

II  these  re- 
id,   (Uiriiicr 
t  i)f  Spitz- 
ircely  any 
tl  of  May, 
On  the  3d 
'y  hard  t'iM- 
d   so    coll- 
ared,   and 
Valden  in 
cxtendinif 
;iid  to  So' 
luli^rave's 
Tliis    is  a 
^let  oil'  its 
thernniost 
)sity;  and 
izing  at  it 


3V5 


"'V  '"!'"''"     A.  midnight  „„  ,He  ,,tl,  .l,cv  we,,  a.  8,»  - 

:  ■  ,"""""«    '"=''   '"">•  '-••'  "■  ""-'  »  l-ri,o,.  „„  Wa.,,o„  I»la,  , 

l;ihie  Island,  where  thev  'dso  r.ll..,!  f,  c     1  i^mic- 

'nc_>   also  failed  to  hnd  an  open  harhor,  but  left  som.^ 

p..v,«,,,..,.,.„,..„f  ,,,ei,,e,,.     No.  .,i,i„,  .0,,.,,   .Hev    f„„„;    ,    .1 

«h    ,  scene  .-efnge  for  .„„    „„,„  ,„  Trou^-nhnr,,  Hav',  near  Verl  J 
lIool<-l,o,],  so  namcl  l,y  (Ik-  D„,cl,-„nd  name.l  i,  Hel  C„v         , 
t"<le  79'  55'  and  iongiende  ,6"  +9'  east  '  '"  '"'- 


MUSSEL   BAY. 

T^-avin-     the     vessel   in    char-e    of  I  ienf     P«  .        t> 
'•'•'^"N     '^""^^'"'"^"'"'"an.iof  theone,  withMr    nJ    l 

' ^ '-"' >"-'-..> :.r:    ;;":;;;;;T'r'- 

!": •  ''^^' -""^■■■"- u.  „„..„;„;  ,"^'" 

-">■  I"  .-1  -vav  will,  ,h,      ,  ,        ™"""-'""^>'  "•'  '""li".^'  i.  i.oces. 


MpmMMiii 


USSBMimmmmmei 


820 


///67/  LATITUDE. 


having    been  thus  made   in  advance,  the   exploring  party  set  out  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  3ist,  and  took  their  final  departure   for  the  North   Pole 
from  their  most    northern  depot  on  the  islet  already   mentioned  on  the 
night  of  the  23d,  at  half-past  ten  o'clock,  reaching  by  midnight  the  lati- 
tude of  So"  51 '  13'.     Thus  it  had    taken  eighty  days  at  sea,  besides  six 
months  of  preparation,  before  they  could  gei  fairly   started  for  the  Pole, 
which  helps  to  show  that, if  that  point  can  ever  be  reached,  the  starting' 
point  must  be  as  far  north  as  possible.     By  noon  of  the  next  day,  at  81° 
12'  51 »,  they  were  stopped  by  the  ice  and  made  their  first  portage.     To 
avoid  as  much  as  possible  the  discomfort  of  "snow  blindness,"  they  trav- 
eled by  night  and  rested    by  day,  that   is,  while  the  sun  was  lowest  and 
highest,  respectively,   for  they  had   constant  daylight.     The  daily  allow- 
ance of  provisions  for  each    man   was  as  follows:      Biscuit,   ten  ounces; 
pcmmican,  nine;  sweetened  cocoa  powder,  one— sufficient  to    make  one 
pint;  rum,  one   gill;  and  tobacco,  three  ounces  a   week.     The  fuel  was 
spirits  of  wine— two  pints  a  day  for  the  whole  company. 

From  the  nature  of  the  ice  encountered,  they  had  given   up  the   idea 
of  using  the  reindeer;  and  so  the  men  did  the  hauling,  while  the  officers 
acted  as  scouts  or  pioneers.     It  required  an  enthusiasm  little  short  of  fa- 
naticism  or  insanity  to  struggle  as  they  did  for  the  thirty-three  days  they 
spent  in   reaching  their  utmost  limit— 82"  45'.     Arriving  at  a  lane  of 
water,  they  launciied  their  boats  and  paddled  across  to  the  margin  of  the 
floe.     Landing  slowly  and  carefully— for  the  ice  was  usually  weak  at  the 
edge— they  hauled  them  across  the  ridges  and  hummocks,  and  rough  ice, 
until  they  got  to  another  lane.     This  process  was  usually  repeated  several 
times  a  day,  and  was  so  slow  as  well  as  laborious,  that  at   one  stage  of 
their  progress  they  made  oniy  eight  miles  in  five  days.     On   the   22d  of 
July  they  made  their  best  run  of  seventeen   miles,   and   on   the   33d   had 
reached   the   limit   already  mentioned— 82°  45'.     They  continued  their 
efforts  for  three  days  longer,  but  the  wind  having   unfortunately  veered 
to  the  north,  the  floe  was   found   to   be  drifting  south   faster  than    thcv 
could  advance  in  the  contrary  direction.     At  noon  on  the  26th  they  ascer- 
tained that  they  were  three  miles  south  of  the  point  reached  at  midniL,rht 
of  the  32d.      It    was  clearly  useless  to  prosecute   the   attempt  farther. 


ty  set  out  oil  the 
•  the  North  Pole 
nentioned  on  the 
nidnight  the  lati- 
it  sea,  besides  six 
ted  for  the  Pole, 
:hed,  the  starting 

next  day,  at  8i° 
rst  portage.  To 
hiess,"  they  trav- 

was  lowest  and 

Fhc  daily  allovv- 

:uit,   ten   ounces; 

nt  to    make  one 

The  fuel  was 

/en   up  the   idea 
vhile  the  officers 
ittle  short  of  fa- 
•three  days  they 
ng  at  a  lane  of 
le  margin  of  the 
ally  weak  at  the 
i,  and  rough  ice, 
repeated  several 
It   one  stage  of 
On   the   2  3d  of 
n   the   33d    had 
continued  their 
tunately  veered 
stcr  than    thcv 
36th  they  ascer- 
icd  at  midnight 
ttcmpt  farther. 


887 


828 


ARJi/VAL  AT  HECLA  COVE. 


Even  the  energy  and  enthusiasm,  the  "enterprise  and  endeavor,"  of  Parry 
and  his  men,  cuuld  not  but  succumb  to  such  an  untoward  obstruction. 
Though  zealous  to  fanaticism  in  pursuit  of  the  object  of  tiielr  ambition, 
neither  commander  nor  men  were  without  sterling  common  sense.  The' 
task  was  iiopelcss;  and  their  duty  was  now  to  return.  They  were  only 
172  miles  from  Hecla  Cove,  in  a  northwest  direction.  "To  accomplisli 
this  distance,"  says  Parry,  "  we  had  traversed,  by  our  reckoning,  292 
miles,  of  w'  •.:  a,oui  100  were  performed  by  water,  previous  to  our 
entering  th.  Vs  we  traveled  by  far  the  greater  part  of  our  distance 

on  the  ice,  th.ee,  and  not  mfrequently  five  times  over,  we  may  safely 
multiply  the  length  of  the  road  by  two  and  a  half;  so  that  our  whole 
distance  on  a  very  moderate  calculation,  amounted  to  580  geographical, 
or  668  statute  miles,  being  nearly  sufficient  to  have  reached  the"pole  in  a' 
direct  line."  Among  the  drawbacks  of  the  season  it  was  noticed  that 
there  had  been  "more  rain  than  during  the  whole  of  seven  previous  sum- 
mers taken  together,  though  passed  in  latitudes  from  70  to  15"  lower 
than  this." 

Devoting  a  whole  day  to  rest,  they  set   out  to   return  to   the  ship  at 
half-past  four  in  the  afternoon  of  July  27th,  and  arrived   at   Hecla  Cove 
August  2 1st,  the  drift  materially  facilitating  their  southward   progress. 
For  instance,  on  the  30th,  though  they  had  traveled  but  seven  miles,''they 
found  themselves  twelve  and  a  half  miles  farther  south  than  on  the  pre- 
ceding (^ay;  and  on  the  31st,  tnough  in  eleven  and  a  half  hours  they  had 
made  only  two  and   a   half  miles,  the  traveling  being    very   laborious, 
they  had  with  the  help  of  the  drift,  moved  south  four  miles  more.     Even 
when  the  wind  again  changed  to  the  south,   it  did   not  entirely  cut  off, 
though  it  sensibly  lessened,  the  gain  by  the  drift.     This   help,  however^ 
in    nowise  lessened   the   labor  and   fatigue  of  the  journey,  only  to    the' 
extent  of  shortening  its  duration.     Every  mile  of  the  way  actually  maclo 
by  the  travelers  was  won  in  the  same  slow  and  distressing  manner  as  0,1 
the  outwanl  trip,  by  alternate  paddling  in  the  water  and  dragging  over 
the    ice.     The   constant    wet  and    cold    had  also  aflbcted  scvenil   of  tlie 
men  with  chilblains,  and  the  tcdiousness  as  well  as  fatigue  of  the    weary 
journey  had  begun  to  tell  on  their  strenp-th  a.vl  ^.n^jv^y 


■m^mm^mmmm 


liELliiF. 


329 


The  k.lhnj,  of  a  bear  by  Lieut.  Ross  on   the   .4th,  procured  the.n  a 
Lenefical  and  „n.ch  appreciated  change  of  diet,  thou-^h,  as  usual  in  such 
ruses,  they  suffered   somewhat  from  a  too  free  use  of   the  fresh  meat 
On  rh.s  trip  they  observed  the  phenomenon  of  red  snow,  <lescribe,l  in'  a 
preceding  chapter.      Finally,  on  the   n.orning  of  the    i.tlr,they  reached 
their  depot  off  Little  Table  Island,  where  they  found  that  the  bears  had 
devoured  all  the  bread,  but  Lieut.  Crozier  had  recently  deposited  some 
antiscorbutics  and  <lelicacies,  which  proved  very  seasonable,  as  symp- 
toms of  scurvy  had  begun  to  appear  in  some  of  the  men;  and  also  Tn 
accotn,t  by  Lieut.  Foster  of  what  had  occurred  at  Hecla  Cove  to  Tulv 
33CI.     From  this  it  was  learned  that  the  Hecla  had  been  driven  ashore 
by  the  ice  on   the   7th  of  July,  but  had  been  got  off  by   the  exertions 
ot  oftcers  and  men   witliout  having  sustained  any  injury.     Taking  the 
ren.uning  stores  aboanl,  they  next  proceeded  to  Walden  Island,  where 
they  landed,  after  having  »  been   fifty-six  hours  without    rest,  and  forty- 
e.ght  at  work  in  the  boats  "-their  first  repose  on  land  for  fifty-two  days 
A  hla^ng  fire  of  driftwood,  a  hot,  abundant  supper,  and  a  few  hours' 
qu.et  rest,  soon  restored   them.     Sectning  the  extra  boat  and   provisions 
that  had  been  left  on  the  island,  they  had  hopes  of  soon  rejoining  the 
sh>p,  but  adverse  winds  and  bad  weather  so  delayed  them,  that  it^took 
a  week  to  make  what  had  cost  them  but  a  day  on  the  outgoing  trip 
Arnving  finally  on  board  the  Hecla  after  an  absence  of  sixty-one  days' 
they  justly  felt  assured  that  if  perseverance  and  energy  could  have  won 
success,  they  would  certainly  have  attained  the  object  of  their   ambition 
and  floated  the  union  jack  at  the  North  Pole.  ' 

On  the  38th  they  left  Hecla  Cove,  an.l  'securing  the  provisions  de- 
pos,t.d  vv.th  so  much  labor  on  Red  Beach  on  the  way,  they  rounded 
Hakluyt  Headland  on  the  30th,  and  stood  south  for  England.  On  the 
.7th  of  September  they  reached  the  Shetland  Islands,  and  anchorino- 
■n  the  Voe,  enjoyed  the  welcome  hospitality  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
Hecla  bcng  det.nined  in  the  north  by  contrary  winds,  Pan-y,  o,.  ^he 
35th,  went  aboard  the  revenue  cutter  Chichester,  which  they  had  fiUlen 
."  wuh  two  days  before  at  Long  Hope,  in  the  Orkneys,  and  was 
la.Kiod  at  Inverness  on  the  36th.     He  proceeded  overland' to  London 


•Wi!<iiwra>!i»«#K»««w#» 


;i;{0 


CLOSE  OF  PAJiJiVS  CAREER. 


i- 


I  * 


.jTTSTT 


arriving  on  the  39th  of  September,  the  same  day  on  whicjj  died  abc  ird 
the  Hecla  his  "  Greenland  master,"  who  had  accompanied  him  on  five 
Arctic  voyages.     The  vessel  finally  reached  the  Thames  on  the  6th  of 
October,  and  with  her  arrival  ended  the  career  of  Parry  as  an  explorer, 
though  he  survived  to  1855.     ^e  had  contributed  more  than  his  share 
by  effort  and  achievement  toward  the  solution  of  the  two  great  prob- 
lems—the Northwest  Passage  and  the  Discovery  of  the  Pole;    and  it 
was  through  no  fault  of  his  that  he  did  not  solve  both.     His  attention 
to   every    necessary  detail,    and    his   constant    use   of    every  precaution 
against  mishap  to  his  men  and  ships,  was  remarkable.     In  this  last  Po- 
lar voyage  he  gave — as  Wrangell  had  done  before  in  more  eastern  lon- 
gitudes— a  clear  conception  of  how  uneven  and  almost  impassable,  and 
broken  by  water-lanes,  is  the  ice  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  how  entirely 
unlike  any  frozen  surface  with  which  the  denizens   of  more   southern 
climes  are  familiar.     It  was  conjectured  that  around  the  Pole,  and   far 
to   the  south,  would  be  found  a  solid,  uniform  crust  of  ice,   on  which, 
with  the  proper  outfit,  progress  woultl  be  as  easy  and  rapid  as  on  one  of 
the  more  southern   frozen   lakes.     This  illusion  was  rudely  broken   by 
the  stern  logic  of  very  unwelcome  and  very  obstructive  facts. 


1'      t^\ 


iiM. 


.  :jf1' 


CHAPTER   XXXVIir. 

KOSS'  SECONO  VOVAGE-KMPLoVEn  nv  FELIX  BOOT.r-JAS.  C.  ROSS- 
KIRST  USK  OF  STKAM  m  ARCTIC  VOYAGES -LANCASTER  SOUND 
-NIPHEI)  IN  THE  ICE -IN  WINTER  QUARTERS  _  VISITED  „V 
ESQUIMAUX-EXHAUSTED  TEAMS  -  PRO  VISIONS  REDUCED-.M.  .;. 
NETIC    POLE    DISCOVERED. 

Capt.  John  Ross,  naturally  desirous  of  vindicati.ig  his  title  to  fame  as 
an  Arctic   explorer,  which   had    been   clouded,  if  not   obliterated   by  his 
somewhat  ij^noniinious  failure  in  .8iS,  solicited   the  command  of  a  fresh 
expedition  in  1S39,  which  was  refused  on  the  ground  of  retrenchment  in 
that  dneotion.     He  was  now  in   his  fifty-second    year,  and  as   has   been 
uunnated,  had  distinguished  himself  for  bravery  and  skill  in  the  French 
war  of  .793-1^15.     Horn  in  ,777,  he  entered  the  navy  while  yet  a  boy 
scrve.1  r.tteen  years  as  a  midshipman,  seven  as  a  lieute.iant,  seven  as  com- 
mander, and  was  promoted  to  a  captaincy  in  181S,  before  proceeding  on 
h,s  hrst  Arctic  voyage.    The  government  declining  to  defray  the  expense 
of  an  exploring  expedition  where  so  many  had  proved  unsatisfactory,  Ross 
sought  and  found  a  patron  in  Felix    Booth,  a  wealthy  distiller,  at  that 
time  filling  the  office  of  shcrifT.     Booth  was  not  unwilling  to  defray  the 
expense,  but  as   the  parliamentary    reward    of  $100,000    to   whoever 
should  discover  the  Northwest   Passage  might  give  a  color  of  possible 
interest  or  far-sighted  speculation  to  his  support  of  the  enterprise,  "  what 
.night  l.e  deemed  by  others,"  he  said,  "a  mere   mercantile    speculation," 
ho  insiste<l   on  the  withdrawal  of  tlie   prize.     This   being  done,  and   the 
government  being  unwilling   to  be  outdone,  he  was  created  a  knight  for 
his  munificence. 

Capt.  Ross-he  was  not  yet  Sir  John-was  now  empowered  by 
Booth  to  provide  a  vessel  and  the  necessary  equipment;  and  he  soon 
proceeded  to   Liverpool,  where   he  pm-chased  a  side-wbeel   steamer  for 

831 


fBt'unmmimr'mmifmif 


IBSBftSW,  )M*.|| 'M.i.Tifcc  *.„ 


I  I 


3J2 


JflRST  ARCTIC  UTEAM  NAV/aAnUN. 


the  voyage.  He  m  therefore  entitled  to  the  crrdit  of  beuig  the  first  to 
contemplate  tlie  use  of  steam  power  in  Arctic  navigation.  It  was  rather 
an  unfortunate  selection,  as  nothing  more  unpractical  than  paddle-boxes 
to  encounter  ice-tloes  and  ice-packs,  can  well  be  conceived.  He,  how- 
ever, took  the  precaution  to  strengthen  his  ship,  and  added  various  im- 
provements to  adapt  he.  to  the  voyage  upon  which  she  was  about  to 
enter.  The  supply  ..  provisions  and  stores  was  calculated  on  a  liberal 
basis  for  twenty-eight  men  for  i,ooo  days,  and  cost,  mcluding  price  of 
vessel,  $85,000.  When  fitted  she  was  of  150  tons  burden,  and  received 
the  name  of  the  Victory. 

The  second  in  command  was  the  nephew  of  the  Captain,  James 
Clark  Ross,  now  a  commander  only,  afterward  Sir  James  Ross,  who, 
like  his  uncle,  had  entered  the  navy  at  the  early  age  of  twelve,  and  had 
served  under  him  in  the  Baltic,  the  White  Sea,  and  the  coast  of  Scotland, 
and  his  first  voyage  in  search  of  the  Northwest  Passage,  in  1S18,  being 
then  in  his  nineteenth  year.  He  had  since  been  with  Parry  in  all  his 
voyages  from  18 19  to  1827,  and  was  now  in  his  thirtieth  year.  It 
will  be  seen  that  his  Arctic  experience  was  large,  and  he  i)rovc(l  an 
efficient  aid  to  his  uncle  and  ehief. 

As  the  governi  lent  contribution  toward  the  success  of  the  expedi- 
tion,  the  admiralty  furnished  a  deck-boat  of  sixteen  tons  burden,  called 
the  Krusenstern,  and  .wo  strong  boats  which  had  been  used  by  Frank- 
lin, together  with  some  books  and  instruments.  The  ship  and  outfit  at- 
traded  considerable  attention,  and  among  a  host  of  less  distinguished 
persons  was  visited  by  Louis  Philippe,  the  future  king  of  the  French, 
and  many  other  notables.  The  Victory  was  to  have  been  accom- 
panied by  a  te:uler  or  store-ship  t(,  lighten  her  burden  until  they  reached 
the  ice,  but  a  mutiny  on  this  vessel  in  Loch  Ryan,  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Firth  of  Clyde,  broke  up  that  arrangement;  and  she  steamed  oflj"  without 
a  consort,  from  Woolwich,  England,  on  the  23d  of  May,  1829.  He- 
engines,  however,  proved  a  source  of  anxiety  to  Capt.  Ross,  and  their 
use  was  soon  abandoned.  Steamsliips  had  as  yet  been  but  little  used  lor 
ocean  voyages,  and  the  timidity  of  inexperience  was  ready  to  take  refuge 
in  the  old  and  tried  method  of  sailing.     It  is  true,  Fitch  and  Rumsey,hi 


BjBMIiI 


f""<*MRmP<MM 


LA/VCASTEIi  SOUND.  .„, 

Anur,c»,   hn,l  ,„a,k.   ..xpchne,,,,  i„   ,:,„  li„„  „f  p,„|^.||i„^.  ,„„,^ 
s,o.,„  :,»  ea,  y  a.  ,783;  a,,,,  i„  .j.sS  Fi.eh  ha,l  la„„chc,l  a  pa.WI.  s,.,„' 

..^..a,wh,ch    ,0  ,„a.,ca,np  ,>„,„  „ ,,„,„  ,„  p,,,,,^  ,„, ,^, 

u„  ,  a,  .0  ra.e  of  fo,,,.  ™i,e,  a„  hour.     Sy,„i,„.o„ .h.  Cly.le,  ha,l 

..,a.lc  h,M„..  .r,p  .he  »a,„c.  year;  „,ul  i„  .s,,;  F.,l,..„  „a,le  .he  fir.,  real, 
ly  s„eees,f„l  voyage  hy  ,.eam  fron,  New  York  ,„  Albany,  i„  ,he  Clor 
.""...,  .naki„«  one  h„„dre<l  and  ,e„  ,.i,es  in  .wenty-four  hours  again,. 
w„„l  and  .,de.     In  ,So8  .S.even,  ,„ade  a  short  ocean  voyage  by  ,.ea,„ 
......  New   York  .0  Phi,ade,pbi.a.     A  .e„.  v,yage  Jn  Gla^w  .0 

London  lollowed  ,„  ,8,5,  and  one  fro.n  New  York  ,0  New  Orleans,  in 
.6..S.    The  first  .steam  voyage  „cro,„  .he  A.lan.ic    w.as  m.ade  by  the 

i"' "'""  '■'■"'"    ^'■■"'   """'^     "•  Liverpool,    in     .8,9,  but   having    ex. 

ha.,,,.e,l  her  supply  of  coal,  she  was  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  her  sail, 
L.ward  the  dose  of  the  voyage.  In.leed,  i,  was  no,  until  ,8,3  that  *e 
i-onlc  was  co„si,lere.<l  entirely  praetieabie  for  steam  navi-^ation  Now 
wta,  oven  whale,-,  use  steam  power  a.  leas,  as  an  auxiliary,  one' 
.s  hable  ,0  „on.ler  why  Ross  did  not  carry  forward  his  original  concep- 
t.on.  It  ,s,  therefore,  but  justice  ,0  him  to  draw  the  reader's  attention  ,0 
the  .state  of  the  question  in  that  day. 

While  sailing  up  Davis'   Strait,  the    Victory,  having   received   some 
.njury  to  her  spars  and  rigging,  put  into  Holsteinberg,  on  the  Greenland 
coast,  just  within  the  Arctic  Circle,  for  repairs.     Leaving  on  the  36th  of 
June,   they    found    clear  sailing    through    Baffin's   Bay  and   Lancaster 
Sound,  w,th  the  thermometer  at  about  40%  and  the  weather  so  mild  and 
gemal  that  the   officers  could  dine  without  a  fire,  and  even  with  the  .W. 
.gbt  partially  open.     They  saw  no  ice  or  snow  except  on  the  mountain 
tops;  and  at  the  e.Urance  to  Barrow  Strait,  where  Parry  at  on.  time  en- 
countered such  obstruction  from  the  ice,  there  was  seen  neither  iceber<. 
nor  icc-tloe.  "-"^'o 

Passing  Cape   York   on  the   ,oth  of  August,  they  entered   Prince 
Regent  I„,et,  and   making  for  the  .estern  shore  they  finallv  fell  in  with 
■mpecbng  ice  between  Sepping  and    El  win    Bays,  on  the  1 /th.     The  en 
sumg  day  they  arrived   at  the  place  where  the   Fury   had  been   aban- 
doned, but  could  see  no  trace  of  the  disabled   vessel. "  Her  supplies  and 


i-ii.iiimiy.mniwwwwi 


■I 


liiiH 


834 


Nll'l'EU  IN    rilli  ICIi. 


-li^si...      Ill  • 


provisions,  whicli,  it  will  he  rcineinhcmi,  had  lu-cii    piil    ashori'  prcpara- 
tory  to  heaving'  her  oii  the  ice  for  repairs,  were   found   intact  and   unin. 
jiired,  and  now  fiirnisiied  seasonable  replenishinjjf  to  those  of  the  Victory. 
They   left  some   for  the    use  of  iWHsible  future  navij^ators,   and   made 
their  own  stock   good   for   io3o  days  from   date.      On   the    I5tli   thty 
reached    Cape    Garry,  just   beyond    Parry's  "  linjit,"  but  si<,'hted  and 
named  by  him.      Since  leavinj;  Elwin  Hay  they  had  encountereil  almost 
constant  obstruction  from  ice-floe  and  icebergs,  but  not  to  the  same  extent 
as  their  predecessors,   bavin-   arrived    earlier,  and    the   season   provin-f 
much  more  favorable.      Likj  them,  however,  they  were  often  compelled 
to  make  fast  to  the  smaller  icebergs,  or   to   ice-floe,  and  drift  with  them, 
now  backward,  now  forward,  from   the  shore  or  toward   it,  as  the  wind 
drove   or    the  current   ran,  with    huge  towering   masses  of  ice   pluiig- 
ing  around  on  every  side.      The   Victory   was  at  times  sorely  pressed 
and  received    several    hard   knocks  and   crushing   squeezes,  besides  be- 
ing carried  out  of  her  course  on  several  occasions.     Once  she  lost  nine- 
teen miles  in  a  few  hours,  the  current  speeding  fast  in   a   contrary  direc- 
tion; yet  no  serious  damage  was  suflered. 

"  Imagine,"  says  Parry,  "  these  mountains  hurlcil  through  a  narrow 
strait  by  a  rapii!  '.ide,  meeting  with  the  noise  of  thunder,  breaking  from 
each  other's  precipices  huge  fragments,  or  rending  each  other  asunder, 
till,  losing  their  former  eepiilibrium,  they  fall  over  headlong,  lifting  the 
sea  around  in  breakers,  and  whirling  it  in  eddies.  There  is  not  a  moment 
in  which  it  can  be  conjectured  what  will  happen  in  the  next.  The  atten- 
tion is  tn)ul)led  to  fix  on  anything  amid  such  confusion;  still  must  it  he 
alive  that  it  may  seize  on  the  single  moment  of  help  or  escape  which 
may  occur.  Vet,  with  all  this,  and  it  is  the  hardest  task  of  all,  there  is 
nothing  to  be  acteil,  no  effort  to  be  made.  One  must  be  patient,  as  if  he 
were  unconcerned  or  careless,  waiting  as  he  best  can  for  the  fate,  he  it 
what  it  may,  which  he  cannot  influence  or  avoid." 

Despite  all  obstacles  they  continued  to  make  some  progress  to  the 
south,  and  by  the  middle  of  September  had  exjjlored  loo  leagues  of 
previously  undisco.cred  coast.  They  had  discovered  and  named  Brent- 
ford Bay,  thirty  miles  beyond   Cape   Garry,  with   several    fine   harbors, 


immmxfKmm 


rE/i/A'S/AT. 


ashore  prcpara- 
itact  and   iinin- 
of  the  Victory, 
ors,   and   made 
the    15th   they 
ut  si<,dited   and 
)untcied  ahnost 
the  same  extent 
season   provinir 
ften  conipelle<l 
Irift  with  them, 
it,  as  the  wind 
of  ice  phm;,'. 
sorely  prcsscil 
es,  besides  he- 
she  lost  nine- 
contrary  direc- 

itiijfh  a  narrow 

breaking  from 

other  asunder, 

•  ii'jf,  liftin<^  the 

not  a  moment 

t.     The  atten- 

itill   must  it  he 

escape  which 

of  all,  th(;re  is 

atient,  as  if  lie 

the  fate,  he  it 

•ogress  to  the 
00  leaji^ues  of 
named  Brent- 
fine   harbor?, 


8nn 


which  were  named  Ports  Loj,Mn.  ICli.abcth,  and  Eclipse.  Lmulin-.  on 
the  coa«t  they  took  possession  of  the  country  for  the  British  crown^..nd 
namecl.t  Boothia  Felix,  in  honor  of  the  patron  of  the  expedition.  Sir 
I.ehx  Booth,  w.th  Bellot  Strait  on  the  north,  the  Gulf  of  Boothia  on  the 
cast,  and  Franklin  Strait  on  the  northwest. 

THE  VICTORY  IN  WINTER  QUARTERS. 

In  what  they  called  by  the  unpoetJc  name  of  Mary  Jones  B.ny,  thev 
found  a  secure  refu^^e  for  the  ship,  ..n  the  .7th  of  September,  ,829,  only 
.  .8  days  out  from  Woolwich.     To  reach  it,  however,  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  cut  through  the  ice,  and  this  being  .lone,  they  made  ready  for  win- 
ter.     The  steam  machinery  was  entirely  removed,  the  vessel  housed,  and 
every  precaution  adopted  to  secure  the  safety  of  the  vessel  and  the  health 
of  the   men.     -]  „ey  were  abu.ulantly  supplied  with  necessaries,  and  the 
harl)or  was  exceptional,  v  safe  for  those  latitudes.     Soon  they  were  frozen 
nt,  w.th  huge  masses  of  ice  surrounding  them  to  seaward,  and  the  whole 
landscape  covered  with  snow.     The   thermometer  sank  several  degrees 
below  zero,  and  they  were  fairly  entered  on  an  Arctic  winter,  but  full  of 
hope  and  bright  anticipations  of  what  cculd  be  done  after  the  usual  nine 
or  ten  months'  detention. 

On  the  9lh  of  January,  ,830,  they  were  visited  by  an  unusually  large 
tnbe  of  Esquimaux,  who  seemed  to  be  cleaner  and   brighter,  as   well  .s 
better  dressed,  than  the  others  of  their  race  hitherto  encountered.     Thev 
were  able  to  draw  for  Ross,  as  others  had  done  elsewhere  for  Parry  .nd 
Beechey,  fairly  accurate  sketches  of  the  land  and  sea   for  many  miles 
around   Thom's  Harbor,  now    Felix   Harbor,  where  they  lay.     As  ten 
years  before  Parry  had  found  the  female  Iligliuk  the  most  intelligent  of 
he  Esqun.aux  on  Winter  Island,  so  here  the  woman  Teriksin  proved  to 
have  the  clearest    ideas    of  the  configuration  of  the  coast  of  Boothia, 
Fel.x  an,l  the  neighboring  lands,  bays  and  inlets.      With  two  of  the  Es 
qunnaux  as  guides,  Capt.  Ross,  accompanied   by  Thomas   Blankv,  first 
-ate  set  out  on  the  5th  of  April  to  explore  a  strait  to  the  west,  which  it 
was  hoped  might  prove  a  channel  to  the  Arctic  Ocean.     On  this  jour- 
ney, as  was  afterward  learned,  they  had  approached  within  ten  miles  of 


■•nrmnrmmmmsKimKIHt^H 


EXHAUSTED  TEAMS. 

the  point  which  the  younger  Ross  designated  the  ensuing  year  as  the 
magnetic  pole.     But  the  present  party  were  on  an  entirely  different  er- 
rand,  and  though  they  discovered  a  lake  and  bay,  and  surveyed  the  coast 
some  sixty  miles  farther  south,  the  expedition  led  to  no  important  re- 
suits.     The  younger  Ross  set  out  on  the   ist  of  May,  and  from  an  emi- 
nence descried  a  large  inlet,  which  promised  an  outlet  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.     Returning,  he  fitted  out  an  expedition  to  «  consist  of  himself  and 
three  companions,  with  a  sledge  and  eight  dogs,  and  provisions  for  three 
weeks."     These  set  out  on  the  17th  of  May,  and  encountering  the  lake 
already  referred  to,  and   the  river— which  they  named   Garry—Ross  as- 
cended  the  hill  which  he  had  previously  used  for  his  observations,  and 
saw  a  chain  of  lakes  leading  back  almost  to  the  harbor  he   had  left. 
Moving  along  the    shore  of  the  western   inlet,  which    has  since    been 
named  Sir  James  Ross'  Strait,  the  party  reached  Matty  Island,  and  cross- 
ing a  narrow  strait  to  the  wert,  landed  on  what  they  believed  was  the 
mainland,  and  called  King  William's  Land,  but  which  the  exploration  of 
Simpson  has  since  shown  to  be  an  island,  separated  from  the  continent 
by  the  strait  called  by  his  name. 

Pushing  north,    their  dogs  became  exhausted,  and  the  men  had  to 
depend  mainly  on  iheir  own  exertions.     "  When  all  is  ice,"  says  Ross, 
"  and  all  one  dazzling  mass  of  white— when  the  surHice  of  the  sea  itself 
is  tossed  up  and  fixed  into  rocks,  while  the  land  is  on  the  contrary,  very 
often  flat-it  is  not   always  so  easy   a  problem   as   it   might  seem' on  a 
superficial  view,  to  determine  a  fact  which  appears   in  words  to  be  ex- 
tremely simple."     But  despite  exhaustion  of  dogs  and  men  he    kept    on 
to  the  north,  and  on  the  29th  reached  the    most  northern  point  of  King 
William's    Land,  and  named  it  Cape  Felix.     Here  he  beheld  the   wide 
expanse  of  se.-i  now  known  as  McClintock  Channel,  extending  away  to 
the  northwest,   and  to    the  southwest  the  narrower  channel  n^ow  called 
Victoria  Strait.     Proceeding  along  the  latter  they  arrived  on  the  30th  at 
a  headland  which  Ross  named  Point  Victory,  and  to  another  which    he 
saw    in  the  distance,  he  gave  the  name  of  Cape  Franklin.     They    were 
about  two  hundred  miles  distant  from  Felix    PL-irbor,  with  only  a   few 
days'   provisions  left,  and  it   became  necessary  to  return  at  once.     They 


I.,     t 


mmmt!mmfg0i 


n;;  yciii-  as  (he 


r-ADr  MEL  VILLE  LAKE. 
erectal  the  usual  cairn,  depositinj  a  reconi  „r,l,  • 

res,  and  turned  their  faee' to  thl  eas    "  i  ,  "''"™""  ""''P'°8- 

iiad  already  go„e  too  far  for  their  resource  '"vv  "  ''"'"^^  """  '"^^ 
for,  though  the  men  survived,  they  lost  x'of^he  T  1  ''  "'  ''''' 
selves  almost  exhausted  and  lielnl  ,  ""'  "'"'  '"'■'  ">=">■ 

f»i.  in  with  some  e^jz^t::::^'^  """  ;r  ^°°<'  '-"■-  - 

...ined  and  supplied    with  a  .store  of  fi  I    h  7       '  '"'"'"'    '■""- 

rrcen  north,  they   rested  one  day  amon'     L' ""  T''  :""''^^"  °'  '"^ 
-  .3.M-avi„,hee„  ahsent  fo^r  wee^s  itrif  ^^ ^ "r" 

liad  meanwhile  siirveved  Boofhi-.    T  m  ^^P*'   ^^ss 

.o^ofh.esh.ate.:hiehr:nrz:;t,:— --■- 

be,ng  the  ;.h  of  September,  ,830,  when  they  w  Tse  ^r ^  """•  '" 
only  three  miles  in  six  day,  thev  w...  ■      ■  Advancmg 

S.pten,l,er;  and  the   ren,ainde    of  .^ T'  "'°''"""  ""  '"=   ^^^  of 
-re  consumed   in  gettinJ     er  i    o  """  "^  "-""-f  October 

.l-ry  winter  had  to  be  pa'sser  u       .  ''""'''■     ""=    """'her 

.■-nK,l  prudent  by  cSTt"     'Y  ^'"='""''"'^y  -asnre,  it  was 
T1.0  winter  proved  c.ccp.ionally  scve       th       h  '"  °' P^visions. 

.."  »n,e  occasions  as  low  as  9.  »  below    l',    fr .  ""  °°'""'    ""'"■ 

'.ero.     S„n,„  survev,  and   ,L,  ,"'''"'""'  l'"'"',  "r  60°  below 

o'  'H.  but  the  mst  o^  r:^::r  ^"''  ™""^ '- "-  '"'-^ 

tho  Magnetic  Pole.  "''"°"  """  "«  "'"^  ">  --e'-tion  to 

D.SCOVERV  OF  THE  NORTH  MAGNETIC  POLE 

•™'-  -  whcr:  :;:'v;  t ' : :  :'":;r""^''7  ^■' '"  -'^^• 

'•>  »S'  30'  west.     The  vou„..e    R  T  '*'  °''  "''°'"  7°°   '"""'' 

K«S  availe.1  hin.self  of  i;    ;:,:::  ^""=";-"  ■<■-"  -  -Sir  Jan,es 
^'«y  in  Felix  Harbor  to  ma  J.  '  """  ""■'""'""  ''^  "-"■  -^-^d 

'» .lotermine  its  exact  ,0"  o ,      Thr'"'":":'  ""'  ^^"^"'""''"^  """-'-^ 
"f -^'.'V,  .83,,  it  havin.  b  ''''''°    "°"  '"  ™'  '-™'<'  "'e  end 

^^       3  .  .t  havtng  been  prev.onsly  ascertained  that  they  were  no. 


f » '  "  '<  >i  -"Tpt  a« 


Mti 


338 


DISCO  VERY  OF  MAGNETIC  POLE, 


far  distant  from  the  desired  point.     TIic  vveatiier  had  turned  stormy ;  but 
their  zeal    took  small   notice  of  the   change,  and  they  hurried   forward 
toward  the  place  indicated  by  Ross'  calculations.      On  the  31st  they  were 
within  about  fourteen  miles  of  it;  and  on   the  n6xt  morning,  leaving  their 
baggage  and   provisions  on  the  beach  where  they  had  camped,  they   ar- 
lived  at  the  spot  at   eight  o'clock,     "The  place  of  the  observation,"  says 
Ross,  "was  as   near  to  the    magnetic  jDole  as   the  limited  means  which  I 
possessed  enabled  me   to  determine.     The   amount   of  the  dip,  as  indi- 
cated by  my  dipping-needle,  was  89"  59',  being  thus  within  one   minute 
of  the  vertical;  while  the   proximity  at  least  of  this  jiole,  if  not  its   actual 
existence  where  we  stood,  was  further  confirmed  by  the  action,  or  rather 
by  the  total   inaction  of  the  several    horizontal    needles   then  in   my  pos- 
session.     These  were  suspended    in   the    most   delicate   manner   possible, 
but   there  was   not  one    which  showed  the  slightest  effort  to  move   from 
the  position  in  which  it  was  placed."      The  very  force  whicli  attracts  mil- 
lions of  free    compass-needles  all   over  the  northern    hemisphere  in  its  di- 
rection, was  here  inactive.      The  corresponding  South  Pole  of  terrestrial 
magnetism    has  been   computed   to   be   at   66"    soutli    latitude,  and    146" 
east  longitude — not  diametrically  opposite  therefore,  as  the  geograpliicMl 
poles  of  the  earth  are.      The  famous  (rennan  mathematician,  Gauss,  com- 
puted that  the   theoretic   location  ui   the    nortli   magnetic   pole,   in    iSm 
should  have  been  three  degrees  fartlier   north;  but    the  point  detenniiicd 
by  Ross  differed  only  eleven  minutes  from  Parry's  calculations. 

"  As  soon,"  says  Ross,  "as  I  had  satisfied  my  own  mind  on  the  siil)- 
ject,  I  made  known  to  tlie  party  tliis  gratifying  result  of  our  joint  Ial)ors; 
and  it  was  then  that,  amidst  mutual  congratulations,  we  fixed  the  Rritisli 
flag  on  the  spot  and  took  possession  of  the  North  Magnetic  Pole  and  its 
adjoining  territory  in  the  name  of  Great  liritain  antl  King  William  W . 
We  had  abundance  of  materials  for  building,  in  tiie  fragments  of  liuR'- 
stone  that  covered  the  beach,  ;ind  we  therefore  erected  a  cairn  of  soiiu' 
magnitude,  under  which  we  buried  a  canister  containing  a  record  ot'  the 
interesting  fact,  only  regretting  that  we  liad  not  tiie  means  of  construct- 
ing a  pyramid  of  more  importance,  and  of  strength  sutHcient  to  with- 
stind  the  assaults  of  time  and  of  the   Esquimaux.      Had  it  been  a  pvra- 


i™-""»«  II  i,!m4(njiiiM|(p.iir' "* 


*>Plft»»j-.- 


SLOIV  SAJL/JVa, 
'i"'<I  -'^s  larnrc  as  that  of  Cheons    T  ^^^ 

.;-c  ,„,„.o  .„„„  ..,,f,  „„,  1^,^::^^  -'; '"-  i'  w„„u e 

45'  west.  '        '/      3     '7  .nntl  Its  longitude  9S°46. 

™lK-  fifty  or  si«y"I.e't''T,i''h  'Z,!'"'  '";"' ."'"  =""'**•  ^i.t  i,  nscs  into 
-W  th„.  a  place  s„  i,„„:;;,:  V  "■  '""''■  '^'•-  ™'""  "ave 
"  "-  -cat-col,  con..,.aMo'  ;"lt        ;:r""-^"'    ■"°'-^-  '"■  '^^'^  "'  --• 

'licate   a  spot  to  which  so  much  of  i   t  '"ouMta.u  to  hi. 

could  even  l..ve  pardone.l   auv  one       "'''  '""'  ""'  ^'  ''*""^^'^'^^' '  --'  I 

"■-'-•<'  -  -  -p-t  that  t,.  MaZ:i:v:  ^^'^  ''^"  '^^"  ^'^  '•— ^^ 

""»s   and  nn-stcrious  as  the  f.hl.  1  '■'^'''^  '"^  console- 

.^ .-;-.,  Ota,,:.'         :";""" -^  «"■-'.  "»i.  was  .'..„ 

'-'  I--  -vctci  no  ,„,„n„„:.  ,„  :,„,  ;'^;;;'  '''-"  «'--  ri„t  „at,„.e 
-  "■"  -«ot  of  one  of  he,.  ,.,.,„  .,„  ,  *-,""■■  ^'""  "-''-I'  »ho  1"<I  chosen 
'>•'  'M'--  "."-selves  to,var,l  ,1,;:  e,,,,'..,  '"'"'""'  ^""'  "'"-•.x-  vvc  cul.l 

'-^■■"■1",^'    the    ,na,^.„etio    pole     ■'„„|    ,,,        ,       , 
""'*  ""■■'■  '"■'  "-  •,'o"<l    r  .-tn,  e'        f    ^'      ""■'"'    ''"l"""''"-^    '""» 

™'- ''-■>• -o,,t,v  the  Shi  ,;;,;;'t/''"^-'-"^''^ 

"-  »l..«'  .™.l  .lifHcnlt,  ,,„t  u,.;.  ,.„  ,       ■■  ""■"-'"'■■-  II.-.-  |..-.,,^,-css 

^"—•' ..v-ei,l„.,,„,  ";■':"■     '";   '»■■'-■  i"   «.rc.,afte,.  an 

"-^™".-c  poles  a,-e  vatiahle  points        ,^  ,'",':''.'  ''''' '""'  ""'  "- 

^"'l'.  "-.v  "xao  .ictain,.,!  so T,:,:"   "' '^^  ">'  '^^     A,-,-ive.l  a.  the 

7  ™|.-on,„e„t  of  eleven  ,„o,„hs  llZwVl'r  '""'""''•  '""  "'■'" 
"■  '■—  .voa.-,  the,.  s„ecee.,e„  on  tl^  'T^  "'"""'  '"  "^l-  o'' 

';•   ^^->,,v   into  open   „.at..,-.     On   .L    ^  ^"^""'"''"'""''"^ 
^■<^""  'o  |....h   th,-o„,.|,   ,he  ;,,,    ,,„,   ,        ,--"'    ""-■>■  -'  -■■..'    i..    .he  vain 

-; ■-■"--■".■.■.wi.oi:,,,;:;t:.:;-^ '■"'"«-'.'".  .,v 

■""' "■--'■^-""Vo.en  .„,,  ,,,„'. tV'"'     "• '>■>■•""■   ..liles, 

^''■l""l-"-"y  l.«'c  „a,„e,,    Infeli.    J        ^^"•"""'•'■.■.  .■■  what  the,  „n.ht 
'"■■■>■-"  --  s.,el,  hopeless  ,  '"""■'  ""'''"'■     «--  .nilcs  in 

'■"" -.■.ves..e,„e,l\,!:;        :V''r ':"•''*'■'  '-'"-'^  ■'-■■■  "-i^ 

>     -I'c  ,„,,;,  a,„|  t.n-ns  his  attention  else. 


"tti^ 


'*"**''***''^'!S*Bl»aWBK¥«iMs«i»«»R«.,».,,  ,^ 


340 


ABANDONMEXT  OF   THE    VICTOR r. 


?    I 


where.  It  was  therefore  determiiied  that  on  the  return  of  spring  their 
energies  slioukl  be  directed  to  effecting  their  es  ape  in  another  way.  It 
was  recollected  that  on  the  beach  where  the  Fury  had  been  abandoned 
by  Parry,  and  where  they  had,  it  will  be  remembered,  replenished  their 
stores  in  1S39,  there  were,  among  tlie  other  supplies,  several  boats  which 
belonged  to  that  ill-fated  vessel.  It  was  now  designed  that  they  should 
make  the  best  of  their  way  to  that  point,  and  :, vailing  themselves  of  the 
boats,  provisions  and  supplies  there  to  be  found,  make  an  effort  to  reach 
the  whaling  grounds  in  Baffin's  Bay,  and  thus  return,  if  it  might  be,  to 
their  native  land.  It  was  a  great  and  arduous  undertaking,  but  not  quite 
as  hopeless  as  the  attempt  to  extricate  the  Victory  had  been.  It  was  a 
chance  for  life  and  liberty,  and  was  worth  striving  for. 

On  the  33d  of  April,  1S33,  they  entered  on  the  task.  Having  collected 
the  necessary  supplies,  they  set  out  to  remove  them  over  the  ice.  "  T he- 
loads  being  too  heavy  to  be  carried  at  once,  made  it  necessary  to  go 
backward  and  forward  twice,  and  even  oftcner,  the  same  day.  They 
had  to  encounter  dreadful  tempests  of  snow  and  drift,  and  to  make  sev- 
eral circuits  in  order  to  avoid  impassable  barriers.  The  result  was  that 
by  the  12th  of  May  they  had  traveled  329  miles  to  gain  thirty  in  a 
direct  line."  This  preliminary  work  having  been  laboriously  executed, 
they  returned  to  the  ship,  and  on  the  29th  of  May  took  their  final  lea\e 
of  her.  The  colors  of  the  Victory  were  formally  lioisteil  and  nailed  to 
the  mast;  the  officers  and  men  left  her,  and  last  of  all,  the  commander 
bade  her  adieu.  «  It  was,"  he  says,  "  the  first  vessel  that  I  had  ever  been 
obliged  to  abandon,  after  having  served  in  thirty-six  during  a  period  of 
forty-two  years.  It  was  like  the  last  parting  with  an  old  friend,  and  I 
did  not  pass  the  point  where  slie  ceased  to  be  visible  without  stopping  to 
take  a  sketch  of  this  melancholy  desert,  rendered  more  melancholy  by 
the  solitary,  abandoned,  helpless  home  of  our  past  years,  fixed  in  immov- 
able ice  till  time  should  perform  on  her  his  usual  work." 

On  the  9th  of  June  James  Ross,  with  two  companions  and  provisions 
for  two  weeks,  struck  ahead  of  the  main  body  to  ascertain  how  matters 
then  stood  at  Fury  Beach.  Fortunately,  though  some  of  the  boats  had 
been  washed  away  since  1829,  there  were  still  enough  left  for  their  pur- 


TENTING  ON  FURT  UEACH. 


pose,  and  the  provisions  had  remained   uniniured      R   •  •   •         , 

.l.e  imp.,„ct,ablo  masses  of  i,„  „,,.''       "'V  '""'"'^'^  ""»  ^a,™,  ^ 

-'i-iuin,  po,,io„  „f  B..,,,„..:  si  7r        '  '"'  ™'""'™ '  "" 

1«...  »ho,o  a„.l  a,v„it  a  ,„„,„  fa.„,;tu  /-'  "•'"■'■•.'"'''""'  '"  h'»'l  their 
pi'chc,I,a„„  ,„,,„„.,  s„.,,„  „,.;""' •'''\  "1  I'-'—.ty.     The  ,e„„  wore 

'-"-  -'  '■' »-'.  :o:„.  '^r::  'irr;  '"^—^  -  -^ 
'"":•; ""™'"- --'".. .he„. h. .:;,:  : ,r^'^'"'" ■"■■""■"" 

'Ic'Cidcl  to    hun  their  l).,ck-.     .  ^  '■'^'"''*'"'  '^  ^v-us 

F-y  Hcach,  „,,ere        ^    ;  „   ":  '7'-^-  °"    ^"^"-'.  -"  K-  hack  ,o 
my  c, .„„    he  f„    ,       ■';•""""'■"-  ■"■  P-is;.„.  fi„.  .heir  „„a„ 

°  -l«''i™  ..<•    ho  1,1,,.,    f  ;„:      ""■'•':"'  '"P  '"  «<— '  "O..SO  was 

-  -'-^-  "^'y'.  a,u,  o„ .,: ;  .Tot  r ::  ^^^"  ^-^^'^  -'"-^"•^^^ 

the  capaci,,.,,  ton.  „„   p,„.,,   Moach  '^  "''■'•■  ^'°""'  '"""«'  "■ 

T„   ,„ako  .hi,    ,.erugo   to„a„lai,lo    ,h,ri„„  ,u.. 
tht-yl-illa  wall  of  s„„„.  f„„,.  f„..i|,i,       ,"  ^'l*'™"^'""*.'    win.o,-, 

f       ,  "^w,vc   a  (loop  ooverins  "f   .he  sn,„„      c. 

f.H.n.l  a,,,,,,,,,  .he  ah„„,„„  ^,.,^^.^   „^  ,he  F,„,  ,  '"°"'  ''''■■■'= 

«h.„,p„ri.o,l  hahi,a,|.,„  ,,„  ,„.„,,  ,,     '       '">••""'  '••>'  ""■■h-  help  .his 

™"  -"    '-I  the  i..c,.easi„  :„        :,7'-'-^'f  ■     ■'■"=>•  «"'  ^"""K 


iife 


843 


A  SHIP  I^r  SIGHT. 


Ti.      i'f 


I     J 


not  liberated  the  ensuing  summer,  little  prospect   appeared  of  their  sur- 
viving another  year.     It  was  necessary  to  make  a  reduction  in  the  allow- 
ance of  preserved  meats;   bread  was  somewhat  delicient,  and  the  stock  of 
wine  and  spirits  was  entirely  exhausted.    However,  as  they  caught  a  few 
foxes,  which  were  considered  a  delicacy,  and  there  was   plenty  of  flour, 
sugar,  soups  and    vegetables,  a  diet  could   be  easily  arranged  sullicient  to 
support  the  party."     While  the  ice  remained  firm,  it  was  deemed  advisa- 
ble to   remove  such   provisions  as  they  were  not   likely  to  need  to   Batty 
i^ay,  to   be  m  readiness  for  the  summer   expedition  to   the    north.      The 
distance  was  but   thirty-two  miles,  yet  it  took  a   month  with  the  reduced 
force  to   make  the  transfer,  most  of  them   going  over  tlie  ground  eight 
times. 

They  left  Somerset  House  once  more  on  the  8th  of  July,  and  on  the 
1 2th  were  encamped  at  Hatty  Uay,  only  to  repeat  the  tedious  operation 
of  watching  for  the  opening  of  the  waters,  as  on  the  previous  year  :.t 
Barrow's  Strait.  Thirty-three  days'  patient  scrutiny  was  rewarded  l.y 
the  discovery  of  a  lane  into  which  they  could  venture  with  some  hope  ,>( 
reaching  the  head  of  the  inlet.  On  the  15th  of  August  they  took  to  the 
boats,  and  with  patient  skill  and  energy,  though  the  sea  was  for  the  most 
part  encumbered  with  ice,  they  reached  Barrow's  Strait  two  days  later. 
Here  an  agreeable  surprise  awaited  them;  for  where  the  year  before  the 
most  tortuous  egress  was  found  impracticable,  this  year,  though  only  two 
weeks  earlier  in  the  season,  an  oiK-n  sea  greeted  them  on  every  side. 
Pushing  east  they  approached  Cape  York,  an.l  a  week  later  reached  a 
safe  harbor  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Xavv  Board  Inlet. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  at  4  o'clock— none  too  early  for  such 
joyful  news—they  were  awakened  from  their  heavy  and  almost  hopeless 
slumbers  to  learn  that  a  ship  was  in  sight.  Quick  as  men  escaping  from 
imminent  peril,  they  jumped  to  their  oars,  but  the  vessel  disappeared  in 
the  haze  before  they  could  reach  her,  or  attract  the  attention  of  tho.e  011 
board.  And  now  the  revulsion  of  feeling  was  fast  sinking  into  despair, 
when  a  few  hours  later  they  had  the  good  fortune  to  sigiit  another  ve .^ei 
lying  in  a  calm.  Hurriedly  and  energetically  rowing  toward  her  with 
their  eyes  fixed  in  a   steady  gaze  on   the  glad   vision,  and   their  hearts 


f'lmii  I 


immminsmmmmmmmmf'^ 


THE  RESCUE. 

wavering  between  hope  and   fr.r    fi 

aiul  civw  could  with  diiHcultv  h,.  .  .    .  ^°y''Se.    Her  captain 

•IK.  ,ep,.e.„.e„  .,.,„.!::'  fowr^t """  "^""-  '-'"^"^  "-^'  -^- 

the  honct  whalers.  '"^''^  "'^''''^^•^^  ^^   try  to  deceive 

---^ '<'  - ..-,  :r:;:jr,:^         -  -- 

water  or  „,,  land!     With  such  , "'''■■"  '"  "'"  "'■••■^'■.  "" 

c.....«rv,ne„,  a,„l  „,  ,„„„   ,    ^  ^''  '""  '"""^  ••'"''  --givi,,.,  of  their 

■igsins  "■»  .,„ickly  manned  , ,  "=  ""'   ""  ''«'■  '!« 

ci.«r»Ro»a!.dhifp„r,v  :'"  'T'"'  """   ^^■'"  ""-  "-'y 

sa,.s  R„.,  ..  „e  .shonid  no.  .he  ,  J     f  •      '.T""  •■""'  ''''"'''"^" 

.».«  ..>at  „e   received,  for  „e  ^     I  "°"  '™"  ^'^"■">-  "^  »»• 

wretches.     Unshaven  .inc.  r  l-  ''"  "    '""''^    ™i'=fable  set  of 

°^  -"'  ^-^•'. »- «- viu « r:::::::;^"'  "'"^'  "^^-' '" "-  -- 

»l>™  contrasted  wi.h  .h„se  „f  ,he  veil     r      '  7  T"""  ""'  ='''"  '"°^'' 
-.  n.a,le  „s  all  feel_,  helie,,,  ,,;""'  •■""'  '"'"■'">  ■"-  -"und 

-'  -  -« >ve  seced '::.;';'::.:;:---  ^-^  --"^  --  - 

"'■""  ■>"■"  '-■li..«S  in  sneh  a  crou,         ,  ;;  T'."""^  "-■  i^'^^' 

'  "".'U  u-  in,possihle,  while  the  new  1         .,  c     „  "'  ""   '""•""' 

■ ■''■""'.'•  -"".^'  •<-  be  a,„„sed  hy  the  s     „e  vhi       ""''  """"^  ""'""  "' 

"»"   -■"■-   '-™«rv,  and   was   to  he  fed       ,"' "'"""'•  ""'"y 
'l»'h«l;  .here  wa,  no,  one  tow  '  ''"  '"»'»''-'J. -J  were  to  he 

- .i-card  did  n .  ° ::;: iinT  '-'  "■"' ""  '■"'"^"'■-"'' — 


iiH'.Tiniii. 


It 


was  .ill  th 


washinjr,dressi 


^'  materials  of 


ngjshavino.eati 


11 


each  jiiml)lc"(l   too-ethe 


Ill's  a 


I",    while 


»*»W»mss»« 


844 


HONORS  IN  ENGLAND. 


in  the  midst  of  all  there   were   interminable  questions  to  he   asked  and 

answered  on  both  sides;  the  adventures  of  the  Victory,  our  own  escapes, 

the  politics  of  England,  and  the  news  which    was   now  four  years  old. 

Hut  all  subsided  into  peace  at  last.     The  sick    were    accommodated,  the 

seamen  disposed  of,  and  all  was  done   for   us   which   care   and  kindness 

could  perform.     Night  at  length  brought  quiet  and  serious  thought,  and 

I  trust  there  was  not  a  man  among  us  who  did   not  then  express   where 

it  was  due,  his  gratitude  for    that   interposition  which   had   raised   us  all 

from  a  despair  which  none  could  now  forget,  and  had   brought  us  f  <>m 

the  borders  of  a  most  distant  grave,  to  life,  and   friends,  and   civilization. 

Long  accustomed,  hovyever,  to  a  cold  bed  on  the  hard  snow,  or  the  baiv 

rocks,  few  could  sleep  amid  the    comforts  of  our   new  accommodations. 

I  was  myself  compelled  to  leave  the  bed  which  hau  been  kindly  assigned 

me,  and  take  my  abode  in  a   chair   for  the  night;  nor  did  it  fare   much 

better  with  the  rest.  It  was  for  time  to  reconcile  us  to  this  sudden  change, 

to  break  through  what  liad  become  habit,  and  to  inure  us  once   more  to 

the  usages  of  our  former  days." 

The  Isabella  prosecuted    her   fishing   for  five  weeks  longer,  and  did 
not  set  out  on  her  return    until  the  30th  of  Septeinber.     They  made  the 
Orkneys  on  the  12th,  and  Hull  on  the  18th  of  October,  wiiere  the  free- 
dom of  the  city  was  bestowed  on  Capt.   Ross,  and  he  and  his  men  were 
entertained  at  the  public  expense.     On  the  19th  he  set  out  for  London  to 
report  to  the  admiralty,  and  was  soon  presented  to  the  king  at  Windsor. 
London,  Liverpool,  and  Bristol  followed  the  example  of  Hull  in  bestow- 
ing the  freedom  of  the  respective  cities  on  Capt.  Ross.     The  officers  and 
men  received  the  customary    double  p.ay  allowed  to  Arctic  explorers,  up 
to  the  date  of  abandoning  the  ship,  and  the  regular  pay  thereafter.     By 
a   vote  of  parliament  in    1834,  Capt.    Ross  received  a   grant  of  $35,000, 
and  was  raised  by  the  king  to  the  dignity  of  a  Knight  Companion  of  the 
Bath.     Other  honors  followed  from   various  quarters,  foreign  and  domes- 
tic, and   in  1835    he  published  "Residence  in  Arctic    Regions,"  etc.,— an 
account  of  his  second  voyage.     In   1851    he  was  created   a   rear-admiral, 
and  died   in    1856.    James  C.   Ross  was  raised   from    the  rank  of  com- 
mander to  that  of  captain,  and  was  soon  after  engaged  in  the  magnetic 


asked  and 
iwn  escapes, 
■  years  old. 
lodated,  the 
lul  kindness 
hought,  and 
iress  where 
lised  us  all 
ht  us  from 
civilization, 
or  the  bare 
nmodations. 
Ily  assigned 

fare  much 
len  change, 
ce   more  to 

»er,  and  did 
:y  made  the 
re  the  free- 
s  men  were 

London  to 
t  Windsor. 

in  hcstow- 
officcrs  and 
cplorers,  up 
-after.  By 
>f  $35,000, 
iiion  of  the 
ind  donies- 
,"  etc., — an 
ar-admiral, 
nk  of  coni- 


;  magnetic 


''''  ^^^^f^CTIC  EXPEDITJ0.Y. 


345 
»,.rv.y  „f  Gr.a,    nri,,,,;,,   ,„„,   ^ 

.h.  .e,„r„  f,.„,„  which  he  reccivci  th  .  h  l  """'"''  '"'•■••  ■■"' ' 

r"l.ii»l.e,.  his  .V„y„„e  „f  D  '<„i,,h,h„™l.    ,„  ,S4,  h„ 

will  ...,i„  c„,.,e  ,.f  r  V::r'  "■ '"""'""  '^""  ■^3^-«-"  "^■ 

F™,kn ,  ,s,s.  ''"  ""  "'"  "^  'h»  --her.  for  Si,-  John 


y^iy^g^lWSlfflffwMS'PW'^'^*'  •?  ^ 


_..».l#rt!IS«*'«l<««lllH»a«J 


CMAPTKU    XXXIX. 


BACKS    AIICTIC    JOURNKY  —  IJCAVICS    LI  VICKI'OOL — I.'OKT    RESOLUTION — 
GREAT     KISIl     Iin'KR  — AN     AUCrU'     K  KSIOENCE  —  •  AK  A  ITC  IIO  —  A 

sledge-journkv  1>assin(;      uaimds  —  lal'k     i'lcuardson  — 

voya(;k  in   the    tkukor — the    tkurou   nipi'ED  in    iiik  ice  — 

IMPRISONED — A    MASQUERADE  —  INCKEVSE    OF    LKAKA(;K  —  IKKK 

again. 

When  Ross  had  been  gfone  three  years  dii  liis  seciMid  voyage  withcmt 
any  tidhii^s  reaching  England,  his  countrynicn  became  soUcitous  alH)ut 
his  fate.  Dr.  Richardson  first  called  pnblic  attention  to  tiie  matter,  and 
volnnteered  bis  services.  As  the  expedition  of"  Ross  was  not  inidcr  gov- 
ernment auspices,  a  sullicient  justification  of  the  tvpensc  to  be  incurred 
woulil  be  found  in  the  proposed  survey  of  a  portion  of  tiie  unexplored 
coast  of  North  America.  His  project  was  lo  strike  out  from  Hudson's 
Bay  bv  the  northwestern  route  to  Coronation  (niif, '• 'lere  be  was  to 
commence  his  search  for  the  missing  ship,  proceeding  in  an  easterly  di- 
rection to  Melville  Peninsula,  thus  completing  the  survey  from  tiie  Re- 
turn Reef  of  Franklin,  to  the  T'ury  and  Hecla  Strait,  of  Parry.  The 
proposition  was  favorably  received  by  tiie  authorities,  but  no  action  was 
taken,  tlie  ininistrv  of  that  period  being  too  much  pre-occupied  with  ihe 
intense  political  activities  which  then  prevailed  in  b2ngland. 

In  November,  1S32,  a  public  meeting  was  called  at  T^ondon,  to  set 
on  f<x)t  a  popular  subscription  to  fit  out  a  ])rivale  expedition  for  the  re- 
lief of  Ross.  Tweiny  thousand  dollars  were  thus  raised,  to  which  ihc 
government,  at  the  suggestion  of  Lord  Goderich-- afterward  lOarl  ot 
Ripon,  at  t!ie  time  colonial  Secretarv  of  .State — added  ten  ihousaud. 
Capt.  Back,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  h.ad  already  made  two  over- 
land  journevs  to  the  coast  of  North  America  in  C()m[)auy  with  I'^'aukliii 

and    Richardson,  offered    his    services,   which    were   jiromptly   accepted. 

348 


«j"*ii*h,^iaBtSi3K^ 


iOLUTlON — 
UTLIK)  —  A 
lAKOSON  — 
I'HK  ICK  — 
(iK  —  KUEE 


age  without 
:itous  about 
matter,  and 

uiuIlt  '^OV- 
l)c   incurred 

unexplored 
n  Hudson's 
L>  he  was  to 
1  easterly  di- 
roni  the  Re- 


arrv.     The 


action   was 
ed  with  ihc 

union,  to  set 
1  for  the  re- 
I)  which  ihc 
\i\\  ]'2arl  ot 
'U  thousand. 
k-  two  over- 
ith  I'lauUlin 
ly   accepted. 


I^B/'T  LIVERPOOL. 

1»  I"-.  '-•  was  fon„.,„  .„„„,,„„„„       .„^,  „„;^.        '    "' 

mill  rccfivcl  niseiuctio,,,  fr n,^.  ^,„i„„i,,,  „„.  ,             "y "-"iiiliaiiy, 

i:id,.-,r.l  King  ,,,,  ,.,„„.li„ .  ,  '  """" ""  ''"  "'■• 

K.™K>i..  in  .li.5,  liacl^  I    ;  L              ,  .'"m  """  ''""'  "'"'  '""'  '"■" 

i..inc,l   l,vro,.  v„i„„.ceL  ,■,,„„:    ,l;*""',f  "'" ^-  "'" 

French  Ca„a.,ia„,.  a,  „„„,„.„   „„X     "n^'^^' T"   ""^^   »"- 

IP-  o       1-       ^.  I'y  desertion  on    the   Ott-iw-. 

"^'  ■""■'  -■■--■-■.y-f  La.e  \Vinni,K.„  ,..,,  „„„„  „i/,i„,  7;  ' 

tions,  an,l  »it  ,mi  f,,„„    ,|,al   |„,in,  „„  ,|,,.  ,s,fc     r  r  Prepara- 

'-• '.%  .0  .IK.  n,„.t„„.J,     A.  '  ,  '    .   p*/  >-•  ■"  -"•"-  .l>0 

on>pl„vo  „r  the    Hudson   ,,„,  c„„,  ,.,  ,       ,  f?  '"  ""  ^"■""'  "^  "" 

on  Cc.il  Slave  I,al<e  f]„.  ^,1,     r  %  "  '  Resoiulion, 

Lake,  ,l,c  Ml,  ,„  An^-nst.     liaelc  ,h„,  describes  |,i,  ,,„„, 

'''■'"■  »"""""<im!,.s  ..,  camp  a,  F,.  R,sol„ti 

'-  "■■  -■^-  -■ an,e  n,a.c,.ial,  rich  J       V,,  '  "  T'"        "'  "' 

"CO  of  ll,c  c.lonv   a  ri,.,l  »■  '       '  ^''■'■■'"'^  ''""■•  "''•■  I"«l- 

■  -  "".-.ionii; ,:'';::, :;  ^'  '"^'v^?"'  ^'■"°^^"'"  "^■■"■■■'- 

""-     l>el,;n,l    ,„e  wee  .      ,  "'.'""^-^  ""■  """  '■^"-'■'■°-  - 

.     .,  „,,.und,  wlide  the  different  corners  of  the  tent 


itimiii  Iflilfi 


M8 


AT  FOliT  REHOLUnON. 


li 


were  occupied  liy  a  washiiijj  nppnratiis,  a  j;iin,  an  Indian  shot-poucli, 
l»at(s,  hasiiiM,  and  an  unhappy  lookiiij^  japanned  pot,  wl\()si'  nK-lancholy 
l)innps  and  hollows  seenicd  to  rcproacii  nit;  lor  many  a  hruisc  cnduivd 
upon  the  rocks  and  portajjes  hctwucn  Montreal  and  Lake  Winnipeg. 
Nor  were  my  crew  less  motley  than  the  fnrnitnre  of  the  tent.  It  con- 
sisted of  an  Kiifjfiishman,  a  man  from  Stornaway,  two  Cana(h'ans,  two 
metifs  or  half-l)rceds,  and  three  Iroquois  Indians.  Hahel  could  not  have 
produced  a  worse  confusion  of  inharirionious  sounds  than  was  the  con- 
versation they  kept  u);." 

Here  Back  separateil  from  McLcod  and  his  family,  five  of  his  men 
bein^  detailed  to  accompany  them,  while  with  the  other  four  he  pusiied 
forward  to  the  northeast  in  search  of  the  upper  waters  of  the  Thlew-ee- 
Choh,  or  Great  Fish  River  of  the  Nortij.  On  Au<j.  19  they  began  the 
ascent  of  the  series  of  rapids  and  waterfalls  which  form  the  tloar  Frost 
River;  and  on  the  37th — after  eij^ht  days  of  weary  strugj^le  with  forests, 
swamps,  portaj;es,  streams,  lakelets,  rapids,  and  cascades — Back,  from 
the  summit  of  a  hill,  saw  to  the  northeast  the  wide  e>:panse  of  water  now 
known  as  Aylmer  Lake.  Sendinfj  forward  three  men  with  a  canoe  to 
explore  the  connectin<^  river.  Back  proceeded  to  search  tiie  vicinity  of 
the  camp,  and  discovered  the  source  of  the  jfreac  river  he  soui^ht,  in 
Sand  Hill,  now  Sussex  Lake.  Tlie  men  returned  on  the  29th,  liavinjf 
reached  Aylmer  Lake  on  the  second  day  out;  and  Back  celel)rate(l  liis 
discovery  with  them.  "  For  this  occasion,"  he  savs,  "  I  had  reserved  a 
little  gro;;,  and  need  hardly  say  with  what  cheerfulness  it  was  shared 
among  the  crew,  whose  welcome  tidings  liad  verifietl  the  notion  of  I)r 
Richardson  and  myself,  and  thus  placed  l>cyond  doubt  tlie  existence  of 
the  Thlew-ee-Choh,  or  Great  Fish  River." 

Attempting  to  push  on  to  the  river  proper  on  the  3olh,  they  fouiui 
the  rapids  of  Musk-ox  T^ake  impracticable  with  their  present  equipment, 
and  concluded  to  return  to  Great  Slave  Lake  for  the  winter,  Thev 
struck  tlie  lakes  Clinton-Colden  and  Artillery  on  the  return  triji,  ami 
abandoning  their  canoe,  set  out  across  the  rugged  and  broken  countrv 
for  the  appointed  rendezvous.  Climbing  over  precipices  anil  picking 
their  wav  through  gorges  and  ravines  encumbered  with  masses  of  grau- 


■WSBWI 


Ty  r 


^KAITCHO. 

JJIft 
ite,  they   rcaclitd   the  extreme   mmwi,      , 

cl.n„.     W'i.h  .h„  i„crc„„r  h  '-■■"■'f""abl.  resLlc-nc.  sc.  up  by 

..Nc»- "..  .He  5.,,  or  .:j:  i, '■ : :  ir:  ""-7 '?"-  - p- 

fifty  fc«  lu,,,-  by  thinv  wile       ,  r    •'  ""'""""  "''^■"'■'-    "  ''"» 

....un„  b.„,  the'  , ; :;.',::'';'';''"'  ■•""  «■-•  -"-s  "«i..e» . 

-.  ^"oa.  n,.,c.,y  c„„.  j;  ;         ,  "^'  /■■""™  7"'°-    To  i.  wa,  auachc, 

limilal  s„>rvs.       H,,,,,,,,  -    ,|,X       7  '""  '"  """""    f'"™   'heir 

ranime,  ,v,th  bcr  gaunt  ami  bonv  arm  ••  ,-,v.   n     , 
'■  ple;..sec   t  lem  at  evei-v  rm-.^   .  -.i         i    .  '       ^'   "-''eK, 

own   plate  with  the  children    k^U^      i    .   .  ''''""*-*  '"^' 

'-"'-'>•  '"--.■".. ';  ;:^: :  ':';:;r "" '''""'-  -'-  --- 

folt,  b„,  tha,  heatt  must  be  cased  in     ,     ,      !*,         '  """^  "■■  ""^  '""  '"•' 
ef  a  ehil,l  f„,.  f„„,,.-  "'  '"  *"='  ^"^-''  '«  "«"*'=  •«  the  e,y 

Akaitcho,  an  I„<|i„„  chief  of  the   resio,,  near  Artillery  T    l 

™-.  »"..>va.,ee,  the  ..fflcer.  eon.en.;,,  ^^^1:^:^'-''  T" 
pcmmicaii  per  ,!av      The  .-nM  "-"^^^^  ^^'^'^    '^alf  a  pound  of 

--'.V  l.-"e  .Lir^    a         "7  ^r  "";-  """  '"'  '"--  ""'>l 

'%'Ser»  in  leather  „,„„,.,     he     ain  T "''"'"  '"   """  '"e 

-ore  s„  e.erueiatin<..     fstl,  '""' ,      "  ""  """'  "'  ^■■""  "'-' 

.-  ...e  .l.er,n,.„,ete;hi„     ;  h  ,  T:.  ,    7  ""  '"'  '"'"  '  """''  ""'         ^ 

The- .extant  boxes  an.l   c  ,ses     f  ^^^'^^C'-o-     Ink  and  pa.nt  froze. 

T.      ,  •  "^  seasoned   wood,  princin-illv  fi.-     ii       ,• 

^lic  skn.  of  the  hands  hec-»e  drv    ^r     L    i  ''"""'P'^''^  ««'  ^'H  spht. 

^c^-»^  ''n,uacked,and   opened   into   unsightly 


^/ 


1!?^ 


360 


NEWS   OF  ROSS. 


\n- 


li't' 


gashes,  which  \vc  were  ohligcd  to  anoint  with  grease.  On  one  occasion, 
after  washing  my  face  within  three  feet  of  the  fire,  my  hair  was  actually 
clotted  with  ice  before  I  had  time  to  dry  it."  The  whites  were  now 
themselves  in  ilangcr  of  perishing,  their  hunters  being  unable  to  replen- 
ish their  fast-dwindling  stores;  but  Akaitcho,  with  his  more  hardy  and 
experienced  Indians,  succeeded  in  procuring  ronsiderable  game,  which 
he  freely  shared  with  the  strangers.  "The  gicat  ciiief  trusts  in  us,"  he 
said,  "and  it  is  better  that  ten  Indians  shoulil  perish,  than  that  one  while 
man  should  perish  through  our  negligence  and  breach  ot  faith." 

On   the  14th  of  Februarv,  iS^).,  McLeod    removed  his  family   nearer 
to  the  Indian  hunting  grounds  in  the  hope  of  being  better  able  to  supply 


KITCHEN  AT   FORT  UEUA.NCE. 

their  wants.  Six  of  the  natives  near  his  new  camp  died  of  starvation^ 
and  his  party  were  for  a  time  in  some  danger  of  meeting  the  same  fale. 
On  the  25th  of  April  a  messenger  arrived  at  I'^ort  Reliance,  to  inform 
Back  of  the  arrival  in  lingland,  of  Capt.  iioss  and  the  survivors  of  hi^ 
partv.  "In  the  fullness  of  our  hearts  we  assembleil  together,"  savs 
Hack,  "and  huml)lv  offered  up  our  thanks  to  t.ial  meri-iful  Providence, 
who,  in  the  beautiful  language  of  Scri])ture,  hath  said:  'Mine  own  will 
I  brinir  again,  as  1  did  sometime  tVom  the  deeps  of  the  sea.'  The 
thoughts  of  so  wonderful  a  preservation  overpowered  for  a  time  the  com 
n  on  occurrences  of  life.  We  had  just  sat  down  to  breakfast,  but  oin- iip- 
pctite  was  gone,  and  the  day  was  passed  in  a  feverish  state  of  exei'.ea  e.r." 


A   SLEDGE   yOURNET. 


Mine  own  wil 


1...  ,  ,o„evo,,„,„ot   relax  i„  l,i.    „„parn,l„„.  f„,  ,.,p,.,„,,  „„ 
Oroal    I.,»h.l,vo,.,,..  wh,chho    c„„,.l  ,lcv„te  him.elfwilh   .ho  1 J  .lU 

;';"" ""'";•■"  "^'  -■""  -'-■-'  f-"'  ^'"    app,.ehen,io„    about  Ro,» 

H..V,...    «„.   McU,..l  a,„,  hi,    ,,a„y  ah.,.l  t, „,  „„,  ,„,„„,,„„;,„ 

.....,■.   Rohancc    such.,„,-e,  a,  they  ,l.,i,.„,   ,„  „k„  .,,„„^_  g„^,,  ^^^ 

-  ".     llH.  7.     ,„  J,.,H,,  acc.„„pa„ie,|  hy   ,>,..  Ki„,.  f,„„.  a,.„„,a„,»,  „,„, 

-  In,,,an  ,„„l.  A.  Anille.y  Lake  h.  r„„,„,  ,h„  h„ac  buil,.,.,  he  had 
|I^..Uo  e,l  .n  acl.,„cc  a,,.,  U,o  ,,.,„,,  ,„cy  ha.l  oa.tn.c.oc!.  Taki„„.  .he 
1.CS,  „f  those,  ho  ft.,0.1  u  „.i,h  ,.„„„c,-»  anor  tho  ,„a„„e,-  „f  Pa,,v's  boat, 
."  ■-7.     Thoy  .,„.,<   a  ,K..,  .an  .„.  tbo  ,.,h,  „Hh  ..  ,o,,  a..;,che!,  It 

'"-.  ""'"-»'"'"•■•  '""    -- --i,,,,  SOVC-O      S,„.„.S.,„.„„  „,„,  „„  „;„,,, 

.1.0,.  p„,,,.o„  „.a.   ,,„„,     o„    tho  .,„,  ,hov   f,.„ .,„  „f  M,Leod',  do' 

1.-..S  c,„„a„„„s  a  H„pply  „f  door  a„d  ,„„sk.„x  flosh,  and  two  dav,  later 
-oo..n,,  ,„all,olovo„a„i,„al,.  To  ovoroon.o  tho  ,,„e„„i,.,.no;,  „f  ,„; 
-a,  Lack  ordered  that  hi,  „„■„  ratio,,,  a„d  ,h„,o  of  .he  otKcer,,  ,ho„ld 
o™|.r,»o  a  d,.o  ,ha,o  of  the  objectiooablo  „„„k-ox  flo,h,  and  i„,pres,ed 
"P.a   to,,,    tl,o  „ooo,si,y  of  o„,„ha,i,„  „a.|,.  p,.oj„dico,,    r„d  ,„i„'   „,„„ 

"'""'-'"'■■'-■»«  «".;li  lo i»  the  oo,i„irv  M.ppliod 

Reaobin,  Sa„d  Hill  ,,ako  o„  tl,:  .;,h,    ,hey   fo,,,,.,    McLeod',  party 
™-"l"l  .1,0,0 ;  a„d  ,1,0   „oxt  day,  a.ior  a  short  portage  of  „,dy  a  \Z 

::,"',;""'■■  ",:''™"    "■-  '^""■•-■'- ■   "-  "PP--  "'...orsof  the  Great 

•.sh   R.vor.     1  hoy  soon  .-oacho,!  Hack',  li„,it  of  tbo  preceding  year  a„,l 
;v",.  ,„ooo,,f,.l,y  aoo,„„pli,ho.d  ,bo  lo„.  p.,rtage  of  fo„r  ,„ilo,  beyond 
-•l-..."in,,,  „„al  di,po,i,io,„  bo,;„.o   p,,,oeedi„s  to  deseon.l  the  i-iver 

"'■  ""■'"'  "'•'•' ^•'"'  "■"  "-■  -'■    '■■'"•■'-..  dog,  to  ,.e.„„,  t„  Fort 

R=»    ala.„   to  take  cha,,o  of  the  „,pp,i,,  ,„  ,,„  ,,,„^„.j^,,  ,„ 

'"■    "••■  ■'"*-'^  Bay  C.„„pa„y;  to  soloet    a  pennanent  t;,bing  ,t,I,i„n 

.1-    .roa,  ,.  „1,  R„,„.  to  an-o,,,  ,„eh  a„i,ta„oe  a,  ,„ight  be  ..e^t'i,.,,  bv 
"l.lo,™.  pa,.,y  „„  i„  ,,.„,r„  ,Vo,„   ,bo  ,„„„,      t,,,  ^      j 

U,  of  ,,,  y  ,,aok,  aoeo„,pa„io,i  by  to,,  po„„,„,  took  hi,  departure  in 
<IH  I'oat,  vv„b  ,,,,,„„  p„„,„|,  of  p,.ov.i,i,„„  f„„|„  ,.„„„,,  j,.j,^ 


iiiiiii 


itmntit 


852 


PASSING  RAPIDS. 


Now  began  a  series  of  remarkable  feats  of  dexterity  and  courage. 
Rapid  after  rapid  had  to  be  passed,  always  with  elements  of  danger,  and 
often  bristling  with  chances  of  disaster.  For  about  a  hundred  miles  they 
had  the  exciting  alternations  of  cascades  and  rapids  in  quick  succession. 
In  many  of  these  a  slight  miscalculation,  or  what  in  other  circumstances 
would  be  a  trifling  negligence,  would  have  proved  fatal;  but  the  skill 
and  quick  dexterity  of  the  men  was  never  at  fault,  and  the  boat  was 
safely  guided  through  the  most  precipitous  rapids.  Sometimes  it  was 
necessary  to  unload  her,  and  carry  the  provisions  ahead  to  be  agai(  put 
aboard  as  soon  as  the  plunge  was  successfully  made.  At  one  time,  where 
the  river  trends  to  the  south,  it  seemed  as  if  it  would  conduct  them  to 
Chesterfield  Inlet  and  Hudson's  13ay,  but  soon  it  again  turned  to  the 
north,  and  there  remained  no  doubt  that  it  was  the  Great  Fish  River. 
After  a  time  tliey  reached  the  wide  expansions  which  Back  successively 
named  Lakes  Felly,  Garry,  Macdougall  and  Franklin.  On  the  zSth  of 
July  they  fell  in  with  a  tribe  of  thirty-five  Esquimaux,  who  jjroved  of 
great  service  to  them  in  making  the  lact  long  portage,  worn  out  as  they 
were  by  their  previous  labors.  Back  descried  in  the  distance  the  head- 
land at  the  mouth,  which  he  named  Victoria,  and  concluded  that  he  had 
at  length  reached  the  estuary    of  the  river. 

"  This,  then,"  says  he,  "  may  be  consitlered  as  the  month  of  tiic 
Thlew-ee-Choh,  which,  after  a  violent  and  tortuous  course  of  530  geo- 
graphical miles,  running  through  an  iron-ribbed  country,  without  a  single 
tree  or;  the  whole  line  of  its  banks,  expanding  into  five  large  lakes,  with 
clear  horizon,  most  embarrassing  to  the  navigator,  and  broken  into  tails, 
cascades  and  rapids,  to  the  number  of  eighty-three  in  the  whole,  pours  its 
water  into  the  Polar  Sea,  in  latitude  67"  1 1  '  N.,  and  longitude  94°  30' 
W.,  that  is  to  say,  a'oout  thirty-seven  miles  more  south  than  the  Copper- 
mine River,  and  nineteca  miles  more  south  than  {Jack's  River  (of 
Franklin),  at  the  lower  extremity  of  Bathurst's  Inlet,"  wiiich  opens 
south  from  Coronation  Gulf.  Pushing  forward  along  the  eastern  siiorc 
of  the  estuary  with  great  difficulty,  without  fire,  and  almost  witlinut 
water,  in  cold,  foggy  weather,  tramping  through  slush  and  snow,  tiicy 
reached,  \\\  ten  days,  6S°  13'  57"  by  94°  5S'   \\  which  Back  conckRled 


VOrAGB  IN  THE   TERROR. 
to  ,nuko  Ihe  limit  of  his  exploration.     Across  tlie  ,  , 
vv.-».  1,0  saw  a  headland  at  6S"  ,6'  hy  06 •  I  '  '°  ""  '""■"'- 

so,.,  having  befo,.e  na.ed  Capes  Bel,fort  ™d'  H  "'"""'  'i^'^  '''''''"'■ 
Ro..„„i„g,  five  weeks  were    con  ,1    ,  '  ""       "  '"^"""  ''''=■ 

S„„d  „i,l  Lake,  where  the,  arrled  Ser    6  '"    Tr''"'  ""'  '""  "> 
i".  .1,0.,,  with  ,„„eh  needed  ,„  '  ,         "^        '  "'"'  '""""  ^"^Leod  await. 

" -J  -..  after  ahandoned  th       ^^^    "^  '""  ?  "'"'  ^"""^  '"■ 

"'0  »ce„t,  .akin,  .heir  provisions         t^'^:!  "     "T  '""'^""'^-  "' 
|>m,i„ls  to  each.     On  the  37th  tl,  ,     ,  '      '""'  ■"^™'y-five 

' - "  -.  -e-  r:  T^z:::^^:::::;  ,rr-'  -'  "•  ^^^^ 

Ih,  comse  or  ti,tir  Ion-  •„„l        ■.         •  ^     "''  "^I^'-icnced  in 

II, L,,    long  ,,|„|  perilous    oumev  "  ■,(>„,    .       u 

,t,vs  on  the  pint  of  Back  -o,,!  I  ■    •  ,  •'''"""^''  "f  "2 

-.  "ith  McLe«!:.h        p^'™™'.""'"""^-"-"-   All  b„t  six  were 

«■»."  p^".v  settled  f:  t:  r°"  ■^^ '-'  -'»-^-''  ■-"-/» 
::r:::eih:,:ti3B-^-':^=::: 

.-e  the  overland  ron.e  t'o  C  „"  U  "'"''"T""'  "'""  ^'^'  °'"  '"  ^ 

'"^-  «»'-0',  a nlvcl   at  Norway  Honse  o     [  '     w"  '""'  "' 

^4.1..  nee  his  acconnts  with  th  U^^^']^"""'^"'"'  "'= 
i'«..l,an.l  he  pushed  rorwa,d  ,hro„„h  r  ,  "^  ^™"pa„y  we,e  ad. 
I."  ».ilcd  to  Eir.land    ,,-rivi  '         '"  "*""  ^''"''<  "l'™--= 

.«35.  after  an  ahL.     'o      :  ';    ,  '::'"""'   ""  "^  «'"  "'■  «.-,nher, 

■"«"  la.^--  Dr.  King  a,id  .  .e'  .'h ^r^^  T"  '"""""'  '^'^  "™  ""^»-     ^ 

'-  ■■''■"'^  ""■'-.•»  na,  c..„,p  .  ,  r  ';::k "^'""  "■  f ""''■'""  '■- 
••^'■-■^■---..i.ve;.,e,::;:xrr:^::i:'- 

BACK'S   VOYAGE  IN  THE  TERROR. 

At  the  insti.rat.on  of  tiic  Royal   Gcocrinhi..,!   «     • 
"■Klertuok  a  vuya<.e   of  ex„lor..H  '"-''^^'"^"'  ^^^^'^'^X'  C^.pt.  I^ack 

^^  y  .c         exploration,  or  surve;^,  mainly  to  .supply  son,c 


tUt/fMsSDKtmmmmmiitn^iimm- 


n^^^m^w*^ 


354 


NIPPED  IN   THE  ICE. 


missiii''  links  in  the  chain  of  former  discoveries  in  North  America.  He 
was  to  make  for  Wager  River  or  Repulse  Ray,  as  might  l)c  found  most 
practicable;  and  thence  to  dispatch  exploring  parties  to  reach  Franklin's 
Point  Turnagain  to  the  northwest,  and  Parry's  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait 
to  the  north,  along  the  western  coast  of  Melville  Peninsula. 

The  Terror  was  made  ready  for  sea  with  the  proper  equipment  of 
men  and  supplies,  and  in  nine  months  after  his  return  Back  set  sail  (or 
the  northwest  on  the  14th  of  June,  1S36.  About  the  ist  of  August  they 
encountered  the  ice  in  Davis'  Strait — Back  noticed  one  iceberg  "  the  per- 
pendicular face  of  which  w;is  not  less  than  300  feet  high  " — and  soon  be- 
came entangled  in  the  ice-floe.  Pushing  through  Hudson's  Strait,  they 
reached  Salisbury  Island  on  the  14th  of  August,  and  made  across  the 
lower  portion  of  Fox's  Channel,  for  the  Frozen  Strait,  on  their  way  to 
Repulse  Bay.  On  the  5th  of  September  they  had  to  force  their  way 
into  open  water,  and  Back  tlius  describes  the  scene:  "  The  ligiit-heartcd 
fellows  pulled  [the  obstructing  masses  of  ice]  in  unison  to  a  cheerful 
song,  and  laughed  and  joked  with  the  unreflecting  merriment  of  school- 
boys. Every  now  and  then  some  luckless  wight  broke  through  the  ice, 
and  plunged  up  to  his  neck;  another,  endeavoring  to  remove  a  piece  of 
ice  by  pushing  against  a  larger  mass,  would  set  himself  adrift  with  it,  and 
every  such  adventure  was  followed  by  shouts  of  laughter  and  vociferous 
mirth." 

"  On  the  2oth  of  September,  shortly  after  9  o'clock,"  says  Back,  "  a 
floe  piece  split  in  two,  and  the  extreme  violence  of  the  pressure  curled 
and  crumpled  up  the  windward  ice  in  an  awful  manner,  forcing  it  against 
the  beam  fully  eighteen  feet  high.  The  ship  cracked,  as  it  were,  in  agony, 
and  strong  as  she  was,  must  have  been  crushed  had  not  some  of 
the  smaller  masses  been  forced  under  her  bottom,  and  so  diminished 
the  strain  by  actually  lifting  her  bow  nearly  two  feet  out  of  the  water 
In  this  perilous  state  steps  were  taken  to  have  everything  in  readiness 
for  hoisting  out  the  barge;  and,  without  creating  unnecessary  alarm,  the 
officers  and  men  were  called  on  the  ([uarter-deciv,  and  desired,  in  case  of 
emergency,  to  be  active  in  the  performance  of  their  duties  at  the  respec- 
tive stations  then  notifieil  to  them.     It  was  a  serious  moment  for  all,  as 


America.  He 
t  be  found  most 
each  Franklin's 
nd  Hecla  Strait 
la. 

er  equipment  of 
[iack  set  sail  for 
of  August  they 
eberg  "  the  per- 
' — and  soon  be- 
)n's  Strait,  they 
Tjade  across  the 
on  their  way  to 
'orce  their  way 
he  light-hearted 
n  to  a  cheerful 
ment  of  school- 
througii  the  ice, 
MTiove  a  piece  of 
drift  with  it,  and 
r  and  vociferous 

'  says  Back,  «  a 
pressure  curled 
forcing  it  against 
:  were,  in  agonv, 
d  not  some  of 
i\  so  diminished 
ut  of  the  water 
ng  in  readiness 
issary  alarm,  the 
^ircd,  in  case  of 
:s  at  the  respec- 
ament  for  all,  as 


855 


'  >'il 


'WItMmiljimtmiimmttm: 


856 


IMPRISONED, 


the  pressure  still  continued,  nor  could  we  expect  much  if  any  abatnnciit 
until  the  wind  changed."  The  next  day,  after  heinj^  more  than  twciily- 
four  hours  in  imminent  peril  of  beinuj  crushed  by  the  pressure,  "  One 
mass  of  ponderous  dimensions  burst  from  its  imprisonment  below,"  and 
the  staunch  Terror,  "  after  several  astounding  thumps  under  watci," 
regained  her  upright  position,  substantially  uninjured.  They  had  now- 
been  a  month  beset,  and  had  concluded  to  cut  an  ice-dock  for  the  ship, 
when  the  ice-continent  began  to  break  up  into  detached  masses  and  hum- 
mocks. For  several  days  the  ship  was  out  of  position,  with  her  stern 
seven  feet  and  a  half  too  high,  her  bow  correspondingly  low,  and 
her  deck  a  slippery  inclined  plane.  On  the  first  of  October  the  vessel 
righted,  with  a  snug  dock,  just  her  size,  ready  made  by  the  ice-kin_^. 
They  now  proceeded  to  surround  the  ship  with  snow-walls,  and  to  erect 
an  observatory  on  the  floe,  thus  extemporizing  winter  quarters. 

On  the  3 2d  a  masquerade  party  was  held  on  board,  and  theatrical 
entertainments  followed,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  heterogeneous  crew. 
A  few  of  these  were  men-of-war's  men;  half  a  dozen,  perhaps,  had  seen 
service  in  Greenland  vessels;  and  the  bulk  of  the  remainder,  seamen 
only  in  name,  had  served  in  the  coasting  colliers  of  England.  And  so 
the  winter  wore  away  with  the  Terror  "securely  locked  in  the  ice,  but 
with  no  guaranty  against  sudden  and  dangerous  surprises,  while  she 
helplessly  drifted— slowly  or  rapidly,  according  to  circumstances — hillicr 
and  thither,  under  the  influence  of  the  wind  and  the  movement  of  the 
surrounding  ice.  Christmas  came  and  went;  the  first  of  January,  1837, 
followed;  January  gave  way  to  February,  and  there  was  yet  no  chan,i,a'. 
As  the  19th  of  that  montii  passed  the  dividing  line  into  the  20th,  a 
new  dan<'-er  arose.  For  three  hours  after  midnight,  the  ice  alternately 
opened  and  shut,  threatening  to  crush  the  stoutly-built  Terror,  like  an 
egg-shell.  At  4  o'clock  great  fissures  appeared,  and  the  ice  began  to 
move.  After  eight  it  grew  more  quiet,  and  at  nine  Back  summoned  ihe 
men  to  the  quarter-deck  to  gise  them  such  exhortations  and  advice  as 
the  occasion  required.  He  reminded  them  that  as  British  seamen  they 
were  called  upon  to  conduct  themselves  with  coolness  and  fortitude,  and 
that,  independently  of  the  obligations  imposed  by  the    Articles  of  War, 


any  abaUinciit 
e  than  twenty- 
)ressure,  "  One 
:nt  below,"  and 

under  water," 
rhey  had  now 
k  for  the  ship, 
lasses  and  huni- 
with  her  stem 
ingly  low,  and 
ober  the  vessel 
y  the  ice-kin<T. 
lis,  and  to  erect 
larters. 

,  and  theatrical 
rogeneous  crew, 
jrhaps,  had  seen 
lainder,  seamen 
gland.  And  '-o 
:d  in  the  ice,  but 
rises,  while  she 
nstances — hither 
ovoment  of  the 
f  January,  1837, 
i  yet  no  chanj^e. 

into  the  20th, a 
le  ice  alternately 

Terror,  like  an 
;hc  ice  began  to 
k  summoned  the 
s  and  advice  as 
sh  seamen  they 
lid  fortitude,  and 
Articles  oi"  War, 


A    CJi/T/CAL   HOUli 

357 

,.vc,v  .,,,0  „u„„  . ,  K.  ;„„,.,„,„,  ,,^,  ,„^  ,,.„  ^.^^^  ^^^^^^^  __^^ 

,..,.  ..o,.    „  ....  h,s  „,„,.     They  .e.e  five  ,„  ei,H.  ,„„e»  .V„™  ,he  „o„„ 

..»s..,    S  „,  a„,p,„„I*„K|.     Kx,  a    cl„e,,;,„.   w»  .lenll    ,„  t,,e    ,„..„., 

he  III  ivadmess  at  a  moment's  nnti,-..       a*.  •       , 

"it-nc  s  notice.      At  noon  the  l Oe   be.ran  todrifV  f« 

.he  .„..,  .  T.,„„,„ ,  „„.,  ,..,.„,,  ,„^,  „„^,,_ ..  ^,^,^^  ^^  ;;-^2 

Sp,u„e,,e„  .„  .50    ..,,.  ,„„,„„.,„,  „„„„.  ^.^,, .  ^^^  ^^^ 
f"l.  »...i  all  more  „r  less  awe-inspin,.,,  I  h„,l  ...ve,-  wi.nesse.l,   „„r  eve,, 

J  '■i.<^,i,nce,it  as   the    movinsr  towers  ■,,,,1 
i-nnparts  ehat  i„nv  IVowiieil  on  every  side." 

'-■    "-e  ho„rs  ehe  Shi,,  ,,„ai;K,l    :„„o„,,„,  excep,  hy  .he  „s„,„ 
,-ss.„.e,„    he,ee;,„„at5   o'eloe.   a„  extn,  „ip    „as   ,.eceive<l    hy   .he 

";;•■ ■'  ; ""■"^'  "'  "•'   «-  ■"  "hiel'  «ho  was  e,„„e,Ue.l,  a,  .,  a„. 

""•■■■  -     "•"■  l-er  see„,e,l  ,.,    ,„a.e  every  p,a„,  ,roa„  i„  a.o,  v,  while 

»l"'""  ■!  "P  >.-islitee„  i„elK.s.     A  similar     ,„„.,.  .  .  "nile 

^v    Mmii.ii     .(  ueeze    was   exm-r  <"iin.>,l 
at  seven  f,„,r.  the   ciosin-    „f  •,    „.,n-,m.    1  experienced 

.       "  ''    "'"'"'^     '='»e.   astern;   an<!   then    for   „i„e 

l"...rs  there    was    quiet.      A    movement   ,.f  ,h,    ioo     it    i    .' -I      L        ,  \ 

.1       I  •  .    1  .  "'^   4  o  clock    re  easerl 

the  ship,  and  she  mde  once  more  in  the   wat.-,-        1     .     .  • 

e  Ml  tnc   watei,  oidy  to  Ih;  aga  11  lifted   an 

;""■   '-'^"r"'   ■"="-  -   '»•'-     A.  i„.erva,s,  .he,;  was  a       2 

'"""  ""■;■;  '■•■"^™-"^«  ^' ' «!'-''  'T ,he  ship's  .i,„,.e,.s,  Jt 

">'""•'"   cha„,e  .,1,  ,he  ,5,,,  ,„■  Mareh.     Back  .h.  s  .-eeor.ls  w  ha     h  " 

l...,.,«ne.l:     ..While  we  were  ,1 ,,„.,,„,  al„„,  .he  l„„.,:w 

";;": '."■'■^-  ''■':. '■-"■"— '-^-   an,l  ,.oe.v,  ,ho„,h   w       ,„ 

r  -"  '  '■']  '■■;"•  '"""""  "'^-  '-»•  - "■«.  a  1-avv  n.sh  ea,„e    „p 

:  f  "•  ' 7";  ■'  •-'-'""-  P—  <>..  H,e  larhoar,,   „,a,..e,- 

ua  ,.p„„  .he  heavv  „,ass  „„  her  s.arh„a,a,  .„.ar.e,..     The  s.,.ai     wa 

,:;;,:::•  T  """  '■'"'" '"- '-'-'-  -■-  ■'«-'-'  -  •-  --v- 

,"'■""-""" '^■'-    '"""■■<'    lhclan.liee.     S,.,l.le„lv,  however   a 

;■'  ■'"■'>  :-i   -m,l.a„eo„sly  .he  ou.er  s,er„-pos.  ,V„,„  ,he   .e.,,-,.,., 

;;■■;;    »«'^'  ..i.w.ar.l  ..  .h,.ee  ,,e,.     The  ship  was  .h,'owl  „p  hv  ,  Is,      ," 
"'^-  •^"'™  """  "  '-"■  '•-•'  '""■•^i  -"  'ha.  .,a.,.a,e    h ,  e,,' „   Z 


Map 


^I»mmmmmmtmm<m*mmmm**m^ 


RELEASE. 

soon  j)lacc(l  liiyond  (loul)t  hy  I  Ik-  increase  of  leakage,  vvhieli  now 
amounted   to  three  feet   per  lionr." 

^^xtra  puinps  were  worked;  and  llie  cntters  witli  two  whale- 
boats  were  headed  anil  liaitled  off  to  [jhices  of  <^reati;r  security.  An 
cvcr-increasinf^-  rush  be^au  alxnit  S  o'clock;  and  at  10:45  it  came 
on  with  a  roar  towaid  tiie  s'nip,  uptin'nin>jf  tiie  ice  in  front,  and  rolling 
layer  npon  layer  to  a  heij^ht  of  twenty-five  feet.  This  liu<^e  mass 
was  pushed  forwanl  until  it  reached  the  stern,  where  it  stopped,  hurlinj^ 
however,  a  consideralile  fra^nnent  on  the  larboard  quarter,  creatinj^  a 
temporary  leakajj^e  by  tiie  strainiu<^  of  the  stern.  Two  hours  later,  a 
similar  rush  with  a  like  consequence  took  place,  with  the  additional  result 
of  lifting  the  ship's  stern,  and  breaking  up  their  "cherished  <'ourtyiir(l,  its 
walls  and  arched  doors,  gallery,  and  well-trodden  jxiths,  whicli  were 
rent,  and  in  some  parts  plougiied  up  like  dust.  Within  fiftcc.-n  minutes 
another  surging  mass,  thlrtv  feet  liigh,  v/as  driven  toward  tiie  star- 
board (|uarter,  creating  also  a  tetiiporary  leakage,  but  llie  main  Ixxh- 
falling  short  of  the  ship  as  before.  Tlie  ship  cracked  and  trembled  and 
groaned  violently;  and  tiie  rushes  continued  at  intervals,  but  with  dimin- 
ished force  until  4  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  Marcli  16,  when  it  grew 
still.  They  were  onlv  liiree  miles  from  a  spit  of  land,  which  was  brist- 
ling witii  shore  ice  surmounted  by  a  ridge  of  roUed-up  ice  perha[)s  sixtv 
feet  in  height,  and  which  they  named  Point  Terror. 

Now  another  season  of  con;narative  repose  set  in,  lasting  almost 
three  months,  the  vessel  still  drifting  with  the  ice — several  hundred  miles 
from  lirst  to  last—  when,  on  the  1  itii  of  July,  while  the  men  were  occu- 
pied with  the  labor  of  cutting  her  loose,  tiie\'  were  startled  by  various 
crackings  and  noises  underneath.  Soon  a  loud  rumbling  was  heard,  and  an 
instant  later  the  ship  at  length  floated  tree  in  her  natural  eienieiit,  iiaviiig 
(inally  burst  the  icy  bonds  whicli  lield  her  last  nine  months.  Durin^^ 
four  of  these  she  was  held  out  of  the  water  in  an  ice-cradle,  or  lloatin;^ 
ice-dock;  and  for  weeks  before  being  frozen  in,  she  was  so  closely  beset 
that  she  may  be  said  to  have  been  imprisoned  for  almost  eleven  months 
out  of  the  thirteen  that  had  passed  since  she  left  England.  They  li;iil 
cut  the  ice  i  .  within  four  feet  of  tlic  stcru-iiost  before  she  broke  loose,  and 


AT  Home. 


itli  two  whiilc- 
•    security.     An 

10:45  it  came 
out,  and  roiling 
his  huj^e  mass 
topped,  liiirlin;^ 
iter,  crc'atiii<;-  a 
)  hours  later,  a 
additional  result 
;d  <-ourtyin-d,  its 
is,  which  were 
fifteen  niimites 
ward  till'  star- 
the  main  hodv 
id  Iremhled  and 
but  with  dimin- 

when  it  <^rcvv 
vhich  was  brist- 
:e  perha[)s  sixty 

,  lastiiiL;'  almost 
1  himdred  miles 
men  were  occii- 
rtled  by  various 
as  heard,  and  an 
dement,  havin>( 
ontlis.  l)urin<>; 
[idle,  or  lloMtini^ 
so  elosel\'  he'SL't 
t  eleven  months 
md.  Thev  had 
broki-  loose,  and 


then  slie  was  almost  eapsi/ed  by  I  he  upheaval  of  the  loosened  mass  be- 
neaih.  She  ri,L,dited  on  the  1  ^ih,  but  there  was  nothinj,'  left  except  to 
relmii  lo  Enj^hmd,  tbrtunate  if,  in  her  disabled  condition  she  could  make 
the  voya^'e.  Calkin^^,  patchin<r,  and  staunching  her  gaping  wounds 
as  best  they  could,  they  sailed  for  home,  relinquishing  all  attempt  to  ex- 
tend the  scope  of  geographical  knowledge  of  ^Torth  America.  The  Ter- 
ror not  only  made  the  voyage  in  safety,  but  will  be  again  heard  of  in  a 
second  encounter  with  Arctic  dangers. 


CHAPTER    XL. 


nEASK    AND     SIMPSON    IN    NORTH    AM  KltUA     -  \V  l  VTKU    A!     I ORT     t  ON. 

MDKNCE  —  SIIOOTIN(i     KSCAPK      K\I»IO CAPK      IT'I.I.Y RICIIAHD- 

SON's      UIVKR — MONTREM,     ISl    \ND  —  M  '  DDE  NOOK  K      IN      TAIMlif 

PENINSULA ?)ESCENDS      TIIK       VKNISEI  —  SAM(»Yi:i)S  HIFNI  l\(, 

BUTTERFLIES— ARCTIC      ANIMALS— TALMUK     LAKE— LKI-T    ALo.Ni.; 
KAKEWELI.     TO    THE     lAIMUR. 

Ruck's  land  journey  and   sea  voyajje  left  tht:  breaks   in  the  coast  siir- 
vey  of  North  America  unclosed,  and  the  task  (jf  conipietins  liie  explora- 
tion was  intrusted  by  the  Hudson's  Hay  Compaay  to  two  n(  their  otlictts, 
Peter  W  irren  Dease  and  Thomas  Simpson.     At  the  very  time  w  hen  the 
Tern.      \v;is   tloatinj,'   helplessly   in   the  ice  of   Frozen    .'-Itrait  ami   Fox's 
Channel,  these  overland  explorers,  with  a  company  of  twelve  men,  were 
swiftly  deso;ndin<?  the  MacKen/ie,  and  in  July  and  August  of  that  sear 
(1837)  they  surveyed  the  146  interveninjif  miles  between  Franklin'    Re- 
turn Reef  and  the  spot  just  beyond  Point  Harrow,  whence  Elson  retiniied 
to  the  Blossom    in  1836,  as  stated  in  a   preceding  chapter.     The  grouiwl 
was  found  frozen  to  a  depth  of  several  inches,  and  the  spray  froze  on  I  he 
oars  and   rigging  of  the  boats.     Two  rivers,  the  Gariy  and  the  Colville, 
were  discovered.     The  ice-floe  from  the  north  closing  in  i"  the  siiore  ice, 
they  were  compelled    to  abandon  their  boats,  wh    1    the  hardier  of  tiie 
leaders,  Simpson,  with  some  of  the  more  robust  of  the  men,  pushed  for- 
ward on  foot,  carrying  their  provisions  on  their  backs,  and  on  the  4th  u, 
August   readied   the  goal   already  referred   to.     Thomas   Simpson   was 
well  adapted  to  the  arduous  undertaking,  having  once  performed  the  feat 
of  marching  in  mid-winter  from   York  Factory  on  Hudson's  Hay   to  Ft. 
Chipewyan,  on  Lake  Athabasca,  a  distance  of  about  3,000  miles,  with  no 
protection  against  the  cold  but  a  cloth  cloak. 

860 


Sf/OOT/m.    THE  /iAP/DS. 


I  ncy  now  ritiinu'd  ><.  T.\^^«  f     />  i 

/  '11111110(1  to  I'ort  Lonh(  cncc  on  fir*. .»  ii        r    . 

-':'  •'-  -.  M.V, ,..,,  ,„,.„„ ;,.::::,,  :^;;y-'';-.i 

i..-.,oc.c.,  .,ua„c,-,  a.  the  head  of  lUpuKc  ,,  ,.  „,.  w  "  ""  '""' 

^;"  "-  '" --  "■^•-v  were  „„„,„,.  ,„  ,„„,H,  V,    ^^^  '*'™'  "'-■'>. 

...ey  loft  I.-„r,  Co„fi„..„cc,  a,,.,  asecn.lcl  a  riv,.,-  „  ,  ''.'""•  "^'• 

"-  -..■  no.„ .,.  „„„„,  ,„„  „„„.„  .„  :,:;-■*-  -■<'™. 

'"  ; '"•■'    ■  ^'   '•""    -*..      In  an  i,.,a„.  „";  ";      :"""^'  '"" 

»n.l  l..-l»ro  «•.  wee  av  :„,,  ,„.  |,„.„  „,„  .  '"'"  '"  ""••  '"'•"^^^i 

-■■^ ^-."inn-  ^...c  a,;,„« !:;:::;"";:  "7^'^"/"""""'-'  '■'-^• 

"7  '"■  '""«"■  !■       ''"^- ■  .."ly  chance.  ..'r  .:,JZ.  ,"  ""   '!''  '"■'»'"'•■ 

^ ""-■  '"".v  ™su.,n  Clin:   The  w„„,  „..„  ,,,  '  f  ■■""  '"■'"^■'••■'  " 

'".'•  '^ — Which  ,ia,,hc. nr,:,::xr''^"'".^'''' 

l"ec<,„ce,  more  tha>,  a  lu„„lrc(l  fVet   in  1,  •    .  .  "'''  "'  ^'^^' 

■"»■  "•-'-  "pw."<.  r™  .he .;;;':,:;:;:-'"'  ^'""v""  -™^ 

."-  wa,  al,„u,  cigh,  feet  wide,  ,.n,l  ,l,e      '  "''""''^'-'""l'-    The 

^^"^-  -"""  "-c  heen  i„,,an.  .Ie,..nc,i„n.      C  '  .l^'f  s'"?",  ^■'■^'■■ 
-nn„a,e  skill,  ,he    ,,.„  ,„„.  ,,f,,      ,„  '  ■"  '"'  '')'    ^-'nclan's  eon- 

vol"».»rv  cheer  arcs,       ,  „„  „„,  ;,„,„,     »''  '      '^  J""™  "f  ''-"h,  an  i„. 
fa..  .,r  ,.„,.  ™,„,.a,l,      ,.,,,„,  ^■''  ,""■  -  --  '"  '-.  round  ,o  view  the 

-";:■  ^ -p'  -Hon,  the  ;u.ai;;:o,;:;ir:;;:i::f.  '■  - '-"  -^  - 

Here  they  ;. waited  the  oncnin- of  .1,    •  .,      ' 

I'-eded    ea.,     .aching  C  pc     ^  "',  ""'"  ""•'  '""'  ->^^"  "-y 

:-^^-  -""'.■' -..  Cape  pni;,;::::"^  r":' ""-'-  ■'"„„,„ 

'^'■™"" "■  "-   9.hof  An,„„.     „,,,    ,„^    '^,'7     '5-".  Ken, 

'"'"e,l  lioae  Haven,  ahon.   ,l„,.e      ,-,  """  '"''  "'"ch  they 

'■"«^e,-  pro,,..  W.L  hlo     e^        :::':' "\  "■•  ■"  -'---.ain,    ..eir 

^         '"'  "'"'  '""'    'hey  waiicd  in  vain 


m 


lilCIIAIW6  o» A'  '6   A7  \  Eli. 


\>i 


fW-fff 


for  ail  opL-niii;;  till  tlic  jolli,  when  Simpson,  with  seven  men  and  pro- 
visions  for  ten  days,  sel  onl  on  foot.  They  arrival  at  Franklin's  "limit" 
the  first  ilay,  and  on  the  J3CI  they  reached  a  hold,  elevated  headland,  of 
which  Simpson  says;  »»I  ascendeel  the  heijjfht,  from  whence  a  vast  and 
splenilid  prospect  hurst  suildenly  upon  me.  The  sea,  as  if  transformed 
by  enchantment,  rollt-vl  its  fierce  waves  at  my  feet,  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  vision  to  the  eastwaril,  islands  of  various  shape  and  size  overspread  its 
surface;  and  the  northern  land  terminated  to  the  eye  in  a  boltl  and  lofty 
cape,  bearinTf  east-northeast,  thirty  or  forty  miles  distant,  while  the  con- 
tinental coast  trended  away  southeast.  I  stood,  in  fact,  on  a  remarkable 
headland,  at  the  eastern  outlet  of  an  ice-obstructed  strait.  On  the  exten- 
sive land  to  the  northward  I  bestowed  the  name  of  our  most  j^jraciuus 
sovereij^n,  Queen  Victoria.  Its  eastern  visible  extremity  I  c  .lied  Cape 
Felly,  in  compliment  to  the  governor  of  Hudson's  liay  Companj'. 

Simpson  now  retraced  his  steps  to  Boat  Haven,  which  he  reached  on 
the  30th,  havingf  surveyed  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  of  coast-line  to 
the  east  of  Point  Turnaj^ain.  Preparations  were  rapidly  made  for  the 
return  to  Fort  Conlidence,  and  they  bej^an  tl.e  ascent  of  the  Copper- 
mine River  on  the  3d  of  September.  Arrivin<if  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ken- 
dall River,  they  struck  out  across  the  country  to  the  west — leavinj^  the 
boats  until  they  should  need  them  in  the  sprinj^ — and  reached  their  win- 
ter quarters  on  the  14th. 

Settinjif  out  in  June,  1839,  for  their  third  expedition,  they  devoted  a 
week  to  explorinj^  Richardson's  River,  which  enters  Coronation  (nilf  in 
longitude  115"  56',  and  arrived  at  the  gulf  toward  the  end  of  llie  niontli. 
To  their  great  surprise  and  delight  they  found  it  almost  free  of  ice,  and 
pushing  rapidly  east,  they  doubleil  Cape  Harrow  on  the  3d  of  July. 
Reaching  Cape  Franklin,  Simpson's  limit  of  tiie  previous  year,  a  niDulh 
earlier  than  on  that  occasion,  they  doubled  (Jape  Alexander,  at  the 
eastern  entrance  of  Dease's  Strait,  in  latitude  68"  55'  anil  longitude 
106'^  45',  on  the  2Sth.  They  now  coasted  the  large  bay  or  gulf  extciul- 
ing  five  or  six  hundred  miles  to  the  east,  still  unnamed,  until  tiie  lotlmf 
August,  when  they  entered  the  narrow  strait  which  separates  the  conti- 
nent  from   King   William's    Land — now  proved  to  be  an  islaml-  -and 


\ 


'  ■■  wB-ww^^'i^iis*; 


which  lias  hcc 


MUiWEIi   OF  S/A//^S0JV. 


i>  ii.iiiicd  ill  honor  of  1 


m 


iIh'  i.^lli  I  hey  passed  Richardscn's  1' 
"I  lhi>  (iieat  Fish  River—Hack's  1 
iiiLC  tile  southern    tretui   of 
where     Jiack   had   left     a 


If  {.■ 


xplon 


"lilt  and  Point  O-k 


■r,   Simpson's   Strait.     On 


iiiiit 


1  oil    tile  estuary 


the 


'"  '^34-  On  the  16th,  still 


foil 


found  unfit  for  use 
iiiaiiaj,'ed  to  sera 


de 


^•stuary,    they  reaehed    Montreal    Isl 
:|)osit  of  provisions.     Thi 


ovv- 
land. 


.  ''"Id   the   chocolate   also   for  tl 


|H-  "tp  enoujrh  to  make  a  kettle  full 


pemmican    was 
le  most   part,   hut    they 


case  and  a  tew  fish-hooks,  "of  which 


»  iind  picked   up  a   tii 


took  possession  as  memorial- 


s; 


•ys  Simpson,  "Mr.  D 


where  the  tent  of 


that 


»»!■  ^Mllant,  thou.rh  I 


'«  our  having  breakfasted  on  ti 


*L'iise   and  I 


le  vet 


■y  spot 


■cry  ilay  five  years  bef 


ore. 


ess  successful  precursor,  had  stood 

Still  pushing  eastward,  they  re-ich,.,l    Ai       i 

an.l  their  limit  on  the  >c  h      Tl  i  ""       '""'  '''"'  ^'''•>'^  '='^-' 

-.H<ed    .>ytheusualc::^.n;.J    l::.;?'  ""'''   ''-'-''^^  ='""   - 

'  deposit  ot  documents       Fiv^m    .. 

""■■ I'  ""■-  "■'■'-  ".l.m,l  ,„oy  l,ol,el,l   M„,.,„i,   „.    .     '    ""   ■'  ";"""■ 

'< ---'--'"...M.:: :;,:::  :::::r-' "■■---■■- 

pci,,,,,!:,,  .,„,   „„„,,,  „,,^„.  --  -|.|>.»c. 1.  a 

»...!,  „r  ,h.  x.„,„  M. „„  ,,.;■"■     '  '"■> .  >--  ^""»"  .""Cy  ,„i,., 

'i""...i,  vic„.,.i.,  .s„-„i,  ....,,1,.,..,,  'r  •'*='■--">■>  to  *c.  ,„,„h 

'"--■ ■ "«  <,..i.o  r„u,  ,„„„„„    Si,,  J.  ■  .    ;    '       '""'■' "" 

"  "-•  -ly  .,a.  „r  „.i„y.,,,,  ,,  ,„,  ,,„ *"    -  '-""i,'  y.-, 

E„gl:„„|.  "'^   M-1S..PP.,    ■■vhile    c„,    his    „ny  ,o 

MIDDENDORF  IN  TAIMUR  PENINSULA. 

1  V  .1   iJ.inish  f,„ ester  namet     Hrandl    -i..,l   .    •      i 

"-  -'•'-'  ->■'  ^He  Yenisei,  below  Turuchausk-  1     ^  :"'  ^^^'■^■^""' 
-'•i'  ••"  commission  from  the   Acadeinv  of  S  •  '^^  '  ""'"~ 

^vcaciciny  of  Sciences   at  St.  Petersburg  to 


864 


DESCENT  OF  THE    i'ENIi>EI. 


I  > 


m 


explore  the  northernmost  pt-ninsula  of  Asia,  known  as  Taimur.  It  has 
been  stated  in  a  preceding  chapter  how  one  of  llie  Ijrothers  Laptew  had  - 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Taimur  River,  in  1741.  It  was  now  deemed 
desirable  in  the  interests  of  science  to  ascertain  the  effect  of  summ<;r  in 
the  most  northern  continental  climate  of  the  globe.  Middendorf,  an  em- 
inent naturalist,  volunteered  his  services,  which  were  gladly  accepted. 
He  was  eminently  qualified  for  the  undertaking,  being  possessed  of  great 
physical  strengtii,  manual  dexterity  and  powers  of  endurance,  besides  liis 
recogni/etl  intellectual  ability,  untiring  zeal  for  science,  and  indomitable 
determination. 

Descending  the  Yenisei  to  the  point  whence  he  determined  to  strike 
across  the  country,  he  was  joined  l^y  the  topographer  of  the  expedition 
and  three  Cossacks,  and  some  native  Tungusi  guides.  These  prelimina- 
ries were  scarcely  adjusted  when  some  of  llie  company  were  taken 
down  with  the  measles.  A  primitive  ambulance  was  provided  lor  them, 
in  the  shape  of  lioxes  lined  with  skins,  and  placed  on  sledges.  Clearing 
the  forests  on  the  13th,  they  struck  the  open  tundras  with  the  thermom- 
eter 36°  below  zero.  Pushing  to  the  northeast  they  crossed  the  Tasiiia 
River,  and  falling  in  with  one  Samoyed  horde  after  another — the  tempo- 
rary and  only  residents  of  those  cold  regions — th^iy  reached  Filipowskoi- 
Karonoi,  in  latitude  71''  5',  on  the  Boganida,  which  flows  south  and 
joins  the  Cheta,  an  affluent  of  tb.e  Chatanga.  This  flows  northeast  to  the 
Polar  Sea,  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Taimur  Peninsula,  and  Midden- 
dorf was  anxious  to  reach  it  before  the  melting  of  the  snow.  Here,  how- 
ever, he  was  compelled  to  halt,  as  all  of  his  party  were  sick  with  the 
measles.  Making  an  excursion  to  the  Chatanga  to  start  the  neces-»ary 
preparations  for  his  voyage  down  that  river,  but  finding  the  epidemic 
prevailing  at  Chatangskoi,  lie  quickly  changed  his  purpo>e,  and  deter- 
mined to  proceed  almost  due  north  lor  Taimur  River.  Returning  to 
Filipowskoi-Koronvi,  he  (|uickly  i)rocured  the  construction  ofthi'  frame- 
work of  a  boat  of  twelve  feet  keel,  and  set  out  on  the  19th  of  May, 
with  tlie  topographer,  an  interpretei'  and  two  Cossacks,  and  sixty-eight 
reindeer,  in  company  with  some  Samoyeds  who  were  bound  that  way. 
Brandt  and  the  others  were  left  behind,  with  instructions  to  occupy  theui- 


\M 


««iB''*a 


SCIENTIFIC   OliSEIiVAriONS. 

selves,  as  soon  as  able,  with  ,„aking  .nc-teorological  obs.rv.ti.ns        I      , 
lectK,„s  of  the  fauna  and  flora  of  the  count.v  '^^^'^^'^^""-'  -^^  -1- 

Reaching  the   Novaya   River,  ,.    tnhuta'ry  of  the  T-.imu.-  H 
swdbre.I   severely  from  a   terrifi,-    .  -^ '"mi",  the  jwrty 

.1"-,  :„  ,«i.„.,e  H=.  .M,,.,e„.,„,.r  „.?,:,  :";:;"■'■'  •'-  ■+.'.  ...■ 

IhutIcmI  hin,  on.      On  the  6th  of    \ ,         .>        ,         ''"'"^>  "^  ^''^   current, 

•'^^^4.Hu.eyreaeheat:t;;;;;^:;:;''^^''^"^^^^ 

The  statement  of  the  eminent  Swiss  naturahst    De  S 

<li(rcre.ue    between   liHn    .»,!   sh-..l      "  "'"'■''  "^"'  "^^ 

"f,in    .111(1    siiacie    IS    <rn'-ifj>c^   ;„ 

•  ''L    ^7     nelow    zero    ni  the    sivwl,.    tu     i  -u 
sides  exposed  to  the  sun  w,.,-      i  •      •  •  '  ^"'-'  '"''- 

> ."' o  ,,,.::;,:::■';;-::-'•:'"'' '•:-"'•'--- 

^ - '-■--"->---,...:::;:::;-;:";:;-;:-;•" 

ivn.s  swept  down  the  hillsides,  and  the  .^reat    ri  '" 

"-    -inter    level,  sweeping    ,  ,e  ,  "^""  '•°^^' '-^-V  '-^ '•'•-ve 

'    "^'-P"'i,'^    the   lee    aloiijr   (,)   th,,   ^,..,      (,.      ,, 

"r;::::;t;;;r';;":-rt: '- -^:^^^i 

t\     1:,   ,  the  thermometer   rose  to  r,*^"    .,.,  i 


tei 


,^n-(>und  i„  S6  ',  vvhile  it  i  sn,.f  ,  '  '"'"    '"^''"'  ^'^^ 

'  -'^  •'  '^P"^  ^'xposed  to  the  northeast  wind  it  fell  .      ,.^ 

: -.'■-"-^'-.":::tr:;'::;:,::;:;::'';'-^ 

'""■'■'■. ■'->•  -->'   '^'--  c,„...     c„,u,.„n.  ,„  .       :       ":/"■"'■■'■ 

-■'■'■V  M„l,lc.„lv.     T.nvar.l    ilu- ,■„  I     r    ,  ""■  •^''"'^-""1  "•'"'I--  n„o 

.-.i  .lu.  a,..e,:;. ;  ; ,  7:,"™''-->'  '■•■• "- ■" > 


366 


AN  EPIDEMIC. 


Ulrf 


Ff  i 


lids^esof  snovv-tirift  which  form  the  divi(Hng  hue  hcyoiul  which  the  wan- 
deiin;^  Samoyeds  do  not  ])enetratc.  Middcndorf  was  astonished  to  find 
on  the  tundra,  toward  tiic  iind  of  winter,  only  two  to  six  inches  of  snow, 
antl  in  tlie  lakes  and  rivers  only  four  to  eij^ht  feet  of  ice,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  snow  with  which  it  was  covered,  as  far  north  as  ^4°.  The 
land  was  found  to  consist  of  harren  plateaux,  with  occasional  undulatin2f 
heij^hts,  where  the  scant  vejjfetation  scarcely  concealed  the  houlders  and 
sand  which  formed  tiie  inulerlyinic  crust.  A  hrowuisii  nioss  is  the  chief 
covering  of  the  soil,  except  where  along  tlie  streams  and  in  depressions 
the  grass  gains  the  ascendency,  and  in  specially  lavorable  situations  at- 
tains a  growth  of  three  or  four  inches.  On  the  protected  slopes  of  lake 
and  river,  Mid(l<;ndorf  found  considenihle  patches  of  green  sward,  with  a 
good  growtli  of  grass  and  ilower>.  If  one  wishes  "  to  see  the  gi^ass 
grow."  he  sliould  vi>it  the  Taimur,  where  the  j)rogress  of  vegetation  is 
probahlv  tlie  most  ra-pi'l  in  the  world.  The  animals  foinid  were  the 
same  m  »rG  encounter««'f  in  both  hemispheres  as  high  as  latitude  75° — 
snow-hares,  faxes,  wolves,  reiiideii  ;  ')i-cs,  liorntd*,  butterflies,  caterpil- 
lars; spiders,  flies,  gnats;  and  last,  tiiough  not  least,  tiw  wary  gull  and 
ptarmigan. 

Notwithstanding  the  energy  and  (piickness  of  MiddeiKiorf,  tli*;  <hxu- 
mulated  result  of  numerous  ]ietty  delays  was,  that  he  only  reacheri  the 
Taimur  at  a  date  when  lie  sliould  iiave  been  on  his  way  hat^.  The 
epidemic  had  not  onlv  struck  his  own  immediate  party,  but  the  m'^t^^- 
tants  of  Chatangsk,  whence  he  had  originally  proposed  to  takv  ilu 
quicker  route  i)\  river,  and  also  iJie  horde  of  Samoyed^,  on  whose  guid- 
ance and  aid  he  had  relicil.  Devoting  a  single  day,  the  25th  of  August, 
to  the  observation  of  the  Polar  Sea,  he  saw  it  free  from  ice  as  far  as  the 
eve  could  re.ich  from  an  elevated  point  on  the  coast,  and  on  tiie  26th  set 
out  on  his  return.  ■•  !':ie  .;re:it  il.istance,"  lie  says,  '•  from  any  human  hab- 
itatirm,  the  rapid  strea  1.  against  whitb  he  had  now  to  tontend,  :nid  tlu' 
advanced  season,  with  its  approaching  dark  nights  auvl  trosts,  made  oar 
return  an  imperative  necessity,  ^"id  I  eoidd  have  but  little  reliance  on  our 
remaining  strengtii.  Tlie  in-uflicient  food  and  the  fatigues  of  our  joiir- 
ncv,  often  prolonged  It)  extreme  exhaustion,  bad  reduced  our  vigor;  ;uid 


^jg«( 


-•aterpil- 


TKISCIIUN-A  SAMOVED  CHIKKTAW, 


387 


m 

m 
I 


■i-i\^m^V".'^^^W^^*^ 


■Hli 


868 


LEFT  ALONE. 


we  all  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  our  frequent  wadinj;  throuj^li  cold 
water  when,  as  often  happened,  our  boat  had  grounded  upon  a  shallow, 
or  when  the  flat  mud  banks  of  the  river  gave  us  no  alternative  for  reach- 
ing the  dry  land.  It  was  now  the  second  month  since  we  had  not  slept 
under  a  tent,  having  all  the  time  passed  the  nights  l)chind  a  screen, 
erected  on  the  oars  of  the  boat  as  a  shelter  against  the  wind." 

The  north  'vind  helped  them  forward,  and  with  oars  and  sail  they 
proceeded  to  the  south,  passing  two  rapids  which  they  at  first  thought 
insurmountable.  On  the  31st  x  gust  of  wind  ilrove  them  on  a  rock,  dis- 
abling their  rudder;  and  on  the  5th  of  September  another  drove  them  on 
a  sand  bank  in  the  northern  end  of  Taimur  Lake.  With  the  tempera- 
ture at  only  27°  at  noon,  their  clothes  were  covered  with  a  solid  ice- 
crust;  and  scarcely  a  day  passed  without  sleet  or  snow.  On  the  8th  they 
left  the  sand  bank,  the  storm  having  at  length  subsided,  but  on  the  9th 
were  dismayed  at  finding  the  new  ice  forming  in  their  rear.  While 
putting  forth  every  effort  to  reach  the  river,  the  boat  was  crushed  be- 
tween two  ice-floes,  and  with  difliculty  was  got  ashore,  disabled  and 
worthless.  Making  a  hand-sledge  they  pushed  forward  on  the  10th;  but 
on  the  morning  of  the  iith,  Middendorf  was  unable  to  proceed.  But 
with  a  iieroism  worthy  of  an  Arctic  explorer,  lic  ordered  his  compan- 
ions forward  to  reach,  if  possible,  the  Samoyeds  before  the  period  of 
their  annual  return  to  the  south,  and  thus  save  themselves,  and  possibly 
him  too,  if  they  should  fall  ia  witli  the  nomads  soon.  The  scant  supply 
of  provisions,  supplemented  by  Middendorfs  dog,  was  divided  into  five 
equal  rations,  and  his  four  companions  set  out,  leaving  the  brave  Mid- 
dendorf to  struggle  alone  with  his  disease,  and  the  surrounding 
desolation. 

"My  coinpanions  had  now  left  me  twelve  days,"  says  Middendorf; 
"human  assistance  could  no  longer  be  expected;  I  was  convinced  that  I 
had  only  myself  to  rely  upon,  that  I  was  doomed,  and  as  good  as  num- 
bered with  the  dead.  And  yet  my  courage  did  not  forsake  me."  Thus 
he  lay  three  days  longer  until  his  sad  thoughts  threatened  to  unseat  his 
reason,  when,  as  he  says,  a  saving  thought  flashed  upon  him.  '^My  last 
pieces   of  wood  were   quickly    lighted,   some   water    was  thawed   and 


\  ml 


TIi/SCHU,V. 

wa,™e,l;  I  poured  i„.„  i,  ,ha  spirit,  from  a  flask  containing  a  specie,! 
.    natnra,  h.s.or,  an.  Crank.    A  new  life  seemed  to  awaken  i„  " 
thoughts  returned  agau,  to  m,  family,     goon  I  fell  i„to  a  profound  s  een 
-I.O.  ,o„g  ,t  lasted  I  know  not-but  on  awakening,  ,  fe^  „ke  m    her 
,n™,  and  my  breast  was  filled  with  gratitude.     Appetue  returned  with 
recover,  and  ,  was  „,duced  to  eat  leather  and  birch.bark,  when  a  pT 
,n,,a„  fortuua  ely  came  within  reach  of  my  gun.     Having  thus  obtained 
so,  e  food  for  the  journey,  I  resolved,  though  still  very  feeble,  to  set  out 
and  seek  the  prov,s.ons  we  had  buried.     Packing  some  articles  of  dre" 
■ny  gun  ..nd  ammunition,  my  journal,  etc.,  on  my  small  ha.nd.s,ed.e  I 
p,occedcd  slowly,  and  frequently  resting.     At  noon  I  saw,  on  a  :=  I 
known  dechvuy  of  the  hills,  three  black  spots  which  I   had  not   pre", 
ousynofced  and  .as  they  ch.anged  their  position,  I  at  once  altered  my 
route  to  jom  them.     We  approached  e.ach  other,  and-jud„e  of  mv  de 
hght    .t  was  Trischun,  the  Samoyed  chieftain  whom  I  ^^^21 
ass.s,ed  n,  the  prevailing  epide.nic,  and  who  now,  guided  by  Le  of  mv 
compaiuons,  had  set  out  with  three  sledges  to  seek  me      F,„      , 

;->enefactor,the  grateful  savage  hadmadehr:::ieer"rde':r 

r:,':::::::."°"= "-"" """  ^^^  --  <-— -  ■--, 

"I  ,.ow  heard  that  my   companions    had  fortunately    reached  the 
Sa,„oyeds,  four  d.ays.aaer  our  separation;  but  the  dreadful   sno^ltrm 
...  prevented  the  „om.ads  from  coming  sooner  to  my  .assistance    ^d 
M  oven  lorce    then,  twice  to  retrace  their  steps.     On'septemb    'jl  , 
Uu.  .Samoycls  brought  me  to  my  tent;  and  on  October  9th  we  ba.le  tl^ 
Ta,,n,„  an  eternal  farewell.     After  Sve   months  we  hailed  with  delh. 
,,  Octo  er  .„,  the   verge  of  the  forest,  and   on  the   following  d.^w  ' 
-.U.     he  smoky  hut  on  the  Boganida  where  we  had  M  our  friendr- 
iKl-iendor,  fell  short  nearly  two  degrees  of  reaching  the  north  It 

„    "  "™'7 •  -'  "f  A'^^'-  -"ed  Cape  ChelyuskL,  in  honor'o 

i    .an  e.,plorer  of  that  name  who  reached  it  by  land  in  ,7,.     Six 
s  earWr  Prontschischev  had  reached  within  a  few  minutes  I]  it,  „nd 

ev  n  H       r"'  '"  '"'•  "'*■"  5°'.  ■"  "'*  -asting  vessels.     But 

e>en  .ud  .here  been  time  to  make  the  trip,  Middeudorf  might  have  pre 


'!lb 


OBJECT  OF   THE   JOURNEY. 

fcrix'd  to  spend  it  in  extending  his  observations  on  tiie  fauna  and 
flora,  the  meteorology  and  climate  of  Taimur.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  these,  and  not  geographical  discovery,  were  the  objects  of  his 
expedition. 


anna  and 
nembeied 
cts  of  his 


PART  IV. 


t   Jt 


WW^ 


.  ' 


FHflNKLIN  flNn  SEflHEH  l/HYflEES. 


'% 


^> 


^"♦a— -*!«»»»««»«„ 


vu 


M 


'■'■On  the  frozen  deefs  repose, 
^Tis  a  dark  and  dreadful  hour. 

When  round  the  ship  the  ice-fields  close. 
And  the  northern  night-clouds  loxvcr. 

But  let  the  ice  drift  on! 

Let  the  cold  blue  desert  spread; 
Their  course  with  mast  and  fiag  is  done- 
Even  there  sleep  England's   dead" 

'  -MRS.    HEMANS 


I  ^. 


e, 

tl 
k 


CirAPTEK   XLI. 


Siiic'ly  "through  dem'n.   ..  .,,       i 
.•...c.n,u,,.„...„  ^i.;  „„  :,:;,;;,;;;;"  ""™'"  -P-»'ed  hi,nselr,  scekcl,  and 

-  ...e ... .  p.opL;:e  :\rr;;;:  r  :i  :r '-t-  r,--'^ 

orscicce  an.l  the  co,„i„„  eVei,l  of  „„■  ,    '         "'""^'P'-""'  'h"  "'»rcl, 

»v  ,hc.  NV.„.  VV„rl„  di:J^,    .'"'■'"   '"°"''-"'""^-     "°'">"-.  '- 
or  ..i...  Whose  ...  »::,;/::"'  r"  -  --P-i..»"  r„ce 

ci.>.e  of  fo,.,„„e..  AH.o.,e, ;.";':::  ::  '''"  ":'="■■•  -'-•  -  "^=  *V 

"™..r.  -.an  ^.^,.  poi; , :  :t:;^.;^ .™°-  --™  e.po. 

cent  ti.nos,  and   the  crownln      .  ■  'nve.it.ons  of  our  re- 

'"'»'-■  '■-.  »o,V.e,  and  1.  „dva„,a  r   ,     Ir'""""^'.  '."™'™-S  """' 
"  i-  P-  hap,  difficale  for  the  av  ;  X  1  , ^     '  '"'        '  "'  ''"  "''"■ 

"■^^'"  !>■ .t»  ."ea  .o  ...re.  i„  ,„:::,     "    "  '"  "7^«-»'=  "■^-    '-""S 

e»)-  ..,  u„d.,,ia„d  .he  i,„p„l,es  ,W  id       ,  "'  "'"■""  '"^■"''J'-     "  - 

'hoi.-  «..,id«,  o,.  eo  H,eed  f  l'       ^  ^  '"^■■'.  ">  ""  ""■  "^  -''e  of 

fcelins  ■•«  the  domestic  or  ,v„  """"=  '°""">-     ^he  o„e 

o«x uheoth- .he  a ;;"'""""  ^'"'^"  — ">■  »'-•'*  i.» 


1 

^^^^^H^^^^^^H' 

it 

i 

1    ' 

874 


TEMElinr  OF  FRANKLI^F  AND  CREW. 


to  walk  forward  into  death  «)r  daii<jcr  for  the  sake  of  demoiistr  ^ir  ,i 
truth  whose  very  utihty  is  not  made  vholly  certain,  implies  I'llin;,^ 
not  so  common,  nor  so  easy  to  analyze. 

Such  a  spirit  was  that  shown  by  Sir  John    Frankhn  and  la.ihful 

followers,  in  their  last  eventful  voyajjc,  which,  so  far  as  the  litc  I  data 
will  permit,  we  are  now  about  to  describe.  It  has  ahi  ly  l)een  n  ated 
how  Franklin,  from  tiie  son  (>(  a  poor  freeholder,  and  liit  positidu  of 
midshipman,  rose  successively  to  the  ranks  of  Ijieutenant  and  Captain  and 
finally,  havin<if  been  chosen  a  miinlier  of  tin-  Royal  Societv,  was  kni  hied 
and  became  a  rear-admiral  of  ti\c  Royal  Navy.  His  international  renown 
appears  from  the  fict  tliat  the  French  Geojifraplucal  Society  awarded 
him  their  ^old  medal,  and  at  a  subsequent  time  elected  him  correspond- 
in<j  member  of  the  Institute  of  France.  The  Greek  nation,  also,  whom 
he  had  materially  aided  in  their  war  of  lilu'ration,  ijave  him  formal  and 
substanvial  token  of  their  appreciation  and  j^ratitude.  In  1S36  lie  was 
appointed  Governor  of  Tasmania,  or  Van  Diemen's  Laml,  as  it  was  tiieii 
called,  and  althou;^h  political  didicuities  disturlied  his  administration  to 
some  extent,  his  wise  and  moderate  control  secured  for  him  the  warm 
approbation  of  the  j^overnment,  and  the  lastinjj^  alFection  of  his  colonists. 
The  latter  established  a  collej^e  and  a  philosophii  al  societv  in  his  honor; 
and  years  after  they  testifieil  that  the  memory  of  his  rule  was  still 
cherished  by  subscribin;jf  €1,700  toward  an  expedition  desij^ned  l>v 
Lady  Franklin  for  his  rescue  or  discovery. 

The  belief  in  a  Northwest  l'assa<jje,  wliich  had  in  the  eailv  i)art  of 
the  nineteenth  century  been  merely  vaj^ue  or  conjectural,  had  now  thrown 
into  a  settled  conviction.  Franklin's  own  researches  had  done  mucii  to 
eliminate  the  mysteries  which  hail  hitherto  enshroude<l  the  northern  coast 
of  the  New  World,  ami  oidy  the  last  few  links  in  tlie  chain  of  iliscoverv 
were  supposed  to  need  tbr<ifin<^  before  the  long  cherished  prf)ject  could  re- 
ceive its  full  realization  in  the  proof  of  a  passage  from  Baffin's  Bay  to 
Behring's  Strait. 

In  1S45,  accordingly,  the  British  Admiralty  organized  a  new  expedi- 
tion to  make  another  attempt  at  the  Northwest  Passage.  The  leading 
scientific  men  of  England  had  been  urging  the  step  for  more  than  a  year. 


BfST  OH   HKANKLI.V. 


375 


4 


I 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/. 


O 


'^ 


:a 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


us 


s  j^  Ilia 

la  110 


1.8 


\A.  Illiil.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


iV 


d 


,v 


<r 


\ 


\ 


^^ 


O^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


^^ 


? 


#4 


&. 


mm 


376 


CHOSEN  Br  THE  ADM  I R ALT  T. 


and  the  necessary  appropriation  having  finally  been  made,  definite  steps 
were  soon  taken  to  begin  the  enterprise.  During  the  time  which  the 
admiralty  had  taken  to  choose  a  commander,  Sir  John,  who  had  lately 
arrived  from  Tasmania,  was  heard  to  remark  that  he  thought  it  due  to 
him  as  the  senior  Arctic  explorer  of  England. 

»  As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  he  would  go  if  asked,  the  admiralty 
were  of  course  only  too  glad  to  avail  themselves  of  the  experience  of 
such  a  man;  but  Lord  Haddington,  with  that  kindness  which  ever  dis- 
tinguished him,  suggested  *^hat  Franklin  might  well  rest  at  home  on  his 
laurels.  '  I  might  find  a  good  excuse  for  not  letting  you  go.  Sir  John, 
said  the  peer,  'in  the  telling  record  which  informs  me  that  you  are  sixty 
years  old.'  'No,  no,  my  lord,'  was  Franklin's  rejoinder,  'I  am  only 
fifty-nine.'  Before  such  earnestness  all  scruples  vanished.  The  offer 
was  officially  made  and  accepted.  To  Sir  John  Franklin  was  confided 
the  Arctic  expedition,  consisting  of  H.  M.  S.  Erebus,  in  which  he  hoisted 
his  pennant,  and  H.  M.  S.  Terror,  commanded  by  Capt.  Crozier,  who 
had  recently  accompanied  Sir  James  Ross  in  his  wonderful  voyage  to  the 
Antarctic  Seas." 

The  two  vessels  were  thoroughly  refitted  and  furnished  with  all  that 
experience  could  suggest  as  useful  or  necessary.  Provisions  for  three 
years  were  made  ready,  and  a  crew  of  over  a  hundred  men  were  chosen 
from  the  very  cream  of  the  British  navy.  Among  the  officers  were 
Lieuts.  Gore  and  Fitzjames,  whose  genius  and  energy  stamped  them  as 
no  common  officers. 

The  ships  left  England  in  May,  and  were  known  by  the  third  of 
July  to  have  reached  a  point  near  Disco,  Greenland,  where  a  small  ship 
which  had  accompanied  them,  took  on  board  the  last  letters  of  the 
officers  and  crews  for  home.  They  were  afterward  seen  in  the  latter 
part  of  July  by  a  whaler,  who  described  them  as  "  moored  to  an  iceberg, 
waiting  for  a  chance  to  enter  Baffin's  Bay."  From  that  day  till  the 
present  not  one  of  that  gallant  band  has  ever  been  seen  aii ve,  and  not 
till  years  afterward  was  anything  definite  discovered  concerning  their 
fate.  All  that  historians  can  do  is  to  follow  the  ships  in  the  imagina- 
tion by  the  aid  of  the  plans  laid  down  beforehand  for  the  guidance  of  the 


'■ill  'illliifii 


FRANKLINS  FAVORITE   TIIEORT 

all 

party;  to  conjecture  as  best  they  may  concerning  the  particular  circum- 
stance,  ot  those  last  trying  hours;  and  to  relate  the  sad  stories  of  those 
whose  mournful  discoveries  complete  the  melancholy  scene 

From  the   instructions  of  the   admiralty,  and  from    the  scanty  record 
Ictt  by  the  lost  explorers,  sve  are  able  to   trace  with  con>parative  assur- 
ance  the  course  of  Franklin  after  he  entered    upon  the  special  object  of 
tlK-  expedU.on.     We   find   that,  after  the  last   intelligence  of  Sir  John 
Frank   n   was   received,  bearing  date  of  July,  .845,  from  the  whalers  in 
Me  v.lle  Bay    h,s  expedition  passed  on  to  Lancaster  Sound  and  entered 
Welhngton  Channel,  of  which  the  southern   entrance  had   been  discov- 
ered by  Sir  Edward  Parry  in  ,8.9.     The  Erebus  and    Terror  sailed  up 
that  strait  for  ,50  miles,  and   reach.l,  in   the  autumn  of  1845,  the  same 
laftude  that  was  attained  eight  years   subsequently  by  H.  M.  S.  Assist 
ance  and   Pioneer.     Whether   Franklin  intended  to  pursue  this  northern 
course,  and   was  only  stopped   by  ice   in   the   latitude  of  77°   N     or  pur 
poseiy   relinqu.shed  a   route  which  led   so   far   away  from   the 'already 
known  seas  off  the  coast  of  America,  must   be   a   matter  of  speculation; 
but  the  record  assures  us  that   the   expedition    having  accomplished  this 
examu.ahon,  returned  southward  fron.   latitude  77°,  which  is  at  the  he-ui 
of  Welungton  Channel,  and  re-entered  Barrow's  Strait  by  a  new  chan 
nel  between  Bathurst  and  Cornwallis  Islands. 

It  was  a  fworite  theory  of  Franklin's  that  the  best  way  of  securing 
a  passage  fron.  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacitic  was  by  following  as  nearly  I 
possible  the  coast  line  of  North  America.     Indeed,  it   was   his   opiJon 
and  subsequently  that  of  McClintock,  that  no  passage  by  a  ship  can  ever' 
be  accomplished  in  a   more   northern  direction.     Si.. e,  therefore,  when 
Frankhn  saded  in  ,845,  the  discovery  of  a   Northwest  Passa<.e  was  re 
duced  to  the  finding  of  a   link   between    Parry's  discoveries  on   the   easi 
and  h,s  own  on  the  west,  it  is   probable  that,  in   obeciience  to  orders   he 
steered  for  the  southwest.     Passing,  as  is  thought,  down  Peel's  Strait'  in 
1846,  and  reaching  as  far  as  latitude  70°  5'  north,  and  longitude  oS°  2,' 
west,  w  ere  the  ships,  as  the  record  shows,  were  leset,  it  is  clear  that  he 
who  w,th  others  had  previously  ascertained   the   existence  of  a   channel 
along  the  coast  of  America,  with  which  the  sea  wherein  he  n,et  his  death 


,\ 


mmm 


878 


THE  SEAIiCH. 


ht 


H4K 


had  a  direct  communication,  was  the  first  real  discoverer  of  a  Northwest 
Passage.  As  will  be  seen  in  another  place,  the  gallant  McClure  had 
worked  out  another  passage  long  before  the  course  of  Franklin  came  to 
light.  This  fact,  while  it  is  a  worthy  source  of  honor  to  the  adventu- 
rous Irishman,  must  not  be  allowed  to  detract  from  the  fome  of  those 
who,  as  their  epitaph  fitly  says,  "  Forged  the  last  link  with  their  lives." 

The  account  which  it  is  possible  to  give  of  the  last  days  of  Franklin 
is,  of  necessity,  very  limited.  As  the  expedition  was  provisioned  for 
three  years,  a  year  and  a  half  elapsed  before  any  anxiety  was  felt  con- 
cerning its  welfare;  but  after  a  council  of  naval  officers  had  been  held,  it 
was  decided  that,  should  no  news  arrive  that  summer,  preparations  should 
be  made  for  its  relief.  As  is  generally  known,  the  British  Government 
afterward  fitted  and  sent  out  a  while  series  of  vessels,  and  spent  immense 
amounts  of  money  in  ^prosecuting  the  search.  Lady  Franklin  spent  the 
greater  part  of  her  private  fortune,  and  the  United  States  came  bravely 
to  the  fr-ont  in  the  Grinnell  expeditions.  Aside  from  their  importance  in 
relation  to  tho  grand  object,  these  expeditions  added  immensely  to  geo- 
graphical knowledge,  and  in  general,  were  invaluable  for  their  contribu- 
tions  to  science. 

An  account,  as  extended  as  space  will  permit,  will  be  given  of  each 
of  these  daring  ventures  in  their  turn. 

The  writer  deems  it  proper  at  this  point,  to  comment  briefly  upon 
the  results  to  the  world  at  large  of  the  voyages  of  Franklin  and  others. 
The  young  student  and  *.he  unthinking  of  any  age,  are  apt  to  look  upon 
these  discoveries  as  isolated  in  time  and  causal  relations  from  the  every- 
day knowledge  which  they  possess  on  these  subjects,  and  which  they 
easily  glean  from  the  popular  text-books.  They  should  remember  that 
the  first  certain  knowledge  of  these  regions  was  gained  by  these  self-sac- 
rificing men,  and  many  of  the  now  well-known  individual  facts  were 
gathered  by  th(;m  under  the  trying  circumstances  which  we  have  been 
describing:.  The  result  of  Franklin's  researches  for  examole  are  not 
alone  nor  chiefly  seen  in  the  account  of  his  voyages,  but  in  the  map,  per- 
fected by  his  bravery  and  diligence,  from  which  tiie  school-boy  of  every 
nation   cons   his  lesson.     The  conclusions  on  the  subject  of  terrestrial 


COMMENTS  ON  ARCTIC  SCIENCE.  3,,, 

mag„e.™„  ar»  not  .-.lone  fo„,„,  ,„  ,|,e  „pom  ,„  the  admiralty,  h„t  the 
bet,  ,l,»cov.mi  and  principles  .lednccl  for™  part  „f  ,„e  phj.i,,  „„„  ,„, 
as.ro„„n,y  „f  the  commo,,  school  an,l  college.  Observations  take,,  he,e 
upon  the  snhject  ofhotan,.  have  not  their  sole  lo,lgi„„.p,aee  in  the  arch- 

,'■  T,      W      7t  '■     ■''"^  '""*•  "=  '■'•™"''"«'  --"  P-'»I«  veri. 

e,l  ,y  Wo„,l   Gray   and  other  modern  disciples  of  Linn«„,„  bn.  it  was 

hesron,  fa.th  and  ,,arin,,  of  Kane  and  Richardson,  that  firs,  plncked 

he  dowers,  an,    ,na,le  the  facts  respecting  then  take  their  places  anton. 

he  vast  asscnhlage  of  Natn,..,   witnesses.     Tl,e  relation  between  th: 

hve,  of  these  „..e„  an,i  the  individnal   thought  a„<l  action  of  the  present 

.,me,„  far  more  real  an<l  inthnate  than  is  commonly  admitted.     Hence 

the propnety  of  becoming  accnainted  with  these   heroes,  in  the  sto.v  of 

.he,r  careers,  enabling  „s  to  give  then  ,l„e  homage,  and  stimnlating  us 

as  they  have  done,  to  sacriBce  ,so,nething  for  the  com,„on   brotherhood 


IHiilliilili 


•liaiwtaM 


I'i'- 


i'   J 


J  II 


4ll 


,f; 


'1 1* 


hi 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

SEAKCH    FOR    FRANKLIN — LAST  NEWS — THREE  EXPEDITIONS  PLANNED 

EXPEDITION    UNDER    RICHARDSON    AND    RAE INSTRUCTIONS  OF 

THE    ADMIRALTY ARRIVE    IN    AMERICA A  TROUBLESOME    SONG- 
STER— METHY    PORTAOE — A  CACHE MENDACIOUS    ESQUIMAUX. 

The  prolonged  absence  of  Franklin,  and  the  entire  lack  of  knovvledf^e 
regarding  his  condition  and  exact  whereabouts,  at  last  gave  rise,  as  we 
have  seen,  to  serious  apprehensions  on  the  part  of  the  admiralty.  It  was 
true  the  last  letters  received  from  the  party  were  of  the  most  hopeful, 
buoyant  tone.  The  expedition,  it  will  be  remembered,  sailed  from  Eng- 
land on  the  19th  of  May,  1845,  '"^^^  early  in  July  had  reached  Whale- 
fish  Island,  near  Disco,  on  the  Greenland  coast  of  Davis'  Straits,  where, 
having  found  a  convenient  port,  the  transpoi  t  which  accompanied  it  was 
cleared  and  sent  home  to  England,  bringing  the  last  letters  that  have  been 
received  from  the  officers  or  crew.  The  following  extract  of  a  letter 
from  Lieut.  Fairholme  of  the  Erebus,  will  serve  to  show  the  cheerful 
anticipation  of  5jccess  which  prevailed  throughout  the  party  and  the 
happy  terms  on  which  they  were  with  each  other. 

"  We  have  anchored  in  a  narrov/  -har  ;'  between  two  of  the  islands, 
protected  on  all  sides  by  land,  and  in  as  convenient  a  place  for  our  pur- 
pose as  could  be  possibly  found.  Here  we  are,  with  the  transport  along- 
side, transferring  most  actively  all  her  stores  to  the  two  ships.     *      *     * 

"  Of  our  prospects  we  know  little  more  than  when  we  left  England, 
but  look  forward  with  anxiety  to  our  reaching  72°,  where  it  seems  we 
are  likely  to  meet  the  first  obstructions,  if  any  exist.  On  board  we  are 
as  comfortable  as  it  is  possible  to  be.  I  need  hajdly  tell  you  how  much 
we  are  all  delighted  with  our  captain.  He  has,  I  am  sure,  won  not  only 
the  respect,  but  the  love  of  every  person  on  board  by  his  amiable  man- 
ner and  kindness  to  all ;  and  his  influence  is  always  employed  for  some 


,.i(fliPwi- 


"""^"'"■ma.iiffi 


ANXIBTT. 


381 


{Tood  p,„.por,e,  both  among  the  officers  and  men.     He  h.,  h. 

ccssful  in  his  selection  of  officers   -.n.l  -.  '""''  '"'■ 

'^e  round.     Sir  John  is  in  ^i:^:CZZT  ^^  ^^"'^'  '''"''' 

.  ^.ncl  really  looks  ten  years  youn..        H  'tl      "  "'  '^'  ^"'""'' 

thin,  that  ,oes  on,  and  his  L,  :x  .ri"  e  ^^^^^^^  ''''''  '^^   '^   -^- 
1  •  '^     ^iJtin-nce  ni  such  services  ne  fiiJo  .„  i 

him  a  most  valuable  adviser."  '"'"'"^^ 

Letters  from   most  of  the  ofhpt-  ^^^ 

w.,e  receive.,  in  England      the  '  „,e  ,         '  -T"'"  '■"  "  ''"''"'■  """•■• 

as  e.p..i„,  „i.  own  opinion  of  h  ^^r  i,'  'T;  Tr.  '°  ^  "-«<• 
remaking  on.  ^ore  than  a  second  win.e,  honi Ze  „Tk  '"'°""°"  "' 
-  T„e  ie...  is  da.ed  .on,  WHaie^:,:^:  ^7^  \ 
after  nol,c,ng  tliat  tlie  Erebns  and  Terror  Irid  on  hi,  ■*^' 

cioAing,  and  store,  for  tlnee  years  coZ    T  r         J       '"■°"''°"''  ''''''■ 
hope  .n,  dear  wife  and  dangh  e    :  rnon  '  '"'"  "=  "*"'  "' 

™„rn  .,  .,e  ti^e  tHe,  ,..el':  ^  ^  r;::  7  ^""'"  ""' 

.he,n  .„e  benefit  of  ,o„r  advice  and  Ip'eHenc    2     that    i'""  "  ^""' 
for  you  well  know  that,  without  success  in  our  1    ,  """' 

on,.!„te.;  we  should  wish  to  trv      "e  othe       h        Tl      '''  "^  "'■ 
orour  provisions  and  the  heaith  IrZ::::^^"'  "'  ''"' 

-r  ^::rj:::::i::z  f  r  r;  ~''  -^  ^- 

Strait.    But  nearlv  two  Zr\  ''""'   ""'""«  Harrow 

experienced  nav^l:   i:::::i:rC  i'""'  "•'"-• --" 
that  the  party  had  become  e.Lgled  to  il  f  °'^' ^"P^-^  a  fear 

«.ey  could  not  advance  nor  :   re!       ^h    LrTc""^- "• '"'  ^'""' 
A...™ra,.y,  thot,gh  judging  that  the  seJond  wi      rof lirrT?":'  *' 

was  too  early  a  neriofl  tn  „•        •  wmterof  b.r  John's  absence 

■^■•.re.y,  lost  L    r:  1^:  ::  l,;-':-'-""^^  ^PP-e-^enslons  for  his 

cainng  tor  the  opmions  of  several  n-iv^l     «; 
who  were  well   arnn..,-nfo,i       vu    *       .  "cverai  naval  officers 

It  .s  ,n>poss,ble  to  give,  in  our  limited  space  even  .  . 

opinions  which  were  th..  „.  ,  .  synops.s  of  the 

°f  Admiralty,    ri     sIcT         r  '""  °" '"=  ^''"  "^  *e  Lords 
r.     I' ■"''^' -ffice  to  say  that  after  weighing  all  suggestions 


382 


RICHARDSON  APPOINTED. 


and  fully  coiisidciiug  the  mimerous  plans  sul)mittctl  to  them,  tlie  adnii- 
lalty  determined  that  if  no  iiitelli<rence  of  the  missing  ships  arrived  hy 
the  close  of  autumn,  1S47,  they  would  send  out  three  searching  expedi- 
tions:  One  to  Lancaster  Sound,  another  down  the  MacKenzie  River,  and 
a  third  to  Hehring's  .Strait. 

The  distinguished  services  of  Dr.  John  Richardson,  in  the  expeditious 
made  by  Franklin  in  1819-26,  especially  his   adventures   from  the    Mac- 
Kenzie  to  the  Coppermine,  will  not   have  been  forgotten  by  the  reader 
and  it   is  necessary  only  to  say  of  him  that  he  was  a  brave   and  skillful 
voyager,  an  eminent  and   thorough  naturalist,  and   an   enthusiast  in  the 
project  of  discovering  and   perhaps  rescuing  his  friend  and  former.coni- 
panion.  Sir  John   Franklin.     In  him,  therefore,  the  admiralty  saw  a  per- 
son well  fitted  to  take  charge  of  one  of  the  proposed  expeditions.     Rich- 
ardson  was  already  familiar  with  the  details  of  overland  travel  in  Brit- 
ish America,  and   particularly  in  the  region  of  the  MacKenzie  and  the 
intricate  maze  of  streams  and  lakes  which  diversify  the  face  of  America 
north  of  the  55th  parallel.    He  was,  therefore,  wisely  intrusted    with  the 
expedition   destined  for  the  descent  of  the    MacKenzie.     This  appoint- 
ment  was  announced  in  the  formal  instructions  issued  to  him  by  the  Lord 
Admiral,  the  opening  paragraph  of  which  is  appended: 

"  Whereas,  we  think  you  fit  to  be  employed  in  an  overland  expedition 
in  search  of  Her  Majesty's  ships  Erebus  and  Terror,  under  the  command 
of  Capt.  Sir  John  Franklin,  which  ships  are  engaged  in  a  voyage  of  dis- 
covery in  the  Arctic  Seas,  you  are  hereby  required  and  directed  to  take 
under  your  orders  Mr.  Rae,  who  has  been  selected  to  accompany  you, 
and  to  leave  England  on  the  25th  inst.,  by  the  mail  steamer  for  Halifax, 
in  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  York;  and  on  your  arrival  at  the  latter  place, 
you  are  to  proceed  immediately  to  Montreal,  for  the  purpose  of  confer- 
ring with  Sir  Geo.  Simpson,  Governor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
settlements,  and  making  arrangements  with  him  for  your  ftjture  supplies 
and  communications." 

The  general  drift  of  the  instructions  was  to  the  effect  that  from  Can- 
ada, Richardson  was  to  cross  the  country  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  the 
MacKenzie,  which  lie  was  to  descend  in  any  way  which  had   been  pro- 


lJ.l  i- 


S  s  1  1 


■'SKiai^Si^^iS^g 


ARRIVE  IN  AMERICA 

888 

vkled.     He  was   then  to  coast  aloiu'   tho  K-. 

ward  of  fifteen  yea,-s  in  P,.i„ee  R„,„.„,  ,'  ,  "'•  '"''  '^"»""-''l  "I- 
in  ...I  .he  ,„e,„„.,„  of  develop,  7  :,::  "T  *°'""""'^''^  ™-" 
products  of  the  counerv  a  sk  IhCl   ,,'""""-   "> -'v-'^'ge  the  natural 

pcHn,  the  severity  of  [  ee  ^  :  "'"•  ^""^t  '"  -''^■"^=-  <"'  '- 
-<l  ...he-  instruments  u,„!^  v'l  7"     ""  "'*  "'°  ^''«-' 

longitude,  or  the  vari  tie  ;;:"r:'"  ""-"'^-  '^^   """•■"-«. 

H™.,h.  to  a  sncce,sfu,  conCusi  u„d  eiZ::  ""t'  """  """  ^■''^' 
.ion,  an  expedition  of  diseovery  ^.ed  '  T  h  ,h  ^  1  """'""  """»■ 
panyfor  the  purposes  of  explora^       i^K  ™''  ''"^  ^°'"- 

"-- i.^  wi.o„, «.  e„nL::r,;  snii  ::;::•  — " » - 

On  the  25th  of  March    18 iS   R-  I       i 

-- ».  Nei  vork  on  r:::;r"::;  ^ 'I'it  r  .i-'t"'-"" 

point  thcv  departe,!  as  soon   ,     .0         •  ^    ''     '^'■°™  "•'» 

cha„,pi„.„  the  St.  l::  :, : ::::"';  "^t^'  ^^ '--'  -^  ^''^= 

Cun,1,crlan,l  House,  on  the  wTh  '"'"  ^^™'  '"'"'■■""■'   "^ 

-■'<-,  on  tne  v"5askatchewan,  was  reachprJ     Tu       i     ,  , 

»».,npanied  up  ,0  this  point  by  „n  escor    of  F         u     '    ,       ''  '""'" 

■rocds,  procured   in  Cana.la  „L   "  7""  "7"""^"' ''"'nms,  and   half. 

portcl  tlteir  „„od,      Thei     1  "'"    ■■"  «"'"''"  "'"'    '""'  "™- 

„oocls.      'hen    baggage  included  only  their  elo,h:„„  •     . 
n.c.,ts  „„.|  eamping  utensils,  as  provisions  for  th  V'°*'"^'  '"»"•"• 

fi«nish,.d,  a,  far  as  convenient  or  possi  Ifr     ,  ,      'T  ''  ^"'  '°  "= 

of  the  Hudson's  Bav  Co„,„.,„        \  '"""""  ''J'  ""^  "S™'^ 

-  Mr.  nc,  had  ,1' ; :  -do/tr:  °?°"" """-  *^  -■^-'^o- 

-.^Mishing  of  ,„„„„,  1,  :,  :;,  :^„/™  .»  co.„per„te  ^  the 
.hey  hope,]  to  overtake  so  ,,  ,„  ':""'""''  "'  P™v,s,ons.  This  party 
Their,„„r,.ey,  ho.eve:,:: ^  tL  L r'-'-^'.  °'  '"--'™- 
for  the  varied  scenery  „„d  the  danlT  J, o""""' """""""■''• 
came  sufHciently  enlivcnin,.     A  ,1  ,  "••'v.gat.on,  soon  be- 

"•"i*  they  passed  Tlllel  dT;' V"?^  "'"^  ^""""•^  *™"»"^ 

»""»-o,ogy,„„d   sofar,astir;™;ed"™"      °";    "'  "  '"  "'  ^"''"'^ 

l.m,ted  means  of  conveyance  would  al. 


884 


A    TROUBLESOME  SONUS  IE  J{. 


low,  spccimeiis  of  tlic  plants  and  rocks  were  secured  and  placed  in  their 
little  niusctuu. 

Many  thin-,'s,  curious  and  unwonted,  were  noted  by  Dr.  Richardson, 
who  kept  a  faithful  diary  of  each  day's  proceedings,  and  of  i-ach  new  ob- 
ject  discovered  and  examined.  Ornifcholo-y  as  well  as  other  branohes  of 
science,  received  ids  attention. 

"Constantly,"  says  his  journal,  "since  tiie  ist  of  June,  the  son^  of  tiic 
Fringilla  leucophrys  has  been    heard  day  and   ni^'ht,  and   so  loudly,  !,, 
the  stillness  of  the   latter  season,   as   to  deprive  us  at  first    of  rest.'  '  It 
whistles  the  first   bar  of  'Oh,  dear!  what  can  the   matter  be?'  in  a  clear 
tone,  as  if  played   on  a  piccolo  fife;  and,  thou<,di  the  distinctness  of  the 
notes  rendered  them  at  first  very  pleasin-,  yet,  as  they  haunted  us  up  to 
the  Arctic  circle,  and  were  loudest  at  midni-ht,  we  came  to  wish  ..cca- 
sionally  that  the  cheerful    little  son-ster  would  time   his  serenade  better. 
It  is  a  curious  illustration  of  the  indim-rence  of  the  native  population  to 
almost   every  animal   that  does  not  yield   food  or  fm-,  or  otherwise  con- 
tribute to  their  comfort  or  discomfort,  that  none  of  the  Iroquois  or  Chip- 
peways  of  our    company    knew  the   bird  by  si-Jit,  and  they  all  declared 
boldly  that  no  one  ever  saw  it.     We  were  enabled,  however,  after  a  little 
trouble,  to  identify  the  songster,  his  song,  and  breeding-place." 

On  the  37th  of  June  the  party  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Methy  Port- 
age  r.-ferred   to,   as   the  reader   will   remend)er,    in  one   of  the  first  of 
Franklin's   voyages.     An  Indian   had  built  a   home   at  the  mouth  of  the 
Methy  River,  and  was  in   the   habit  of  letting    horses  to  the  Hudson's 
Bay    Company    fin-    facilitating    the     portage     of    goods.      Our    parly 
of  explorers,  however,  received  from    him  the  very   unpleasant  informa- 
tion that  his  horses  had  all   died  from   murrain,  and  that  the  Company's 
animals  were  also  all  disabled.     This  news  was  received  by  Richardson 
with  great  disappointment,  for  he  had  planned  to  reach  the  sea  as  soon  as 
possible,  so  as  to  explore    Wollaston    Land    (across   the   strait   from   the 
mouth  of  the  Coppermine)  this  season.     This  new  circumstance  seemal 
to    represent  a  delay  of  several  weeks,  and  his  scheme  was  likely  to  he 
thwarteil.     Coming  up  with  Mr.  Bell    before  the  portage  was   reached, 
he  found  several  of  his  (Bell's)    men  enfeebled   and  lame  from  previous 


^U^^kk^A^M&m 


1(1  placed  ill  their 


^   CACHE. 


880 


labor  at  portages,  ami    unfitter'  fo,-  rcivicn.. 

son's  „wn  vcy^jjcrs  too  h-ul  h  '^^"''^""^'   '"'>'  assistance.     Richanl- 

J"  i,i.rs,  loo,  had  been  cntrai'-ed  wifl,  ti,  . 

Iht-y  were  .„  re.,„„  a,  ,o„„  „,  u,,,,''  >■"     ""'  "'"  "'"l^^'a.ulinK  .l-at 

-  ^- -^-'  "-^o„„„ :::;:,::::;:  r;'  -'-^ """  -^^  - 

of  about  fourteen  miles.  ''ttu.nable  water-a  distance 

^ •-■  n-e  ),.>,,.,  ;„: ::    ::,:,:  :;;-•  ■-'-'■... 0,0.^1,,,, 

The  iMMopcan,,,  however    e„uW  e.r  ,  '"■"'"■  '"'"'  """  "'i^' 

WiU,    ,l,e  ,.s„a,  c,uo.a  of  a„ve,„  re,  ,  e         ,       ;'r     :  """"■ 
Se,>»ratio„_,„arkinj;  the    „arli,„,     r  „  '     '""*''"'  P™"' 

'■»'-■  '•■  '-y  ^.  case  „,■  pe„i,  :.,"•;;;:  ::':';"^'  -  ^--"o-  .^ey 
ten  feet  from  the  be,t.,,r„w„  tree  o„  the  ,  ,       '  "'  '^^  """"""■■"  "■ 

w»  plaee,!  i„  It  a  hotti  eon.    ,  „  '"     ' '""'  ''""''■^  ""^  ''''■"'.  '^ere 

^.»". eh  .;:,;;„:::": ■":  °'  •"^-  ■■"^■-*  "^*- 

-"- --"-e: ;:/i:r;,::!rh:H:r""^'~ 

b  AiLtic  beas  up  to  certain  nicridims       \Vi 

the  beacb  o,i  the  ..ornin,  of  the  4th  of  Ju        s:6  7  7]]  '^'  '"'"''  "' 
routes,  wo  eiicered  each  nfl,  •  1    ,  ^'  '    "  ^""'''^  ""rseparate 

ecicii  uich  other  wuh  hearty  good  will    ..nrl  .,  .      •     •   • 
'i'i  J  b'-"-"i  WIU,  and  no  nnsgivin"-s. 


I  f  '  '  i 


A»aaia  JJ,  ^ 


DOWX  THE  MACKENZIE. 

parly  fell  some  miles  short  <)f  the  parliamentary  distance,  and 
)  ilaim.  Mv  partv  accomplisiicd  the  whole  space  between  the 
eriiliaijs,  l)iit  the  authorities  decided  that  the  reward  was  not 
W/.v,  hut  ships." 

fniisheil  operations  at  the    <-nc/ii\  tlie   voyaj^'e   was   resuiiie<l, 

)oats   passed   dou  ii    the    eastern    hrancii    of   the    MacKenzie. 

w  hejjan  to  he  kept  tor  Estpiimaiix,  lor  Richarilson's    previous 

tau<,'iit  him   tiiat   thi>y  vvere   in    the   hahit    of  frecpientinj^    tlie 

s  time  tif  year.     Ahoiii  two  hundred  natives  were    soon  seen 


■at^lMAUX  OK   NOKTII  AMEKICA. 

jxuUUinj^  out  m  their  kavaci<s  and  oomiaks.  The  h(iitmen  were  cautioned 
to  keep  close  together  so  as  not  lo  allow  the  Esrpiimaux  to  overpower 
\n\y  one  if  they  slionld  seem  s()  disposed.  A  lively  barter  was  carried 
on  with  them  by  Richardson  and  Rae,  wiio  traded  all  ma'  ner  of  iron 
implements  for  the  rude  productions  (,f  liie  natives.  These  were  of  no 
use  to  the  whites,  but  it  had  been  found  a  plan  of  policy  to  make  no  !j:ift 
to  the  Escpiimaux,  as  the  American  tribes  regarded  it  as  a  mark  of  inferi- 
ority to  receive  a  j^ifl. 

The  inouiries  of  the  parly  were  of  course  chiefly  directed  to  obtain- 
in"  inff)rmat\oii  of  the  missin<r  vessels,  but  the  Esquimaux,  one  and  all, 
denied  ever  having  seen    any   whites,   or  heard  of  any   ships    alou'^   the 


I 


H 


coast.     >rone  of  the-n    would   a.-knowlod-.c   hein.  ^ 

tHccirc.n.ane.  of  that  cncouL;, ':!':;;  '""^  '"  '^^'^^  P^'^P^ 
c.nncction  ,.f  themselves  or  their  rel-  tivo       '.  "'"  <--'>'>f«««'-U'  the 

Richards' IslamI -a  small   islet   ius/.t  1              ,  '"'  "'"'  '"'■"^•"^'    ^« 

"  -^  --^y  -^  ^vhite  men  are  lili^  .C:  '":;::'^  "^  '^^   ^^^^-ie^ 

'al^chood,  as  the  co.„mancler  had  landed  ihere  th"  T                 '"   '"  '^ 

I'^'vin,^  discovered  any   traces      Th                ,  ■'^'  P''"^''"'"'    ^^'^^out 

i"<'..ceth.mtoIan.l   whicnthevh    ir''""'  '"""''   ^'''^   ^^'''^"^'X  »« 
''^^"-  i-.vievvs  with  the    ^     ^  '^^^ '-'I -'-''  to  do  n-om  the  ,L  of 

-y."^-u.^^.-cer.nonhe:di::;;::!;'^^ 

reisl  shann-  in  bciny  .Ic-icctal  l„  ,  r  ,    ,       ,  Ai.KTica  feci  the 

■'<  .hey  .hi„K  .„„.  .h;.eh/.    '     ;   ""™""'"''  »■■"  "-.--■.I.  pn,c.ice  i, 

■' ^^'  f^'-Ni."-  i.uo„„ je  I.  :r:;:;"",f  t  "^^  ^'■*-  '=™ 

•""'■  "■  'I-  fir,,  instance,  a,„,  if  .•"  "     ""'"'  "'"""'  "■•"  '^e 

a*.ni,hn,c„t,  their  invention  r,u  '       '"T"     '"  """'"'""   ^'''""ation  or 
"-  .-ker,  rather  than  ^    i  Zl  ""'r  "'  ^"'"-     '■'•""  ""  '"-"-  "' 

-" '- "  - -on,,  ^.z:^:^::;;::';:'-^-^  »--„,  at, 

No  satisfactory   inform-.^-        ,       .        ^'''^'^  ^"  ^''"^'t  the  facts. 

-■"-••"cienti,  often  ,„:„,ec:;c.c^:;:r'""?  ':"'""••"  "-'"^ 
"" "' '-'  «-•  "■•«  *^  -™.ific  ci: : ,  x:*; .  -;;  "^«  -cH 


!'■: 


.MilUi 


IH1WNHII 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 
Richardson's    journey    toward    the    Coppermine  —  an    early 

WINTER A    reasonable    THEORY — CONJECTURES RETURN    TO 

FORT  CONFIDENCE — PLAN    FOR  THE    SUMMER — RAe's    EXPEDITION 

—  CONFER    WITH    ESQUIMAUX RETURN    TO    THE    COPPERMINE  — 

INTERPRETER     DROWNED — LOST     IN     THE    WOODS — APPROVAL   Oh 
THE    ADMIRALTY. 

As  has  already  been  intimated,  Dr.  Ricliardson's  account  of  his  jour- 
ney abounds  with  vivid  pictures  of  the  natural  features,  productions,  and 
people,  of  the  regions  through  which  he  passed.  Rocks,  flowers,  trees 
and  natives  were  all  carefully  studied,  and  their  habits,  peculiarities  and 
anoinalies  faithfully  portrayed.  In  fact,  most  Arctic  navigators  have 
done  the  same,  and  it  is  to  their  energy,  zeal  and  ability  that  Arctic  sci- 
ence, in  its  various  branches,  owes  its  present  advanced  status.  As  the 
purpose  of  the  present  volume,  however,  is  not  to  treat  of  natural  history, 
nor  geology,  as  such,  an  incidental  mention  of  the  facts  relative  to  these 
sciences  must  suffice. 

Dr.  Richardson  had  hoped  to  reach  the  Coppermine  River,  and  from 
liiere  to  cross  over  and  explore  V/ollaston  Land  the  first  summer.  He 
was  disappointed  to  find  that  the  new  ice  began  to  form  early  in  Septem- 
ber, so  as  not  only  to  impede  his  progress  by  its  own  resistance,  but  by 
cementing  together  in  impenetrable  solidity  the  immense  floes  of  pack- 
ice,  which  had  not  succeeded  in  forcing  their  way  through  the  narrow 
channel  between  the  continent  of  America  and  the  islands,  or  lands  on 
I'^e  north.  The  imavoidable  conclusion  of  the  sea-voyage,  while  still  at 
some  distance  from  the  Coppermine  River,  was  contemplated  by  tlie 
commander  and  the  entire  crew  with  the  deepest  regret.  It  had  been 
hoped,  that  even  if  no  time  was  left  to  explore  WoUaston  Land,  the  Cop- 
permine, at  least,  could  be  reached,  and  the  boats  left  somewhere  along 

888 


A  REASONABLE   TIlEORr. 


389 
,.,  anks,  wher..  they  would  bo  available  fo,-  ano.be,-  .,„„„,e,..s  „,,.  „  , 
.f  Ihcy  were  now  abandoned  on  the  co-is.    !,.„>,  ,  ' 

unexpected  deav  at  Methv  Pr^..f„        l    ,  ''l-'""g,  ami  th-j 

1  ^''^^^''>'P«'tage,  had  made  the  arrival  at  the  sea  hter 

than   had    been   ant  c mifj^fl    ...„i   •  .  '^'•*^' 

o,.„-  ..  .ee.,  even  "X^  t^ ^r^.  :7  T'"^'^  "''"  ^^- 
Notwithstanding  the   brevity  of  the  """'  ™l""""'=<=- 

nessof  the!,,  a^ival,  wo       'h    ; Irr'.r  *='•  'T'  ""'  ''-  ""'- 

VVCaston    Land,  had   it  been  possi  o  1  ^  ''7  '"""  "^'"'  '" 

1     I  •    I  i-'^.-'s.uic   lo  ellect   such  a  cross  no-      Th« 

oiih- hnidrance   was  the   unmvlcroKi  ,•  •  '"^-Mn^.      i  he 

uie   unnavigable  condition  of  the  rlnsf  «..^i     i    • 
'IHft.     A  flat,  smooth   floe  is  often  of    ,    •  .  •         '"'"'^"P^''^'^^^'    '^e- 

-■•^^.-a,.  shape^andeonseji-vr,  rrrirrr:^^^^^ 

Of  person  upon  the  least  disturbance. 

Richardson  plainly  remembered  that  on  both  of  hi.  f 
to  taese  seas,  neither  he  nor   Franklin   hd  fn  ,  "^^^^" 

-  ^'-'  ^'^annels   under  conside       o        n  "  ^"°"'"'"   ^^"^^"^ 

pac^s  were  visible  here  and  th         I  ?"'    "'^"'"^^    ""'^  ^■"^*" 

""^  ^"'''^'-'  ^h''*  general  openness  of  the  sea  ifTnyA 
..a„,p,e  opportunity  for  passage  „p  to  a  later  period  thal^^^    ; 
i'e ptcnber.     In  seeking  .,  reason  for  the  existing  s,a.e  of  affa   s   R 
ardson  ,„,n,d  hl,„,e|f  „ble  to  establish  a  reason.hl 
'"'■  ."■ ■.^■■1  absence  of  the  ,„,ssin. 'C-lr  "'""'""'  ''''"'"' 

"'■>--■■ '  Lon-lon  »h„we.l  tha     ^      s      r:,:    7''    f  ^""^  ^-- 

groups  „r  ool.l  ones  i„  sneh  a  wav  ■,.  ,  ,  '  '"'""^  ^""' 

—  al  ten,pera.„r        i     "  J      .H:'"  'I  '"°"  ''"'••^'""  ""'  "■" 

:ep.-ted  bya  series  of  ellipti:;':.::!;—^^^  ^  ■"-  "^ 
"-  '-"•  -  ->een   years,   although  l^al  or'  1%  3:^ 


r» 


"IF" 


fJ^Bg^JHIjEf' 


■Iliftotlriiiiniin 


Jl 


*it- 


CONyECTURES. 

cause  the  means  to  change  in  particular  years,  and,  indeed,  in  particular 
places  also. 

The  conjecture,  then,  was  that  Franklin  entered  Lancaster  Sound  at 
the  close  of  a  group  of  favorable  years,  when  the  ice  was  in  the  greatest 
state  of  diminution,  and  that,  having  boldly  pushed  on  in  one  of  the  clos- 
ing years  of  the  favorable  cycle,  unexpected  ice  was  j^roduced  durins,^ 
the  unfavorable  years  following,  and  thus  an  insurmountable  barrier  to 
his  return  war;  made. 

This  conjecture,  while  it   could    not,  of  course,  descend   to  detail  in 
this  particular  case, seems  to  have  been  the  correct  one;  for  (to  anticipate 
our  narrative)  it  was  afterward    found  that   Franklin's   vessels   actually 
were  beset  by  ice  in  September,  1S46,  and  that  too  in  a  much  lower  lati- 
tude than  was  at  this  time   reached  by  Richardson.     It   will    l)e   found, 
also,  that  the  explorers  for  the  next  few  years,  from   1S4S-57,  found  the 
springs  very  backward,  and  the   winters  exceedingly  long  and   severe. 
The  experiences  of  Kane  in  northern  latitudes  for  three  different  winters 
may  be  hereafter  cited  as  cases  in  point.     We  have  here  to  do,  however, 
not  with   theories,  but  with   facts,  and   the   practical   problem  of  how  to 
find  Franklin  and  convey  relief  to   him,  was  the   all   important  question 
which  presented    itself   to   the  admiralty  and   those   representing   them 
upon  the  seas. 

As  we  have  seen,  circumstances  compelled  the  party  to  desist  from 
further  undertakings  this  foil,  and  preparations  were  made  to  journey  by 
land  back  to  Ft.  Confidence,  where  Mr.  Bell  was  supposed  to  be  pre- 
paring winter  quarters  for  the  voyagers.  Burying  a  quantity  of  pem- 
mican,  and  also  of  ammunition,  near  the  places  where  the  boats  were  to 
be  left,  they  started  on  the  third  of  September,  carrying  everything 
which  their  strength  would  permit.  After  a  tedious  journey,  made  more 
so  by  the  heavy  burdens  which  they  bore,  they  arrived  at  Ft.  Confidence 
on  the  15111.  Here  they  found  Mr.  Bell,  who  had  reached  the  site  on 
the  17th  of  August,  and  had  immediately  set  to  work.  Since  that  time 
he  had  built  an  ample  storehouse,  two  houses  for  the  men,  and  a  dwell- 
ing  house  for  the  officers,  consisting  of  a  hall,  three  sleeping  apartments, 
and  a  storeroom.     Dispatches  and  letters  were  now  made  ready,  and  on 


"■-"'-TiWir'"-""'""''' 


deed,  in  particular 


PLAN  FOR   THE  SUMMER. 

th(*  iStli    won.'  (akcii    in    rh-n-.i-r.    k,,  i 

»i   Ui.M-i.-  by  ,„e„  chosen   for  the  purnose  to  W. 
.onvcycl  to  the  H,-iti,,h  scttlemctits.  P"rpose,  t,>  be 

liens  the,,,  „t    Ft.  Conli.lenee,  the   vvinte,-  of  tS.S  „ 

ch— i»tic,er,,o„  h,.hewi,.„of  No,.;.!::.  "^™"'°">' "^  " 

The  ,.et„,.,,  of  »,„„,„„,.  ,„„„„„,  „.,„  ,  „,_^  __^^.^^^.      ^^ 

o,„e  eo,„se  o,  aet.c,  ,b,-  the  f„,,he,-  p,osec.,tio„  of  the  sea,ch    It  J,     n^ 

to„,h.he.t„...Wo„.to..L.,,,<^b,,th.the„b.,J„-  J^^^^^^^^^ 
the  „,e  hod  .„  p,.oeed„re  ..w  i„.„  „  pe,,„e.i„,  ,>,.„,,„„,  „„,,  ^  ^ 
s„ce^,le.,  ,„  .,„<„„  the,-,,  boats  „p  the  Coppe,.„„„e,  beyo„„  the  .t  c    Tf 

was  ,o™e.l,  the  voyage  ,.i,,ht  have  hee„  ,.e™,„e,,  i„  the  s.  ,„,„e,.„f  X  ' 
w,.h  two  o,.  th,.ee  boats;  a,„n„   .hat  ease,  the  whole  pa„y   .,,':• 
go„e,  a„.l  so  Itave  ai,le<l  „„e  a„„.he,.  a,„o„„  the  „„es.      „  .  „  ^hej      ! 
been    eo.npelled  t,>  leave  thci,-  erif,    1„  i;     .      ,  ^    ''"' 

I  r  ■     ,    .  '  '"^IXt-'illie,-,  withoat  the  smallest 

o„e  boa.  ,.e,na.„„„  .ha.  eoul.l  be  e,np,oyea  o„  .he  serviee,  i.  beZ:  ,e 

o«n,y  to  dete,-,ni„e  which  of  the  .„,,  Ieadi„„  olHccs   D,    R ,' 7 

M,.  Rae.  sboald    ta.e  eha-.e  of  that  vessel  Id  Zi:,  '^^tZZ 

o„.a„.     Se..,,,,  aside  pe.„„al  eo.,sldefa.io„s,  and  loo.inl  onlv  to  . 
^      s  of  p,.„v,d.,„  ,o,.  the  examination  of  „s,a,,e  a  poftion  of  .he  Ar 

...  .»  eoald  be  aee„,nplished,  D,-.  Rieha,dson  had  not  ,„nch  hesitatfo     „ 
cleciclin<j  111  lavor  of  \[.-  li  ■„.      tj-       i  •.•  uLsuation  in 

*;  W  was  in  the  J^:J:^,  ^  ^Z  "'"'    ^"^"  ""'  ""'"-^°- 

-. "-  - 'i»cn„a,.,y  f:;::ir:,::::;;'r  "'^'  ■'"' ""  ""■  - 

MnRaebad  abeadv  a,,,,  .,,.   „,„„,  ,    ,„,.^„   ,    , 

=:::i::;:::;:t^rr;:'::r;:-:r"- 
r;:.;;:r:::::;:r"- 

tuo  of  h,.s  men  and    ,wo  Indian  hunters,  who  were  to  be  e,- 
^'-   -anting,   in  oluainin,  and   cnrin,   t^  nJZV^^^^'' 
musk-ox,  for  summer  „.        u     •  '^  reinueer  and 

'  '""  ^""     "*'^^''"-  ^"  ---^  '"any  weeks  for  the  opening 


'HIIU^'iiSS(MSiv<s:mi-»  mum. 


m 


urn 


1144    ''ti^m- 


INTERVtEW  WiTtI  ESQUIMAUX. 


V' 


i.  a 


'4    IM 


of  the  rivers,  it  was  the  micldle  of  July  before  the  sea  was  reached,  and 
as  the  ice  in  the  channels  was  still  impenetrable,  several  weeks  more 
were  occupied  in  exploring  the  various  rivers  which  had  their  mouths 
near  the  point  where  the  Coppermine  finds  an  outlet. 

Their  advance  along  the  coast,  when  once  it  began,  was  very  slow, 
owing  to  the  still  comparatively  impenetrable  condition  of  the  ice;  and 
the  place  where  the  boats  were  left  the  preceding  autumn,  was  not 
reached  until  the  34th  of  July.  The  boats  were  found  much  broken  up 
by  the  action  of  the  ice,  which  had  invaded  the  inlet  where  they  were 
left,  and  also  by  the  Esquimaux,  who  had  dismantled  them  of  large  por- 
tions  of  woodwork,  that  they  might  obtain  the  iron  and  copper  used  in 
their  construction.  The  tents,  oil-cloths,  and  part  of  the  sails  still  re- 
mained uninjured,  and  were  made  extremely  useful  t  j  Mr.  Rae,  who 
was  ill  supplied  with  these  articles.  The  cache  of  pemmican  and"  pow- 
der was  also  untouched,  its  covering  of  snow  probably  causing  it  to  es- 
cape detection. 

Passing  on  to  the  west,  they  soon  came  to  the  point  where  the  search 
had  been  concluded  the  previous  season,  being  also  the  most  convenient 
though  not  the  nearest  point  from  which  Wollaston  Land  could  be 
reached.  Indeed,  it  was  not  only  unnecessary  to  go  further,  but  also  im- 
possible; for  the  junction  here  of  the  rough  hummocks  on  one  side  and 
the  steep  cliffs  on  the  other,  made  further  thought  of  passage  useless. 
They  pitched  their  tents  on  the  top  of  a  cliff  and  waited  for  the  first 
favorable  change  in  the  sea. 

A  few  days  after  this  the  Esquimaux  interpreter  and  one  of  the  men, 
when  some  distance  inland  looking  for  game,  overtook  five  Esquimaux, 
who  were  traveling  toward  the  interior  with  a  load  of  fish.  From  these 
it  was  found  that  the  sea-ice  had  begun  breaking  up  only  the  day  before 
the  party  had  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Coppermine.  These  natives 
also  testified  that  they  had  been,  during  the  winter,  in  company  with  the 
Esquimaux  of  Wollaston  Land,  and  that  the  latter  had  never  seen  Euro- 
peans, large  ships,  or  boats. 

Their  detention  here  was  very  long  and  tedious.     Several  gales  of 
wind  occurred  from  the  south,  but  the  space  of  open  water  was  so  small 


as  reached,  and 
x\  weeks  more 
d   their  mouths 

was  very  slow, 
of  the  ice;  and 
tumn,  was  not 
luch  broken  up 
lere  they  were 
n  of  large  por- 
copper  used  in 
le  sails  still  re- 
Mr.  R;ie,  who 
nican  and  pow- 
:ausing  it  to  es- 

here  the  search 
lost  convenient 
Land  could  be 
er,  but  also  im- 
311  one  side  and 
lassage  useless. 
J  for   the  first 

ne  of  the  men, 
•e  Esquimaux, 
I.  From  these 
the  day  befoie 
These  natives 
pany  with  the 
/er  seen  Euro- 

veral  gales  of 
r  was  so  small 


I 


.'(hi 


8d4 


Return  to  tur  Coppermine. 


that  little  eflcct  upon  the  ice  was  observable.  The  situation  was  tanta- 
lizino;  in  the  extreme  to  all  the  party.  Occasionally  at  the  time  of  the 
tide  a  lead  of  water  would  appear,  a  mile  or  so  in  length,  and  wide 
enough  to  admit  of  the  passage  of  a  boat.  Everything  would  be  at 
once  preparetl  for  launching;  when  suddenly,  some  adverse  circumstance 
would  cause  the  opening  to  grow  narrow,  until  no  longer  safe  for  boat 
or  man  to  venture  in. 

The  ice  continued  drifting  to  and  fro  with  the  tides,  without  separat- 
ing sufficiently  to  allow  of  passing   among   it,  till  the    19th  of  August, 
when  there  seemed  to  be  more  open  water  to  seaward  than  had  yet  been 
seen.     After  waiting  for  some  hours   for  a  troublesome   pack   near  the 
shore,  to  disperse,  they  at  last  pushed  off;  and  after  many  narrow  escapes 
from  being  squeezed,   they   at   last   reached    comparatively  open    water, 
where  they  had  soon  to   use   their  oars.     They   had  pulled   more   than 
seven  miles,  when  they  came  to  a  stream  of  ice,  so  close   packed  and  so 
rough  that  they  could  neither  pass  over   nor  through  it.      Under  these 
circumstances    it   wa-    thought   advisable  to  return  to  the  mam  shore, 
where  they  landed  the  next  day.     On  the  very  next  day  wind  began  to 
blow  from  the  northeast,  and  in   four  hours  not  a  perch  of  open  water 
was  to  be  seen— nothing  but  a  continuous  sheet  of  white,  solid  drift  ice. 
As  the  fine  weather  had  now  evidently  broken  up,  no  course  remained 
but  to  retreat  to  the  Coppermine  and  Ft.   Confidence.     An  accident  oc- 
curred in  ascending   the   Coppermine   which   had   even   more    effect   in 
dampening  the  spirits  of  the  party  than  the  failure  to  reach   WoUastoii 
Land.     They  had  successfully  ascended  the  river  to  what  was  known  as 
the  "Bloody  Falls,"  marking  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  intricate  and 
dangerous  rapids.    It   had   been   the  custom,  in  former  ascents  of  tiicse 
rapids,  to  draw  the  boats  along  the  bank,  till  the  most  difficult  portion  was 
passed,  and  then  to  launch  the  boat  and  tow  it  up  over  the  remainder  of  the 
distance.  As  the  boat  of  our  voyagers  was  exceedingly  worn  and  unsub- 
stantial, it  was  thought  best  to  do  the  same  in  this  case.  All  that  appeared 
to  be  of  any  difficulty  was  easily  accomplished,  and  there  was  only  one 
short  place  to  be  ascended,  which  was  so  smooth  that  a  loaded  boat  ini<dit 
have  passed   it;    here,    however,    from  some   unaccountable    cause,   the 


I      s 


THE  liYTERPRBTBR  DROWNED. 


805 

»..crs™,„  was  seized  with  ,n  .„,.,e„  p„„ie,  .,„,   ealled   ,„   ehosa  .„wl„. 
I>e  b„,.  .o  sUck  .he  .i„e.     This  was  „.,  s„o„e,.  done  suffl,;,,,.,,  .„  2; 

man  a„     allowc,  ,ho  ,,„a.  ..,  shec,-  i„eo  the  crrene,  „ha„  the  m,e  hie 

an,l  the  hoae  was  hunicl  ,l„wn  stream  into  an  eddv      T„  ,w  t 

an.l  Albert,  the  interpreter  ran  and  .J  T  P"'"'  '*"'' 

rpietci,  lan.aiid  stationeil  tlicmse  ves  at  two  ooinis  r.c 

roc.  nea.  w  ich  the  week  would  pass.     MisunCerstandin,  Z  ol 
the  co..,nance,  the  Es,ui.au.  leaped  into  the  hoat  whe.:  it   J ll 
enough,  and  both  were  swept  away  to.ethe,-.     The   native   was   fin     ! 
thrown  out  and  sanl,  not  to   appea.  a.ain.     The  occurrence  was   .^^ 
re,re  ted   as  the  youn,  n.an  was  greatly  lil.ed  for  his  activitv,  lively 
amiable  disposition,  and  extreme  goodness. 

Rae's  failure  to  cross  to  Wnll-ief,,,,  t        i    • 
,     ,      r    1  •„       ,.  VVollaston  Land,  ,s  attributable,  not  at  all  to 

lack  of  skill  or  bravery— but  to  H-,0  :  u,  -'l  au  lo 

.        ^     .         ,.  '^      ""^  ^"  ^'^'^   ""P'issable   condition    of  the   ice   in 

the  strait    which    it    was  necess-irv  f,.y  w      .    . 

,-      c         ■  •    .  ..  "ecessai>    foi  hiin  to  traverse.     His   mortifica- 

tion from  his  failure  was    verv  kom    ..,wi  i  ^rtmca- 

.ntcliigent  man,  and  received,   as  he  deserved    H.  ,     • 

,,  .  .  ,  »     -  lie  deserved,  the   approbation    of  the 

iJiitish  (jovernment. 

Having  now  finished  the    storv   of  Mr    Rn,.'  i 

revert  to  the  experiences  of  Dr   R     1       ,  '"^^^^'''    ^' 

nntv    I     •        /'""'"'"*  ^^'-R'chardson,   and   the   remainder  of  the 

'  J7:     :  T7  °'  '''^-     ^"  ''-'  '''  "^  ^^^  ^'->'  -«^  ^^eir 
H..H  L  (jt  Kac,  who  had  not  vci  l/.ft  Pt    r'     /-  i 

\tl  Jilt  ft.  Confidence  to  descend  tile   Con 
permnic,  and  proceeded  to  Ft   Fr„,l,i;„         ,i  .  '^ 

Ben-  Like      A    ,K  ■  '  "^  "''P™'"'  "''!•-'  "f  Great 

B  a,  Lake.     As  they  anfcpatcl  some  difficultv  in  navlgatin..  Bear  Lale 
R.ver  wh,eh  flows  out  of  Great  Bear  Lake  into  the   ^L,cK:„.i      .    fo 
™lcs    clow  r,  ^■„,,„,„,  ,   „„.^,^,  ,,__„  ,_^^^  ^_.,^^^^^  ^  .    f 

-   at  the  head  of  the  river.     The,  waited  over  a  month  for  the  W 
w     .,  sonK.  men  appeared  who  reported  that  the  river  was  not  yet  ope'n 

'■./...  the  stores.     Most  of  the  expedition   started    in   a   fishin..bo« 
.wo  ...  then,  were  ins.rt.cted  to  follow  alon,  the  ban.  of    ll  r  J  e.' 
ot,each  carryi„,with  hint  his  own   beddin,  and   provision,     ol 
"'^-  n,en,  nan,ed    Brodie,  stracU  into  the  interior  to  avail  himself  of  a 


mmmmmtF^,. 


'irrrr  M— wwuil . 


306 


APPROVAL  OP  THE  ADMIRALTY. 


'i-' 


'lit 
1 1  ■    ^ia 


short  cut,  aiul  not  soon  rejoining  tiic  party,  was  supposcil  to  1)0  lost,  and 
considerable    apprehension    was   felt    for   his   safety.     It   was    afterward 
found  that,  when  he  detected  the  fact   of  his  walkin"   in   tiie    wrong  di- 
rection, he  began  to  run,  as  is  usual   in    sucli    cases,  till   he   came   to  tlie 
bank  of  a  tortuous  stream,  and  being  a  fearless  swimmer,  swam  across  it, 
carrying  his  clothes  on  his  head.     The  river  coming  again    in   his   way, 
he  crossed  it   a  second  time  in  like  manner,  but  on  the  last   occasion  his 
bundle  slipped  away  from  him,   and   floated    off,  while   he    regained    tho 
bank  in  a  state  of  perfect  nudity.     After  a   few    moments'  reflection  lie 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  without  clothes  he  must  perish,  and  that  he 
might   as  well  be  drowned  in  trying  to  recover  them,  as  to  attempt  pro- 
ceeding naked.     On  this  he  plunged  in  again,  and  this  time  succeeded  in 
landing  safely  with  his  habiliments.   He  soon  discovered  his  whereabouts, 
and  rejoined  the  party. 

This  adventure  is  related  to  illustrate  what  a  traveler  in  these  wilds 
was  liable  to  encounter,  and  as  an  example  of  what  happened  to  all  ol 
the  seamen  of  this  expedition.  None  of  them  could  be  taught  that  they 
were  liable  to  such  accidents,  till  they  learneil  it  by  experience.  One 
man  who  thus  strayed  was,  when  found,  contentedly  steering  for  the 
moon,  which  being  near  the  horizon,  and  streaming  red  through  the  for- 
est, was  mistaken  by  him  for  the  fire  of  the  men's  bivouac. 

The  ascent  of  the  MacKenzic,  and  the  subsequent  journey  to  Can- 
ada, and  finally  back  to  Great  Britain,  was  not  attended  with  any  inci- 
dent worthy  of  note,  and  the  party  oi  Richardson  landed  at  Liverpool 
on  the  6th  of  November,  after  an  absence  of  nineteen  months,  twelve  of 
them  passed  in  incessant  traveling.  Richardson  made  no  delay  in  pre- 
senting himself  to  the  admiralty,  and  making  a  full  report  of  his  pro- 
ceedings, which  elicited  from  their  lordships  a  uniform  expression  of 
approbation.  His  narrative  was  afterward  published  in  book  form, 
which  volume,  with  its  rich  fund  of  incident  and  adventure,  and  thor- 
ough analysis  of  all  observed  phenomena,  stands  among  the  classics  of 
Arctic  literature. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

KXPKDITION  UNDER  SIR  MMES  C.  ROSS-XNSTRUCTIOXS  OK  THE  AD- 
MIRALTV-PREPARArrONS-UPEKNAV.K--IX  A  PACK-MAXWK.. 
BAV_A  NOVEL  EXPEDIENT-SPRING  OCCUPATIONS-THREF  SUR- 
VEYING PARTIES_AN  ARCTIC  HOUSE-WELLINGTON  CHANNEL- 
NIPS  _  IMPRISONED  -  A  MIRACULOUS  ESCAPE-A  KORCED  RE- 
TREAT—COMMENTS   ON    ARCTIC    NAVIGATION. 

Prominent  among  those  who  engaged  in  the  discussion  concerning 
the  probable  whereabouts  of  Franklin,  and  in  the  eventual  efforts  made 
to  relieve  that  distinguished  navigator,  was  Sir  James  C.  Ross,  of  whom 
specud  mention  has  already  been  made.  The  three  expeditions  planned 
.n  .S47,and  executed  in  1S4S,  have  been-  referred  to  in  a  precedin<. 
chapter.  They  were  base.!  mainly  upon  the  instructions  under  which 
iM-anklu,  sa.led,upon  known  conditions  existing  in  the  northern  seas 
and  upon  the  conjectured  course  of  Franklin,  in  case  of  failure  or 
emergency. 

The  expedition  which  was   regarded   at  the   time  as  of  most  impor- 
tance,  was  the  one  destined  to  Lancaster   Sound.     It  had  for  its  object  to 
take  up  the  route  followed  by   Franklin,  and  by  diligently  searchin<. 
lor  ...y  s,g„.l-posts  he   might   have  erected,  to  trace   him  out  and   carry 
the  rcqu.red  relief  to  his  exhausted  crews.    For  such  an  enterprise  as  thi^ 
none  were  thought  to  be  better  fitted  by  ability  and  experience  than  the' 
danng  con,mander  whose   name  heads   the  chapter.     In  company  with 
h.Y'-^"V-"-he^l   uncle,  he   had   already  traversed   man v  portions  of  the 
Sl"l)c,  a,ul  iKul  acquainted  himself  extensively  and  in  a  practical  manner 
with  al!  branches  of  the  nautical   science.     Pertinent  to  this  particular 
|.n.  ertakmg,  he  had  planted  the  British  flag  upon  the  magnetic  pole,  and 
had  learned   by  experience   the   peculiarities  of  Arctic  sailing,  and  the 
mana^uvcrs  necessary  among  the  ice-barriers  of  the  north.     Considering 

397  ^ 


mimim 


no8 


INS  TR  UC  TIONS. 


1 


these  qualiHcations,  as  well  as  the  practical  wisdom  cxhoitcd  in  Ross' 
discussion  of  the  then  all-absorbiufr  question,  the  admir.uty  had  no  hesi- 
tati'Mi  in  planing  him  at  the  head  of  this  important  expedition. 

The  facts  upon  which  his  plan  was  based  will  suflkiently  appear  from 
the  followinfr  quotations,  drawn  from  his  letter  of  advice  to  the  admi- 
ralty:  "As  vessels  destined  to  follow  the  tr-ick  of  the  expedition  must 
necessarily  encounter  the  same  dilHcultics,  and  le  liable  to  the  same  sc- 
verc  pressure  from  the  great  body  of  ice  they  must  pass  through  in  their 
way  to  Lancaster  Sound,  it  is  desirable  that  two  ships  of  not"  k-ss  than 
500  tons  be  purchased  for  this  service,  and  fortified  and  equipped  in  every 
respect  as  were  the  Erebus  and  Terror  for  Antarctic  seas. 

"Each  ship  shoidd,  in  addition,  be  supplied  with  a  small  vessel  or 
launch  of  about  twenty  tons,  which  she  could  hoist  in,  to  be  fitted  with  a 
steam  engine  and  boiler  of  tcn-horse  power,  for  a  purpose  to  be  hereafter 
noticed. 

"The  ships  should  sail  at  the  close  of  April,  1S4S,  and  proceed  to 
Lancaster  Sound  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  carefully  searching  both 
shores  of  that  extensive  inlet,  and  of  Barrow's  Strait,  and  then  progress 
to  the  westward. 

"As  soon  as  the  formation  of  water  along  the  coast  between  the  land 
and  the  main  body  of  the  ice  admitted,  the  small  steam  launch  should 
be  dispatched  into  Lancaster  Sound,  to  communicate  with  the  whale 
ships  at  the  usual  time  of  their  arrival  in  those  regions,  by  which  means 
information  of  the  safety  or  rotmn  of  Sir  John  Franklin  might  be  con- 
veyed to  the  ships  bef  .re  their  liberation  from  their  winter  quarters,  as 
well  as  any  further  instructions  the  Lords  Commissioners  might  be 
pleased  to  seiul  for  tlieir  future  guidance. 

"  The  easternmost  ship  having  been  safely  secured  in  winter  quarters, 
the  other  ship  should  proceed  ;done  to  tiie  westward,  and  endeavn,-  to 
reach^  Winter  Harbor,  in  Melville  Island,  or  some  convenient  port  in 
Bank's  Land,  in  which  to  pass  tiie  winter. 

"  From  this  point,  als„,  parties  should  be  dispatched  early  In  spring, 
before  the  breaking  up  .,f  the  ice.  The  first  should  trace  the  wester'ii 
coast  of  Bank's  Land,  and,  proceeding  to  Cape  Hathurst,  or  some  other 


800 

co„sp,cuo„s  point  on  the  continent,  previousiv  x^r..  i 
Richanison,  .•eaci,  th.  H.,son's  nl^  C    ll         H   "  ^''   ^"'" 

Hope,  on  the  MacKen.ic,  whence  the  Tj;  "  ""'"  "'  ^^^  ^""'' 
t-al  n.u,e  of  the  traders  o  Yo  F  f  '  T  ^"""""^'  ''^  ^"^• 
soon  as  convenient.  "'"^^'  "''  ^'^^"'^'^  ^«  England,  as 

"  The  second  party  shouM  explore  the  eastern  shore  of  ».nk's  I       . 
and   making  for  Cane  Krr        ...r.,  •         "°'^  "'  '^'"ik «  Land, 

e,  v^apt   ivri.        fi^">.comininiicate  with   Sir  Tohn  p;  1 

ardson's  party  on  its  dcscendin^r  th..  (^  ■  ^   ''"  ^^"^'^- 

"  rilesc  two  partii^s  winilil  pa,,,  „ver  llv.t  ,„.,      • 
Nv  ...  ,l,ip,  Hav.  beccno  inv  ,v.,,    f  ,  '7  '"  7^'  """'  "'■"'"'■ 

hc,uc.o„  .ho  ship,,  .„  „.l,„i  T  r  ""   "'"  ""  '""""■■■■-"i™ 

o...-.- ..  .ni,„.' ,;  „ J  ;  :':"::;;">•■  •;■■■  '"^  ^'"^"•■•-  -■  -h 

This  plai,  has  Ik-c,  give,   thus  fiillv,  paitlv  becius.  i,  f       ,     , 
-.1  explains  th.  voyage  about   to  ho '      ,e,    Ll       ,         "/"  '•■^'■"''"- 

" »  "^^">  -"■"  =™>Pl..e„os,  of  Uotai,  a„    S;        n  'T'ir  ' 

;;..-...«...  .atos^ou  we.  wont  to  p„,.„  .Li/ sol        "T:;: 

"""-a.owithR„,,Wo,sel,at    'l    1  "  "P^""""''^ '"  -"■ 

^■'^' '  .Hat  ho  hoc„„,of„„  :;:,',::■""  ■""'  "''^'■;':  ^^'"-  "> 

™.l  or  tho  stato  of  tho  searoh.  "        "*>"  ""  "'■■"  '"«"^' 

Tho  woA  of  fitting  up  vessols  fo,-  .ho  use  o,  the  ,vp.,,lti„„  b^-a 
-b   ".  ...o  soason  of  ,S,S.  but  as  ve.,  oh,borato  p;;^:,:;:'   ""C 


^    '  ;4 


'nil  _ 

.11*"     '*  'fFWi 


H  'M 


.     ! 


.1       ,%.! 


400 


IN  A   PACK. 


■A. 


made,  the  niranffements  were  not  coiuplott-d  until  June.  The  vessels 
chosen  were  the  Enterprise,  of  450  tons,  an.l  the  Investigator,  of  480 
tons  burthen,  and  the  combined  crews  and  officers  nund)eretl  135  s<,uls. 
Ross  raised  his  pennant  in  the  Enterprise;  and  with  him  were  Lieuts. 
M'Clure,  M'CIintock  an<l  Jlrowne,  of  the  formei  two  of  whom  more 
will  be  heard  hereafter.  The  Investifjator  was  commanded  by  Capt 
E.J.  Bird. 

The  expedition  raised  sail  on  the  utli  of  June,  ami  readied  the  Dan- 
ish  settlement  of  Upcrnavik,  situated  on  one  of  tlie  group  of  VV^lman's 
Islands,  on  the  western  shore  of  Haflhi's  Bay,  on  the  6th  of  July.  Pass- 
ing  through  this  maze  of  islands  and  ice  they  were  made  fist  on  the 
20th  to  an  iceberg  aground  of  Cape  Shackleton.  During  the  next  few 
days  vessels  were  towed  liy  their  launches  through  streams  of  loose  ice, 
and  on  the  26th  of  July  had  reached  the  three  islands  of  Baflin,  in  lati- 
tude  74"  N.  The  season  had  now  become  so  far  advanced,  and  progress 
was  so  matcri:dly  impeded  by  calms  and  light  winds,  that  hope  of  accom- 
plishing much  before  winter  should  set  in,  was  precluded. 

No  pains  were  spared,  however,  to  use  every  opportunity  of  pushing 

forward;  and  finally,  on  the  20th  of  August,  a  heavy  breeze  arose  which 

drove  the  ships  through  a  thick  pack  of  ice,  in   the  midst  of  which,  had 

they  been    compelled    to   stop,   both   ships   would   have  been   inevitably 

crushed.     As  it   was,  some  damage  was   received  by    them,  though  for- 

Innately  neither  was  disabled.     ^laving  now    crossed  Baffin's    Bay.,  the 

ships  si>.v.d  in  to  Pond's   Inlet;  but  though  they   kept  close  to   shore,  .uid 

made  repeated  signals,  no  vestige  of  Escjuimaux  or  other  human  beings 

could  be  seen.    On  the  26th  they  arrived  ofF  Possession  Bay,  and  a  party 

was  sent  on  shore  to  search   for  any  tnux's   of  the   expedition   having 

touched  at  this  general  point  of  rendezvous.     Nothing  wj's    *ound  here 

except  the  paper  recording  the  visit  ol   Sir  Edward   Parry,  on  that  very 

day  (the  30th)  in  1819.     They  examined  the  coast   westward  from    this 

point    with  great  care,  and    on  the    ist  of  September    arrived    off  Cape 

York  (on  Lancaster  Sound),  leaving    nere  abundant  landmarks  for  the 

benefit  of  any  who  might  follow  them. 

"  We  now,"  says  Ross,  "stood  over  toward  Northeast  Cape,  until  we 


t 


lie.  The  vtsHcIs 
a-stiffiitor,  oi"  .^So 
bcml  135  souls, 
lim  were  LieutH. 
of  whom  more 
lamlcd  by  Capt. 

cached  the  Dan- 
nip  of  Woman's 
1  of  July.  Pa  ,. 
Jade  fist  on  the 
ing  the  next  few 
,ms  of  loose  ice, 
f  Bafhn,  in  lati- 
:cd,  and  progress 
t  hope  of  acconi- 
1. 

inity  of  pushing 
L'ze  arose  which 
it  of  which,  had 
been  inevitably 
em,  though  for- 
ifHn's  Ray,  the 
se  to  shore,  ;ukI 
r  human  bein'rs 
Jay,  and  a  party 
oedition  ha\ing 
/;•  ,  'nund  here 
y,  on  that  very 
ward  from  this 
rived  off  Cajje 
dmarks  for  the 

:  Cape,  until  we 


39 


401 


iJiffilMillmwriMMr  I     itfflaMMiiiMiii— 


403 


A  NOVEL   EXPEDIENT. 


I 


»'   *  ,  t 


came  in  witli  the  edge  of  a  pack  too   dense  for  us  to  penetrate,  lying  be- 
tween  us  and  Leopold  Island,  about  fourteen    miles  broad ;  we  tnerefore 
coasted  the   north  shore  of  Barrow's  Strait,  to   seek  a  harboi  further  to 
the  westward,  and  to  examine  the  numerous  inlets  of  that  shore.     Max- 
well Bay  and  several   smaller  indentations,  were  thoroughly   explored, 
and,  although  we  got  near  the  entrance  of  V/ellington  Channel,  the  firm 
barrier  of  ice  which  stretched  across  and  !;al  not  broken  away  rS'i,  sea- 
son, convinced  us  that  all  was  impracticable  in  that  direction.     We  now 
stood  to  the  southwest  to  seek  for  a  harbor  near  Cape  Rennell,  but  found 
a  heavy  body  of  ice  extending  froin  the  west  of  Cornwallis  Land  in  a 
compact  mass,  to    Leopold    Island.      Coasting  along  the   pack    during 
stormy  and   foggy  v/eather,  we  had   difficulty  in  keeping  the  ships  free 
during  the  nigiit,  for  I  believe  so  great  a  quantity  of  ice  was  never  before 
seen  in  Barrow's  Strait  at  this  period  of  the  season." 

Fortiuie  at  last  smiled  upon  them,  and  the  pack  was  passed  in  safety. 
The  ships  were  secured  in  Leopold  Harbor  on  the  nth  of  September - 
a  most  desirable  situation,  being  at  the  junclii,n  of  the  four  great  chan- 
nels of  Barrow's  Strait,  Lancaster  Sound,  Prince  Regent  Inlet,  and 
Wellington  Channel.  In  case  Franklin,  having  abandoned  his  ships, 
should  attempt  a  retreat  through  any  one  of  the  above-mentioned  chan- 
nels, it  was  plain  that  he  must  be  apprised  of  the  presence  of  these  ships 
in  the  vicinity. 

On  the  very  day  following  this  fortunate  occurrence,  the  main  pack 
closed  in  with  the  land,  and  completely  sealed  the  mouth  of  the  harbor. 
As  the  beginning  of  the  long  Arctic  night  was  near  at  hand,  haste  was 
now  made  to  complete  the  preparations  for  tlie  winter.  This  was  ar'-om- 
plished  on  the  I2th  of  October,  about  the  time  when  the  sun  sank  out  of 
sight  for  his  long  period  of  alienation.  The  winter  was  usefully  spent  in 
exploring  on  foot  all  the  inlets  and  unknown  points  in  reach,  both  witl. 
reference  to  discovering  traces  of  Franklin,  and  also  in  order  to  promote 
the  accuracy  of  the  British  charts.  A  novel  «...;pedient  was  adopted  for 
the  purpose  of  extending  to  the  lost  navigators  knowledge  of  the  prox- 
imity of  assistance.  Ross  caught  large  numbers  of  white  foxes,  and, 
after    inscribing  copper  collars  with  information  concerning   the  where- 


rin^B  I 


PRINCE  RBGENT^S  INLEr. 


"'"""g  (he  d.,,h«i  Intelligence  Th  ""'»'"  ""^  "f  ^erv.ce  in  trans- 
.vo...  before.  He  l.„  left  „e,.,  ^:^^  "^'  ""^  "-'  ^^  P"y 
which  he  visite.l„»  ,h„.  in  case  a  rescue  1  """'"""  °"  "">  *■"■=' 
.he  more  readi,,  co„,c  upon  .hcdo.ireJda"  ""'="'"-^' '"'^  ""S'^' 

The  months  of  April  and  \f.. 

M'Clineock  and  a  palt^  of  , JT,'  I  """'  """'"'"  '■'  '^"P''  ^"-'  Lieut. 

evplorlngall  ehe  inlets  and   Snellen"-"','"   "'""""'"S  "'I   'horonghlj. 

-«cr„  coasts  of  Boothia  Pe  """"°'"  "'  "^  ""«''ern  and 

Opt.  Ross  o„tain..d  a  verv  tte:.:::::  ■'rrr""""  "'■'->=  '^"""- 
space  between  It  and  Ca„;  VVilker  ,     1  '"™'  """  ""=  """>''•• 

-I  .»  .he  north,  was  occLcd  „  vl    h       ""''  """  '^"''"S'""  Chan- 

"The  e..,nlnation  of  the  co  I.^'  ^Z-'\    """"'"''"  '''■ 
.heSth  of  Juuc,  when,  havin^coLu.:,    lid™;:  I:;  '"'^^  -«' 
and  the  strength  of  the   n-,rtv  h.-  ,  ""'  P'-^visions, 

opened  to  alandon  furt!;:^!::  "  it""""-''  '  ^  -'-"""^ 
'0  Sivo  the  n,en  the  da,  of  rest  B„,  V  th  ,''  '""™™''  "'''""'■^ 
!«..  I  proceclcd  with  two  hands  to  ,  ""  """  "  '""  ^  '^'"'"y 

«-.>-nrcucan,p™„nt,  distant  ahontci;:tor:::j;::;  ''°""  '"  ''»'"' 

Th  s  extreme  point  is  situated  In   latitnde  ,^'  Jl         ,  ,        . 
9=    40    W.,  and  I,  „„  „,e  „e,t  faee  of  a  small    I       ,    ,    '  '"'^""'^° 

«»le  of  ,l,e  atmosphere  bein..  a,  „„  ,■  '"         "'"'  l»--"in»ula.     The 

^»™™*  ror  distinctness  o;°:,l  '    ::T  r"'^'"^-™"-.i«cu,larl, 

'--'— ecnat  the  distance  of  .L'n     e^  7  '•""'  "'"■""°"  ■"■»""' 
'■"»"  here,  about  fifty  n,lle,  aw ,v  Ro  '■"'""   ""''"■'^  ''"'^  ">""' 

-  "«•     -nnce  Regent's  i:     'I";  r:::"  "-  ^'«"-  -Pe  on 
"■=».ern  seas  b,  a  narrow  neck  of  ,and  """■""'    '■™'"  '""^ 

"•«  l.'a.ter  proved  to  be  eight  feet  thick'     aT"  """"'■""'■"■  '^^  -  i" 
«■«  erected  in  the  viclnitv  and  on  tb        ,         """'P'"'""'  eairn  of  stones 

' '°  -  --    Here  iCX^a ^  "Z  j^T;  ^^  --   -r  re. 

jouniey  of  seventeen  days, 


404 


RELICS   OF  FORMER    VOYAGES. 


! 


■  ^  M  I  I  f 


so  completely  worn  out  by  fatigue  that  for  several  weeks  every  man  was, 
for  some  cause  or  other,  in  the  doctor's  hands.  Upon  their  arrival 
they  found  that  during  their  absence  Mr.  Matthias,  the  assistant  surj^eon 
of  the  Enterprise,  had  died  of  cotisumption,  and  that  the  health  of  many 
more  was  declining. 

While  Ross  was  absent  Commander  Bird  had  dispatched  several  sur- 
veying parties  in  different  directions.  Lieut.  Barnard  took  charge  of  the 
first,  which  proceeded  along  the  north  coast  of  Barrow  Strait,  cross- 
ing the  ice  to  Cape  Hurd;  Lieut.  Browne  led  a  second  to  the  extreme 
shore  of  Prince  Regent's  Inlet;  and  a  third  party  of  six  men,  conducted 
by  Lieut.  Robinson  along  the  western  shore  of  the  inlet,  extended  their 
examination  of  the  coast  as  far  as  Creswell  Bay,  several  miles  to  the 
southward  of  Fury  Beach.  The  house  in  which  Sir  John  Ross  had 
wintered  in  1S32-3,  was  found  still  standing,  together  with  a  quantity  of 
stores  and  provisions  of  one  of  the  ships  lost  in  1S27.  On  opening  some 
of  the  packages,  their  contents  of  flour,  peas,  and  meat  were  found  in  a 
state  of  excellent  preservation,  and  the  portable  soup  as  wholesome  as 
when  first  manufactured.  The  labors  of  all  these  parties  were  curtailed 
and  hindered  by  the  sufferings  of  the  individuals  from  snow-blindness, 
sprained  ankles,  and  debility. 

By  these  excursions  taken  in  connection  with  the  expedition  incident- 
ally referred  to  of  Mr.  Rae  in  1S47,  tiie  whole  of  Prince  Regent's  Inlet 
and  the  Gulf  of  Boothia  was  examined,  with  the  exception  of  160  milts 
between  Fury  Beach  and  Lord  Mayor's  Bay,  and  as  there  were  no  indi- 
cations of  the  ships  having  touched  on  any  part  of  the  coast  so  narrowly 
traced,  it  seemed  to  Commander  Ross  certain  that  they  had  not  attempted 
to  find  a  passage  in  that  direction. 

On  this  account  he  decided  that  it  was  best  to  press  on  to  the  west 
as  soon  as  his  ships  should  become  liberated.  The  chief  hope  now  cen- 
tered in  the  efforts  of  Sir  John  Richardson;  for  he  concluded  that  Sir 
John  Franklin's  ships  must  have  penetrated  so  far  beyond  Melville 
Island  as  to  induce  him  to  prefer  to  make  for  the  continent  of  America, 
rather  than  to  seek  for  aid  from  the  whalers  in  Baffin's  Bay.  The  crews 
weakened    by    excessive    exertion,    were   now  in    a    very    unfit  stale  to 


BESET. 


m 


""'  "='"■'  "i""  "7=  *""^  -o-sh  to  use  „„  „.  „,  „  ,„,,  „„„ ;  ';• 

w...     ...  c„C  a  channel  towar,,  ,he  poine  of  ,he  ha.hor,  a  ,,i,.a  ce  ofMl 

cmplccl,  an.l  .he  ship,  cleared  on   .he  .S.h  of  An,„s,      H  611:1 
"■■;"  T;  "l.'T   ''-'""■.  '»--,..  a  honse   was  h,  •,.  ...let."' 
™ch  of  .he  sh,p.s  housin,  ,„a.eria,  as   could  he  dispensed  „i.h.       uT.e 
....severe  left  provisions,  f„e,,  e.c.,  for   .he   .wclve.on.h.s  suppl'o    , 
..go  par.y   and    .„  a  eonvenien.  place  .as   ,„„ored    .he  s.ea.n    lanL 
be  .,nK,„s   .„  .he   Invcs.iga.or.     This   hein.  seven  fee.  longer   .hi    .h 
o.he,    „,ade„     ne   vessel,  capahle,  if  necessary,  of  convey,,;  S         oh, 
F,a,,.l,„  s  whole  par,,  .„  safe  ,uar.ers  w„h  .he  whaler,  in  B.^n's  ^ 
was  now  .lec,ded  .o  proceed  .o  .he  nonh  side  „f  Bar,.„„  •  i^ 
fo,   .he   p„,.p,,se  of  exa,„i„ing   Welli„g.on    Channel,   and  of  p>  „c^" . 
.  g,.f  P..SS.    e,as  far   wes.  as  Melville  Island,  b„.  when  ahou         Xe 
".,l.s   no,n   the  shore  ,he  ships  came   upon    .he    land    ice    an,!  i. 
"»P»»i'>le  .o  proceed  fnr.her.     As  .he,  were  s.ru,„in,  . L,         'i  ^ 
packs  and  endeavoring  .o  |,r„cced  wes.ward,  a  heavv  .^1.  h         u 
.hen.  ,he  loose  ice  .hrough  which  .he,  had  heclT:!^    ^LTt  ■''"" 
.,s  close  hcse.  .he,„  for  seve,,,,  ,la,s.     The  vessel,  .sus.a,  !^    :i'  Z 

described  by  Ross:  "^  ^""'^ 

"  We  were,  so  circumstanced  that  for  so,ne  days  we  could  nn^         i  • 
the  n..ldc.r,  and  when  by  the  laborious  operation  L  ZZ    .  ,  ' 

t"o  innnn.ocks  fro.  under  the  stern,  we  were    b  It    T  T"""'' 

twisted    an,!    dama-^.d-    Hnd   th.      '. ^'  ^^'^^ ''^''^  ^'^ ''"  «">  vve  found  it 
»'i^^U,    and   the   ship   was  so  nnich   strained  -.s  to  in 
cease  tne  JeaUa,.e  from   three   inches   in    a   fortni<.ht    f      f 
Tl„.  ;..  •  lortniglit,  to  fourteen   dailv 

J  lie  ice  was   stationary  for  a  few  dav^-  th..  ,  ^' 

'^^--..ces„vereac:„.her  aidt;  ::r:T: :  ::r^^^^ 

;;;;  o,..ir»hee.,  e^endl,,,  fro„,  shore   .o  shore  of  l,:,'.;::    'l,  ^  '::" 
-       '"  .ho  eas.  and  wes.  „,  .he  e,e  couUI  discern  fronr  .he  .nas.!:,., 


flifH-^ 


406 


DELIVERANCE. 


;!' 


while  the  extreme  severity  of  the  temperature  had  cemented   the  whole 
so  firmly  together  that  it  appeared  highly  improbable  that  it  could  break 
up  again  this  summer.     In  the  space  which  had  been    cleared   away   for 
unsiiipping  the  rudder,  the  newly  formed   ice   was   fifteen   inches   thick, 
and  in  some  places  along  the  ship's  side,  the  thirteen-feet  screws  were' 
too  short  to  work.     We  had  now  fully  made  up  our  minds  that  the  ships 
were  fixed  for  the  winter,  and  dismal  as  the  prospect  appeared,  it  was  far 
preferable  to  being  carried  along  the  west  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay,  where 
grounded  bergs   are  in  such  numbers  upon  the  shallow  banks  of  that 
shore    as  to  render  it  next  to  impossible  for  ships  involved  in  a  pack  to 
escape  destruction.    It  was  therefore,  with  a  mixture  of  hope  and  anxiety 
that,  on  the  wind  shifting  to  the  westward,  we  perceived  the  whole  body 
of  ice  begin  to  drive  to  the  eastward,  at  the  rate  of  eight  to  ten   miles 
per  day.     Every  effort  on  our  part  was  totally  unavailing,  for  no  human 
power  could  have   moved  either  of  the  ships  a   single  inch;  they  were 
thus  completely  taken  out  of  our  hands,  and  in  the  center  of  a  field   of 
ice  more  than  fifty  miles  in  circumference,  were  carried  along  the  south- 
ern shore  of  Lancaster  Sound. 

"  After  passing  its  entrance,  the  ice  drifted  in  a  more  southerly  direc- 
tion along  the  western  shores  of  Baffin's  Bay,  until  we  were  almost 
abreast  of  Pond's  Bay,  to  the  southward  of  which,  we  observed 
a  great  number  of  icebergs  stretching  across  our  path,  and  pre- 
senting the  fearful  prospect  of  our  worst  anticipations.  But  when  least 
expected  by  us,  our  release  was  almost  miraculously  brought  about. 
The  great  field  of  ice  was  rent  into  innumerable  fragments,  as  if  by 
some  unseen  power." 

Every  resource  was  immediately  brought  into  active  use,  and  by 
packing,  warping,  and  sailing,  the  ice  was  cleared,  and  the  ships  reached 
an  open  space  of  water  on  tiie  25th  of  September. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  says  Sir  James,  "  to  convey  any  idea  of  the  sen- 
sations we  experienced  when  we  found  ourselves  once  more  at  liberty, 
while  many  a  grateful  heart  poured  forth  its  praises  and  thanksffivinc^  to 
Almighty  God  for  this  unlooked-for  deliverance. 

«  The  advance  of  winter  had  now  closed  all  the   itarbors  against   us, 


COMMENTS   ON  ARCTIC  NAVIGATION.  407 

.•in,l  as  it  was  inipossible  to  penetrate  to  the  westward  through  the  pack 
fn.m  wliich  wc  had  just  been  liberated,  I  made  the  signal  to  the 
Investigator,  of  my  intentions  to  return  to  England."  After  a  favorable 
;.nd  uneventful  voyage,  the  ships  arrived  in  England  early  in  November, 
on  the  fifth  of  which  month,  Ross  reported  to  the  admiralty  the  result 
of  his  voyage. 

The  accident  which  prevented  this  party  from  examining  the  waters 
and  coast  toward  Melville  Island,  is  a  good  illustration  of  the  versatility 
of  the  elements  in  Arctic  regions,  a.ul  the  extreme  uncertainty  of  the 
future,  even  for   a  short  time,  with  which    a    polar  navigator    must,  of 
necessity,  enter  those  unknown  waters.     In  ordinary  seas,  a  few  hours  of 
adverse  wind  simply  drive  a  ship  from  her   course  a  few  miles,  or   hinder 
for  an  hour,  or  a  day,  her  direct  progress;  a  return  of  favorable  breezes 
sufllcing  in   a  short  time,  to  counterbalance  the  temporary    misfortunes. 
Hut  in  the  latitude  of  almost  perpetual  ice,  no  one  can  predict  what  hour 
the  pack  may  close  about  the  hapless  craft,  and  crush  her  sides  or  im- 
prison   her  for  ,heary  months  in   a  desolate,    frozen  mass.     When    the 
peculiarities  of  Arctic  navigation  are  considered,  the    marvel   should   be, 
not  that  so  little,  but  that   so  mucin,   has  been  brought    to   light  of  the 
mystery  surrounding  the  "  Storied  Pole." 


lors  agamst   us, 


f^mntei^ 


•k9 


1 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

EXPEDITION  VIA  HElIRmo's  STUAIT  — TUK  irERAI.I)  AND  PLOVER  — 
PUI.I.Kn's  nOAT  JOURNEY— LANCASTER  SOUND  — GREAT  PRKPA- 
RATIONS  —  DISCOVERIES— THE  PRINCK  AI.HERT  RKTURNS  TO 
ENGLAND— SLEDGE  JOURNEYS— THE  PRINCE  AI.nKRT--A  CRITI- 
CAL   SITUATION— WINTER    ON    HOARD    THE    PRINCE    ALHERT. 

The  search  expedition  via  Beiiring's  Strait,  was  su<,^jreste(l  and  or- 
ganized upon  the  ground,  that  if  Franklin  succeeded  in  pushing  his  way 
througii  the  western  ice,  and  thus  proved  the  existence  of  a  Northwest 
Passage,  he  would  likely  be  found  at  or  near  the  coast  of  Russian  Amer- 
ica,  frozen  up  in  the  waters  of  that  region,  or  cruising  about  to  add  to  the 
geographical  knowledge  of  those  comparatively  unknown  parts. 

This  expedition  was  composed  of  the  Herald,  imder   Capt.  Kellct, 
and  the  Plover  in  charge  of  Commander  Moore.     The  vessels  were  ex.' 
pccced  to  arrive  in  JJehring's  Strait  about  the  ist  of  July,  1S48,  and  were 
directed  to  proceed  along  the  American  coast  as  far  as  possible,  o.usistent 
with  the  certainty  of  preventing  the  ships  being  beset  by  the  ic<      A  bar- 
bor  was  to  be  sought  for  the  Plover  within  the  strait,  to  which  that  ves- 
sel  was  to  be  conducted,  and  two  whale-boats  were  to  go  on  to  the  east- 
ward in  search  of  the  missing  voyagers,  and  to  communicate,  if  possible, 
with  the  MacKenzie  River  party.     The    Plover  was   fitted   out  in  the 
Thames  in    December,  1847;  but  having  been  found  unsca worthy,    was 
compelled,  when  she  went  to  sea,  to  put  into  Plymouth   for  repairs,  and 
did  not  finally  leave  England  until   February,  1S48.     This  tardy  depart- 
ure, conjoined  with    her  dull  sailing,  prevented  her  from  passing  Beh- 
ring's  Strait  at  all  in  1S4S,  but  she  wintered  on  the  Asiatic  coast  just  out- 
side of  the  strait. 

The  Herald  visited  Kotzebue  Sound,  repassed  the  straits  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Plover,  and  returned  to  winter  in  South  America,  with  the 
intention  of  going  northward  again  next  season. 

408 


'mmm&i^^m. 


/VND    I'hOVEU 

GREAT    PREPA- 
UETURNS     TO 

IKUT A    CRITI- 

AIJiKRT. 

:gested  and  or- 
iishing  his  way 
:)f  a  Northwest 
liussiaii  Amer- 
Lit  to  add  to  the 

parts. 

■  Capt.  Kellct, 
essels  were  ex> 
1^48,  and  were 
ible,  I, insistent 
lie  ic\  A  har- 
hich  that  ves- 
on  to  the  east- 
ite,  if  jjossible, 
ed  out  in  the 
aworthy,  was 
11"  repairs,  and 

tardy  depart- 
passing'  Beh- 
coast  just  ont- 

its  before  the 
Tica,  with  the 


rJJt/U  T  PliBPARA  T/ONS 

1  ^ '*^'"'"K"™<-- i.icon.icctioii  with  (hi.  „„ 
..«  v„y„,,e  „r»  give,  L  u™'  ,,  .  "  "'-*''''  "'  "^'«  ""-"■ 

.hey  oa.„..  ,„  P„„  si„,p,,„„,  „,„„  ,„;  ^J-^  ^-■•">S  .his  river 
<)..  Iho  20th  of  June  „r  ,|,„   f„„  R.'.-I'»nl»n„. 

''""™.  wi.h  .ho  ,i„„„;;    ::v™r'''''"  "'""""""^  -^ 

""»•■■■;  »--'  f-  .i-  »a  .„  ...har,  f„    ;  :;^;""";7,; '"f  »'«^ 

eve,-,  .hc.y  were-  me.  hy  a  canoe  c„n,.,l,  ■         ,  '    '5*.    l>ow. 

.:ori...  .he  .,ea.h  To,-  ^.J^      "     "::,;  I't'  ■■-"■  ■"'■" '^  - 

S.op,>e,l  hythe  ice,  an.,  »ha,.e™..  on^;  h  ,  T'  "  ^"''^  ="'«'• 
'-pUo„o.,,,e„,,„he™ehan.jJ  ,  l:,,7  '"  '"«"-""-  - 
™cU.«a.in,,  a.,.,  .„„.„.„,„  ,,,„„,  ,',;°^:;,;, ^l^  "—«„  in  ,his 

^vcap..  Ho^io  .......i,:;  „„.,•;;  A^Lanr'tprr"'"""""^^ 

p...  ......er  h.  o„le.,  ,„„eehc.-  with  .he  Pionce,-  It!'     T"'"'  "" 

co.n.„an.,e,l    hy   Lien,,.  Os,„n,  a.„,   Ca.o,         ■"""""'"  "'«^' 
e..eHe„cc.,  „ha,e.n,he,,  .a,  a.„  L^ZJ-^'  '""   "=""^'  •"' 

con„na...,  of  .he  La.,y  Fra.,k,in  an.,  .he"s  ',  i  Tr'.'  """  '""^«'  "■ 

pclitions  fitted  out  hy  the  ulmir.hv     ,1      V  "'''''"°"  "'  "'«'■•  "" 

*«ve.,  the  i„.ete»,  .Lt         T,  !f;  r^"  ^"""^T'  '■™  i"' -  son,™. 

Si' John  Ro.,in  spite  of  hi,  Tl^         ''  '''"  '"  ""'  ''"'^-     ^^»P.. 

o™.on  e.pe.,iti„n:,  a  ."rr: :::,:;;":  "• '".  "■^^  -^  "-= 

L»<ly  Franklin  likewise  with  th-.t       ,  ^"'™  '"  "'^  Pl''«! 

'-"  which  ,„arke<,  her  4       't    l'""™^™"^^  ""<'   -i".-l  .icvo- 

™'"  '"e  or.ier,  of  Co.:'::: ^^ ;:' '  rn '","'--  ^'^■■' 

---were.ar,ely,,„,,o,i,j:;::;X.:-^^^^^^^^^^^ 


t 


up  I 

'i 


410 


D/SCO  VERIES. 


by  importimt  results,  tlic  reader  will  not  be  burdened  with  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  their  adventures.  They  were  all  sent  out  in  ( 1850)  and  en<^aged 
in  searching  the  same  tract,  the  coasts  on  both  sides  of  Lancaster  Sound. 

Overcoming  all  diHiculties  from  the  Baffin's  Bay  ice  by  the  powerful 
aid  of  the  steamers,  Capt.  Austin's  scjuadron  reached  the  entrance  to  the 
sound  in  July— Capt.  Penny's  vessel  following  in  their  wake.  There 
they  separated,  and  while  the  Pioneer  and  the  Resolute  remained  to 
examine  tlie  neighborhood  of  Pond's  Bay,  Capt.  Ommaney  proceeded  to 
Beechey  Island  and  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  discovering  the  first  traces 
of  Franklin's  expedition  yet  brought  to  light.  Capt.  Austin,  his  attend- 
ant steamer,  Penny,  and  the  American  squadron,  soon  joined  the  Assist- 
ance at  Cape  Riley,  and  miiuite  investigation  only  proved  the 
importance  of  the  discoveries,  and  demonstrated  this  to  have  been  the 
scene  of  Franklin's  winter  quarters.  The  site  of  the  encampment  was 
plainly  marked  by  the  various  signs  of  the  former  occupants.  N(j  record 
was  found,  however,  and  concerning  the  whereabouts  or  fate  of  the 
missing  voyagers,  the  crews  were  no  wiser  than  before.  Papers  were 
left  at  Capo  Riley  by  each  ship  in  its  turn,  and  the  Assistance  landed 
provisions  at  Whaler's  Point  for  the  succor  of  Franklin's  crew,  should 
they  ever  reach  that  place. 

These  discoveries  were  made  in  August,  and,  as  winter  was  rapidly 
approaching,  little  more  could  be  done  this  season.  Penny  pushed  up 
Wellington  Channel  as  far  as  Cornwallis'  Island,  but  turned  back  before 
an  impassable  barrier  of  ice,  beyond  which  he  was  chagrined  tc  dis- 
cover open  water  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The  Lady  Franklin 
and  Sophia  sought  winter  quarters  in  Assistance  Harbor,  at  the  south 
extremity  of  Cornwallis'  Land,  and  they  were  speedily  joined  by  Sir 
John  Ross'  Felix,  while  the  Resolute  and  Assistance,  of  Austin,  soon 
became  fastened  in  the  pack  which  filled  up  the  channel  between  Grif- 
fith's Island  and  Cornwallis'  Land.  The  Prince  Albert  sailed  for  Eng- 
land before  winter  set  in;  and  her  example  was  followed  by  the  Advance 
and  the  Rescue  of  the  Americans,  though,  as  subsequent  chapters  will 
explain,  fate  had  reserved  fin*  these  two  a  more  perilous  passage  than  a 


SI 


mplc  journey  to  New  York. 


At/ST/N  JfETURNS  TO  ENGLAND 

411 

:» .t:"  r:::r;:::::,r„,r;''°-  t-'-  '"-  '-""■"*  -  •- 

were  „,.g„„i.c>l      I,    .  M  '   ""  """'  '■'°"-'  -"'  *''S"'^'  P-«ie-, 

rcn„.  f,.„,„  e.p,«„.,  .„  .Ho  in.en.e  cold,  f„,.  „hich  „„  .  ,.o„„  !  i; 
was  ,kUL..1  .he  heavier  wLh.  of     i  ''  """"  ""'"'  """  '°  *«<^ 

>-'-e..esorrown,rr::::,:,":.::::;:::;r-  ^-  -^ — 

Several   parties  from   the   Lulv  Fr^nH- 

-.e.o  „.he,,, ,.,.,,  .o:i:ri:--p^ 

nel  too  open  to  admit  of  sled-e  travelin<r   h.   ,v>.  ,  .     .  •    " 

•111-        ,,       .  n'-  "••veiinjr,  lie   returned  to    i.s  vessel   f,ro 

vided   hmiself   w  t h  a    hn-xt    rr^r^,..  i    •  •     .  vessel,  pro- 

«  .•        r      ,  '  '■"'"'"*^"'='^''    '!'«  journey  anew,  and    -ifter  i 

senes  of  adventures  and   difficulties,  wl.ich    he   overcame  with 
worthy  of  a  hero,  he  penetrated  up  Queen's  CU         T\  ""'■'^' 

.....C^      .eeeher,„here.':-:;X^^^^^^ 
t"">  I'ack.     A  fme  open  sea  stretched  away  to  the  north  -is  f.,-       .k 
-;'  -Jr,  h.  H.  ho„.  „ere  wea.  „„„  I.,,,  hr:';:  ."'Lt  .i: 
he  was  ohliged  to  withstand   the  temnfition  f,.         i      , 
fK;    •     •.•  tt-mptation  to  embark  on  the   bosom  of 

this  nivitm<»-    wnfpi-      Pr..,.,  n       ,  "usom  or 

iintiacked  waters  of  the  Polar  Ocean      Cnn^    A     .•      . 

1-  persuaded  of  tiie   truth  of  thi    H        ^'^'•.  ^"^'"'  '^''^^^•-'•'  -"'^'  -t 

without  his  co-op^r..  "      ;    ^'^'■^^•----'-<'  -  nothin,  could  be  done 

pointed  out  by  tlir^^^  T    ''""'''''    ''  '""'^'^    '"   — 

ythc  admnalty  squadron,  which,  after  two  ineffectu.i   .,^ 

t-pts  to  enter  Smith's  and  Jones'  Sounds,  returned  to  E.^         "' 

Lady  Franklin's  vessel,  the  Prince  Alb^.-^    r  ,       . 
'-■  eo.pa,„o„.  .he  i-Ccneni         a^^:::  "c;;:.""^  TT  """' 
'h-nin  prcparatio,,  for  winter  she  1,,^     ,  .        """""''''  •""   <''^'-': 
-enceof  th'    r  •  """'"'"=  '"°"Sl«  home  tl,e  welcome  i,„.lli 

.,  th.  a.cove,.,e»  „.  Beechc,  ,,a,ul,  which  inspired  all  interested 


^S 


413 


A  CRITICAL  S/TU AT/OX. 


:i> 


■    \ 


l^ 


in  llio  cause  with  a  lively  hope,  and  served  not  little  to  expedite  prepa- 
rations  for  a  coming  season.  No  time  was  UjsI  in  refittinj^  the  brave  lit- 
tie  craft,  which  was  pla  ed  in  charge  of  Mr,  Kenneily.  His  second  in 
command  was  Lieut.  Bellot,  that  noble  volunteer  in  the  cause  of  human- 
ity, whose  <,'en(;rous  self-devotion  pr>  oured  for  him  a  fraternal  rejjard 
from  all  Englishmen.  Tlic  object  of  the  present  vcjyage  was  to  exam- 
ine into  Regent's  Inlet  ana  the  coast  of  North  Somerset,  an  important 
district  foi  which  no  provision  seemed  to  have  been  made  in  the  admi- 
ralty  plan  of  search;  for  nothing  could  then  be  known  in  England  of  the 
sledge  parties  by  means  of  whicli  Capt.  Austin  was  at  that  very  time 
in  part  supplying  the  dePjiency. 

The  easterly  gales  had  formed  a  barrier  of  ice  across  Barrow's  Strait, 
cutting  off  all  access  to  Cape  Riley  or  Griffith's  Island,  so  that  the  Albert 
was  fain  to  turn  at  once  into  Regent's  Inlet,  and  take  temporary  refuge 
from  the  wind  in  Port  Bowen.  As  it  was  very  undesirable,  however,  to 
winter  on  the  coast  opposite  to  that  along  which  lay  their  line  of  search, 
Kennedy,  with  four  men,  crossed  to  Port  Leopold  amid  masses  of  ice,  to 
reconnoiter  the  western  line  of  coast,  as  well  as  to  ascertain  whether  any 
documents  had  been  left  at  this  point  by  previous  searching  parties. 

After  an  hour  spent  in  examining  the  locality  and  seeking  for  papers, 
they  prepared  to  return,  but  to  their  dismay  found  their  passage  cut  off 
by  the  ice,  which,  opening  only  in  dangerous  crevices,  proved  a  hopeless 
obstacle  when  they  attempted  to  reach  the  vessel  on  foot.  It  is  difficult 
to  conceive  of  a  more  deplorable  situation.  Darkness  was  fast  coming 
on,  the  floe  on  which  they  stood  was  passing  rapidly  down  the  channel, 
and  the  ear  was  deafened  by  the  crashing  of  huge  ice-blocks,  whicli 
dashed  furiously  against  each  other,  and  threatened  momentarily  to  break 
in  fragments  the  portion  they  occupied.  The  only  alternative  was  to  re- 
turn to  shore  as  best  they  could,  and  thus,  separated  from  their  siiip, 
clothing,  and  provisions,  they  passed  the  night;  their  only  shelter  being 
their  boat,  under  which  each  man  in  turn  took  an  hour's  rest.  To  these 
disagreeable  experiences  was  added  in  the  morning  the  mortification  of 
finding  that  their  ship  had  disappeared!  Their  course  was  now  fixed; 
they   must   endure  the  winter  as   well  as  thcv  could.     Fortunatelv,  the 


mNTEii  oy  jjoAUD  nm  fiunce  albert.  44, 

.lepot  ofp..ovisions  ieft  hy  Sir  Ja.nes  Ross  at  Wi.lc.'s  Point,  was  easily 
access  >,^     .,,.„,.„,  ,,,...^,,,„^,   .^^^_,   .ate  of  prcsc-vation,  they 

llK>  f.t  c.,i  up  the  stea.n-launch,  wh.ch,  it  will  I.  .•cmcnhccl,  w..s  left 
y    S,.-  Ja.ncs  to.,  the  possihle  transportation  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  and 
made  a  comtortahle  temporary  dwellin- 

Thus  resi.ne,l  to  the  exi^^ncies  of  U.eir  situation,  they  were  ^f  Ily 
surpnse,!  on  the  ,7th  of  ()ctolK-r,  hy  the  appearance  of  Mr.  He"  t  with 
a  party  .>,  seven  nu-n,  who  ha<l  <h-a..ed  the  jolly  hoat  with  them  ..  .  a- 
way  from  the  ship.     It  seemed  that  this   gallant  officer  had  n.ade   two 


I'EKILS  OF   SLF.DOE-THAVKI. 

previous  attomp,.  ,o  rcucl,  th.  u„f„r.„„aec  party,  who  now  forgo,  .heir 
troubles  m  accompanying  their  /Viculs  bacit  to  the  vessel. 

The  long  winter  passed   on  b d  the  Prince  Albert  in  the  ordinary 

■«t,„e;  ,t,  nronotony  being  somewhat  relieved  hy  the  barrel-or^an  pre- 
»..c.l  by  the  liberal  Prince  from  whom  their  vessel  took  its  name  A 
lew  excursions  .«,k  place  from  time  to  time,  to  forn,  provision  depots  for 
»  contemplated  journey  of  exploration,  or  to  calculate  how  soon  they 
-Sir.  start.  On  the  .J.h  of  February  the  grand  expeilition  departed, 
t  cons,sted,  exclusive  of  the  reserve  party,  which  acconrpanied  it  some 
.l»ta„ee-o.  Kennedy,  Bellot,  and  si.  nren,  together  with  four  sledges, 


•  .ftn^:i 


1: 


414 


A  NEIV  S^UADIiOX. 


drawn  partly  hy  dojjs,  and  partly  by  the  men.  It  is  truly  surprising  to 
funl  what  these  men  accomplished  with  this  slender  equipment.  They 
traced  the  course  of  North  Somerset  to  its  southern  extremity,  cr()ssc<I 
Victoria  Strait,  explored  thoroughly  Prince  of  Wales'  Land,  and  foU 
lowed  the  coast  of  North-  Somerset  hack  again  to  their  starting  point, 
having,  in  an  absence  of  ninety-seven  days,  performed  a  journey  of 
eleven  hundred  miles,  without  illness  or  accident. 

After  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  tlie  Prince  Albert  repaired  to  Cape 
Riley,  where  the  North  Star,  under  our  friend  Capt.  Piillen,  was  sta- 
tioned  as  depot-ship  to  a  squadron  which  had,  in  the  meantime,  been  sent 
out  under  Sir  Edvyard  Belcher.  Kennedy  and  Hellot  were  at  first  anx- 
ious  to  remain  out  another  season,  and  projected  the  plan  of  sending  the 
vessel  back,  while  they  remained  with  the  present  expedition.  Circum- 
stances,  however,  induced  them  to  change  their  pl.ni,  and  they  reached 
Aberdeen,  with  their  full  number  of  men,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1852. 


mm 


CFIAPTKU    XLVI. 


SKA„C„  UKDE,.  „V.„„„  ..„  .o..,N,o._.r„.  KNTK„P,„SK  .WD 
.~V.ST,„ATO„  SKNT  0„r  AOA.N- -A„„™„  „.,•:  „„„^_,„„. 
W.CH  .S.A.,,,-,.  K„T.E„U.  SO„N„_ALONK  ..V  n.n  A,.CT,C- 
A  CA,„N  E„.CT.„_A  ,.,.„T.  ,.„o,=  .K„  .  AT ,  VK  -  A^.O^NU  _ 
A  COOI.  K«C„.r,O.V_A  XOVK,.  CH„0»OLO,;  V  _  ,,  ALSE  „OP,„  _ 
NOHTirWEST   J'ASSA.iE    l.lIED.CTtS. 

Ro»'    discovery  squa.!™,,  ,vas  scared,   wclco,„c,|  ho,„c  fro.n  i„ 
penlous  opcra„o„s  of  .8,S-<,,  „i,c„  i.  „,„  ,.  „„,„  ,,,,„„,        ,„^,         _^ 

W    G„ver„,„o,,t  ,„    refit  the  vcs,e,,,   Tor  .,,c   p„rp„.„   „f  ,  J„,„,„^,  ,,"^ 
.ca  ch  for  Fran   1,„  ,,,  „,,  „f  „„„,„,„,  ,,,^,  .,_„__^^  ^^,^  -    ^e 

on  .,»  part  of  the  Plover  a,,.,  the  „era,d.     ,t  „i„  „„  re,.c,„bcre,l     ^a, 
0  .,„.rpr.c  ..,„,  I„vo,ti,ator  h„„  f„„e.n„   .„eir  attcnpt  to  ,e.  w 

°":T''"!'""' "'^   ^'"""■"  "f  -S+S,  n,„,    o,„,   esLpe,,   fro" 

-or,  .,„pr.o„.„c„t  in  that  i„h„,pi,a,„e  «pot,  to  „e  ,„ept    vith  the  ic 
."»a„W»  ,S,ra.t  out  into   Baffin's  Bay,  ,o   that  they  ha,l  just   tij    o 
retreat  o  England  hefore  the  ,e„era,  closing  of  „„  !,,,,  ,,,,     "^ 
Shaken  and  worn  .a,,  .he  two  ships  were,  a  little  Judicious  work  in  the 
■ckvan    s.onp„..„en,  into  „  proper  condition  once  „,ore  to  eon,b 
-  .ce  „,  Arct,c  .nanutacture.     Cap..  Richard  Collinson  was  appo"  ed 
«  -n,or  oihcer  and   leader  of  the  expedition,  to  .he  Enterpd  o  Zl 
Connnander  Robert  I.e   Mesnrier  M'Clure  to  .he  Investijor      ^h 
.n,er  enjoyed   a  high    naval    .eputation,  and  in  China  his  abilitiesl 
M-veyor    ad  done    .he  State  good  service.     The  latter,  the  destin  d   Is 
-erer  of  the  Northwest  P.assage,  having  p.assed  a     seful    p^   „.      " 
^  .P  .n  the  British  service  for  twenty  years,  received  an  appoil^  tt 

415 


410 


AROUND  THE  HORN. 


In  1849-50  there  was  no  lack  of  volunteers  for  Arctic  service. 
The  voyages  of  the  isrecedin-,'  seasons  had  attracted  the  attention  of 
all;  and  an  interest  in  the  cause,  coupled  with  a  desire  for  adventure 
greatly  hastened  the  completion  of  the  preparations.  On  the  loth  of 
January  the  two  ships  set  out;  but  being,  as  Arctic-bound  ships  must  he, 
heavily  hiden  with  provisions  and  fixtures,  it  became  necessary  to  stop 
at  Plymouth  and  do  some  slight  repairing— a  measure  which  gave  them 
an  opportunity  of  securing  several  more  good  seamen. 

No  delay  was  allowed  here,  however,  for  the  great  distance  between 
England  and  Behring's  Strait  had  to  be  traversed  by  way  of  Cape  Iloru. 
This  involved  a  journey  of  six  months  before  the  sea  could  be  reached- 
and  it  was  fully  realized  that  the  delay  (^f  a  month  might  cause  the  gate 
to  the  hiolnva^-  they  sought  to  be  closed  against  them.  The  services  of 
a  German  clergyman,  who  had  been  a  Moravian  missionary,  were  duly 
engaged  as  interpreter,  and  he  was  dispatched  on  board  the  Invest!- 
gator  at  Plymouth. 

A  few  hours  afterward  the  Arctic  squadron  weighed  anchor  and  sailed 
forth  with  a  fair  and  fresh  wind.  As  the  greater  interest  attaches  to  the 
Investigator,  on  account  if  her  connection  with  the  discovery  of  the 
Northwest  Passage,  it  will  be  our  aim  j);.rticularly  to  follow  her  fortunes 
over  the  northern  seas. 

It  was  not  untd  the  iSth  of  March,  1S50,  nearly  two  months  after 
leaving  England,  that  the  Investigator  crossed  the  Southern  Tropic  in 
the  Atlantic  Ocean,  although  the  greatest  possible  speed  had  been  made, 
and  the  two  vessels,  having  parted  company  from  the  first,  had  not  been, 
as  is  usual,  the  means  of  detaining  eacii  other.  After  being  towed 
through  the  St.ait  into  the  Pacific,  she  landed  on  the  17th  of  April,  at 
Port  Famine,  on  the  coast  of  Chill. 

Here  Capt.  M'Clure  learned  that  the  Enterprise  had  already  passed, 
and  what  was  still  more  to  be  regretted,  had  taken  with  her  all  the  beef 
cattle,  so  that  the  Investigator's  prospect  of  fresh  meat  was  no  nearer 
than  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to  reach  which  the  wide  Pacific  had  to  le 
traversed,  as  the  Atlantic  had  already  been.  At  Fortescue  Bay,  how- 
ever, the   Investigator   found  the  Enterprise   lying   at    anchor,   aiul   aa 


\\\::'\ 


d  the  Investi- 


ALOJVE  IN  THE  ARCTIC 

417 

oppore,,.,!.y  was  affordo.,  ,„  comparing  „„.e.  „p„„  .heir  .-cpective  jour 

..e  ».    On  ,he  ,5.,,  „f  April  .he  wea.her  pe™,'..,.,,  „f  .hei,-  „^„  Z^ 

^O...  .„  .he  hroa,  Paemc  ...e  .wo  ve.e,s  .epa,.„.e„,  ..e've,-  t^l 

Crossing  .he  Eq„a,or  o„  .he  .j.h  of  J„„e,  .he  vessel  of  our  ,nr 
n  ,ve  was  a,  ed  h,  .he  S.  E.  .rades  i„.o  7=  N.  ,a.i,„de.     0„  .he     s       ; 
Ju,>  .he,  anchored  „ad„  e„„„«h  onfside   .he  harhor  of  Honold       ,he 
v.nd  no.  be,ng    avorahle  for  en.ering  i..     The,  f„,n,d  .ha.   Cap..   C„ 
I-™  h;"l  alread,  called  a.  .his  por.  an,l  proceeded  on  his  way      After 
P.n*.,n,  as  speedily  as  possible  „„  necessary  supplies  of  frui.L,  ve' 

.K  ,  .S.O      The    cc,  however,  was  still  +0"  distant,  the  En.erprise  „n. 
do     tcdly    ,rahc,ada„d,hcseaso„would.,eclosin,in,ina,,ontsi..yi:; 

Bchrn.  s  St,a,ts.     I.  was  ru,„„red  a.  Honolulu    .ha.  the  En.erprise    i^ 
.0  ot  ar„v,„,  at  Kot.ebue  Soun.l,  on  .he  coas.  of  Russian  A.neri 
».lvancc    „,    .he    Inves.isa.or,    proposed    .0    .aKe   wl.h  her  .he  PWe 
anchored  s.nee  ,848  in  .hat  harhor,  and  leave  the  ship  of  M'Clure  1,    h e' 
place  on  the  Ainerican  coast. 

To  prevent  an  occurrence  which  woultl   prove  so  damaging  to  .he 
..r.K .  „,  h,s  men,  M'Clure  made  every  bree.e  do  him  iervice  "nuHrrived 
■n  K„..ebue  Sound  on  .he  .p.h  of  July.    As  „o  .races  of  .h     E  .r 
li..a  b  en  seen  by  .he  Plover's  men,  it  was  inferred  .ha.   she   had     'h 
passed  n,  ;,  fog,  or  had  no.  yet  come  up.     Can.    M'Clnr  • 
;--  ■:■•  ;-  ;-noin  .he  KnterprL  o^rii,:  "Zl  .ar;::  V:; 

todet,  ,.  bin,         ^'.^'''™''  """'^'  <'"!  ■««  feel  that  he  had  .he  au.horitv 
E  i's       Tlrr^    ;-'  '""  ""^"'-"^  <"  "-  -'"•■—.»  of  the 

-^v::,,:^.!::rr:;r:,:::r:;"rr^''' 

strait.     Runnin..  northw-m!  .    f  •  *"    '''"■'">' 

M'(^l„.-       .         .  """-thvvard  as  far  as  .t  was  safe  on   account   of  the  ice 

„"L  iMier,  and  a<rain  sij^lUed 


K 


«^P>ng  now  very  dose  to  the  A 


'"n  s.giued  the  Plover  for  a  time. 


Il 


27 


niencan  coast,  or 


as  near  as  the 


418 


A  LIGHT  FINGERED  NATIVE. 


ice  would  permit,  the  vessel  made  rapid  progress  toward  Point  Barrow. 
At  midnight  they  rounded  the  northwest  extreme  of  the  American  con- 
tinent, and  began  their  progress  toward  the  eastward.  On  the  morning 
of  the  6th  of  August,  1850,  the  officers  and  crew  felt  free  from  all  anxiety 
on  the  score  of  being  able  to  enter  the  Arctic  Ocean  from  Behring's  Strait. 
Their  first  aspiration  was  to  reach  Melville  Island,  but  as  a  waste  of 
ice  stretched  before  them  in  that  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
it  was  decided  to  reach  if  possible,  the  "landwater,"  on  the  comparatively 
safe  sea  between  the  main  land  and  the  main  body  of  ice;  and  once  in 
that  water  to  struggle  eastward  for  that  open  sea  off  the  MacKcnzie 
River,  spoken  of  by  Sir  John  Richardson. 

On  August  8,  when  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  east  of  Point 
Barrow,  a  man  was  sent  ashore  to  leave  a  notice  of  the  passage  of  the 
Investigator.,  and  to  erect  a  cai'n.  Here  some  native  Esquimaux  were 
found,  of  whom  inquiry  was  made  concerning  the  character  of  the  water 
to  the  eastward.  Communication  being  generally  established  with  the 
tribe,  it  was  admitted  by  some  of  the  men  that  they  had  seen  a  shijo  in 
Kotzebue  Sound  (no  doubt  the  Plover),  They  gave  promise  of  an 
open  channel  from  three  to  five  miles  in  width,  all  along  the  shore  until 
winter;  but  they  could  give  no  idea  of  what  time  that  season  began. 
M'Clure  told  them  that  he  was  looking  for  a  lost  brother,  and  made 
them  promise  that  if  they  ever  met  the  wandering  party  they  should  be 
kind  to  them,  and  give  them  "deer's-flesh." 

The  chief  characteristics  of  this  tribe  seemed  to  be  obesity,  dirtiness, 
and  dishonesty  "Thieving,  performed  in  a  most  artless  and  skillful 
manner,  appeared  their  principal  accomplishment.  As  Capt.  M'Clure 
was  giving  out  some  tobacco  as  a  present,  he  felt  a  hand  in  his  trousers' 
pocket,  and  on  looking  down  found  a  native,  receiving  a  gift  with  one 
hand,  and  actually  picking  his  pocket  with  the  other.  Yet,  when  de- 
tected, the  fellow  laughed  so  good-humoredly  and  all  his  compatriots 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  joke  so  amazingly,  that  even  the  aggrieved  parties 
joined  in  the  general  merriment." 

Working  on  to  the  eastward  the  Investigator  had  reached,  on  Aug. 
14,  longitude  148°    17'   west,  and  became   much  hampered   among  the 


"i'.i 


d  Point  Barrow, 
le  American  con- 
On  tlie  morninsr 
;e  from  all  anxiety 

1  Behring's  Strait, 
but  as  a  waste  of 

2  eye  could  reach, 
the  comparatively 
'  ice;  and  once  in 
F  the  MacKenzie 

miles  east  of  Point 
he  passage  of  the 
Esquimaux  were 
acter  of  the  water 
blished  with  the 
ad  seen  a  ship  in 
ve  promise  of  an 
\g  the  shore  until 
lat  season  began, 
rother,  and  made 
ty  they  should  be 

obesity,  dirtiness, 
rtless  and  skillful 
Vs  Capt.  M'Clure 
lid  in  his  trousers' 
2j  a  gift  with  one 
Yet,  when  de- 
1  his  compatriots 
aggrieved  parties 

reached,  on  Aug. 
pered   among  tlie 


A  COOL  RECEPTION. 

419 

low  islands,  which,  for  a  ship  in   foggy  weather,  were  exceedin^^ly  dan 
gerous.     They  had  now  passed  the  point  at  which  Franklin  hacrarriveci 
n.  h,s  journey  westward  from   the  MacKen^ie,  and   might  be  said  to  be 
approaching  the  delta  of  that  great  river. 

After  several  narrow  escapes  on  the  14th  of  August  the  good   ship 
founc     herself  qu.te  beset   with  the    shoals  surrounding   the    individual 
.slands  of  th,s  httle  archipelago;  and  at    last,  in    attempting  to  escape 
through  a  narrow  strait  of  three  fathoms  depth,  she  unfortunately  took 
the   ground.     All  sail  was  at  first  put  on,  in  the  hope  of  draggin.  her 
through  ,t;  but  the  effort  proved  fruitless.     Even  the  laying  out  of  all  the 
anchors  failed  to.  float   the  vessel.     All  the   load   possible  was   now  put 
.nto  boats,  several  tons  of  water  were  let  out  of  the  tanks  on  board    -Ind 
at  last  after  being  aground  five  hours,  the  Investigator  was  once  more 
got  afloat. 

On  the  nish,  of  Aug.  7  new  ice  was  found  for  ,he  first  time  upon  the 
su,face  of  the  sea,  a  certain  indication  of  ,1^  speedy  approaci,  of  winter 
and  some  doubted  wl,etl,er  ll,e  MacKenzie  couir  be  reached.     The  ..en' 
oral  embarrassment  was  augmented  by  a  mistai<e  of  the  oflicers  in  chame 
n  .  e  foggy  weather  prevalent  at  this  season  along  the  coast,  a  blind 
.ad   hrough  the  .ce  was  followed  for  ninety  miles,  being  mistaken  for 
the  channel  between  the  main  ice  and  the  shore.      Retracing  their  steps 
they  fortunately  found  a  p.ass.ag6  out  of  the  ice,  and   were  soon  off  the' 
MacKenzie  fifty  miles  distant  from  the  mainland. 

On  the  Hth  of  August  the  Investigator  approached  Port  Warren 
and  a  party  la„de<l,  hoping  that  the  natives  a.  this  point  traded  with  the' 
Hu  son  s  l,ay  Company,  presuming  that  in  this  way  another  dispatch 
c  uld  he  sent  to  Englan.l.  Their  surprise,  therefore,  m.ay  be  imagine, 
a.  findmg  themselves  received  with  brandished  weapons  of  all  sorts,  and  a 
general  expression  of  defianee.  A  friendly  footing  .at  last  being  es.ab. 
.shed,  a  brass  button  of  European  n^anufacne  w.as  seen  suspended  from 
car  of  the  chief.  In  reply  ,„  ii„„iries  he  candidly  confessed  that  it 
belonged  .0  a  white  man,  one  of  a  party  who  had  arrived  .at  Port  War 

117,  t:TT^-     ^'"''  '""  '■"  '"■•■«•  "°^  °*-  •"-'-  of  convey, 
ance,  but  had  built  a  house,  and  finally  departed  inland.     The  owner  of 


420 


NATIVE  CUPIDITT. 


the  brass  button  had  wandered  from  the  rest  of  his  party,  and  been 
killed  by  a  native,  who  now,  seeing  the  great  ship,  had  fled.  The  white 
man  had  been  buried  by  the  chief  and  his  son.  With  regard  to  time, 
however,  the  chief's  account  was  singularly  vague,  and  he  could  by  no 
means  be  induced  to  fix  the  date  with  any  more  accuracy  than  "  It  might 
be  last  year  and  it  might  be  when  he  was  a  child." 

This  tale  of  course  gave  rise  to  many  conjectures;  many  were  of  the 
opinion  that  the  wandering  whites  could  be  no  other  than  members  of 
Franklin's  party;  and  all  agreed  as  to  the  propriety  of  making  thorough 
investigation  before  leaving  the  vicinity.  A  thick  fog  which  warned 
them  to  return  to  the  ship,  did  not  allow  them  to  visit  the  white  man's 
grave,  but  on  following  the  direction  indicated  by  the  chief,  a  hut  was 
discovered.  They  were  disappointed  to  find  that  the  hut  was  old,  and 
that  the  occupants  had  vacated  it  years  before,  while  the  decayed  wood 
of  which  it  was  made  bore  not  the  slightest  trace  by  which  to  glean  infor- 
mation of  the  former  tenants:  There  was  at  least  nothing  upon  which 
to  base  the  slightest  connection  with  Franklin's  fate,  and  therefore  noth- 
ing to  cause  further  delay  in  their  onward  voyage. 

Another  tribe  of  Esquimaux  was  encountered  about  the  close  of 
August  off  Cape  Bathurst,  who,  being  friendly,  undertook  to  convey  the 
dispatches  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  which  it  had  been  found  im- 
possible to  transmit  from  Port  Warren.  It  was  of  course  necessary  to 
make  some  trifling  jjresents  in  return,  and  M'Clure  gives  an  interesting 
account  of  the  manner  in  which  the  women,  excited  by  what  they  had 
already  received,  and  tempted  by  the  display  of  articles  before  them,  at 
last  became  unmanageable  and  rushed  upon  the  stores,  seizing  what  they 
could  reach,  and  carrying  it  off  apparently  without  compunction. 

The  1st  of  September  found  the  Investigator  still  laboring  to  the 
eastward.  From  the  ist  to  the  5th  the  vessel  was  occupied  in 
rounding  the  Bay  formed  by  Capes  Bathurst  and  Parry.  On  the 
4th  large  fires  were  seen  on  shore,  and  at  first  were  supposed  to 
have  been  built  by  the  natives  to  attract  attention.  It  was  not 
likely,  however,  that  natives  would  indulge  in  so  lavish  an  expenditure 
of  fuel,  and  the  appearance  was  at  last  attributed  to  the  presence  on  shore 


NORTHWEST  PASSAGE  PRODUCED.  431 

of  Franklin  and  his  comrades.  Figures  in  white  were  seen  moving 
about,  and  various  suggestive  objects  were  descried  by  the  anxious 
searchers.  Bitterly  were  our  voyagers  disappointed  to  find  upon  examina 
tion  only  a  few  small  volcanic  mounds  of  a  sulphuric  nature,  while  the 
tracks  of  reindeer,  coming  for  water  to  a  neighboring  spring,  clearly 
explained  the  mystery  of  the  moving  figures. 

A  fresh  breeze  and  clearer  weather  with  more  open  water  enabled 
the  Investigator  to  set  away  from  the  Continent  more  than  she  had  done- 
ami  oM  the  7th  of  September  Capt.  M'Clure  landed  on  a  newly-dis- 
covered piece  of  land,  to  take  possession  of  it  in  the  Queen's  name.  This 
was  named  Baring's  Land  from  the  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  in  ignorance 
of  ,ts  benig  connected  with  Banks  Land  already  discovered. 

Prince  Albert  Land  was  at  last  reached,  and  exhibited,  in  its  interior 
ranges  of  mountains  covered  with  snow.  Gulls  and  other  birds  were  seen 
Hynig  southward  _  a  certain  indication  that  winter  was  soon  to  set  in 
A  hope  began  to  possess  the  mariners  that  they  were  to  accomplish  what 
others  ha<l  heretofore  failed  in  achieving  _  namely,  the  discovery  of  the 
Northwest  Passage.  The  dangers  of  the  expedition,  cold,  hunger,  hard- 
sh.p,  -all  were  forgotten.  "Only  give  us  time,"  they  said,  "and  we 
must  make  the  Northwest  Passage."  Noon  of  September  9th  placed 
them  only  sixty  miles  from  Barrow's  Strait. 

"1  cannot,"  says  M'Clure's  journal,  "describe  my  anxious  feelings 
Can  .t  he  possible  that  this  water  communicates  with  Barrow's  Strait' 
and  shall  prove  to  be  the  long-sought  Northwest  Passage?  Can  it  be  tha^ 
-  humble  a  creature  as  I  will  be  permitted  to  perform  what  has  baffled 
c  talented  and  wise  for  hundreds  of  years?  Butall  praise  be  ascribed  to 
Hun  who  has  conducted  us  so  far  on  our  way  in  safety.  His  ways  are 
not  our  ways,  nor  are  the  means  that  He  uses  to  accomplish  His  ends 
w.t  n,  our  comprehension.     The   wisdom   of  the  world   is    foolishness 


'  :$m 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

SIGNS    OF  WINTK  iIT PRKPAUED    FOR    DANGER WINTERING    IN 

THE      ARCTIC  .\il.AK      HUNTING-GROUNDS SUMMER      AGAIN  — 

PRINCE  Albert's  cape — the  enterprise  —  anxiety  in  eng. 

LAND RELIEF       EXPEDITIONS A      SECOND       WINTER      IN      THE 

ARCTIC  —  THE      SEARCH THE      DISCOVERY  PIm's      RECEPTION 

— A    HAPPY    CREW — ABANDONMENT    OF    THE    INVESTIGATOR. 


September  1 1,  1S50,  brought  with  it  undoubted  signs  of  v/inter.  The 
thermometer  fell  to  11°  below  the  freezing  point;  and  a  northwest  gale 
rolled  the  ice  down  into  the  channel,  and  rendered  it  almost  unnavigable. 
,0  harbor  was  in  sight,  and  the  long  dark  nights  rendered  progress 
peculiarly  dangerous  and  difficult.  On  the  12th  of  September  M'Clure's 
journal  is  to  the  following  effect : 

"The  temperature  of  the  water  has  now  fallen  to  28°  Fahrenheit 
(freezing  point  of  sea-water.)  The  breeze  has  freshened  to  a  gale,  bring- 
ing with  it  snow,  and  sending  down  large  masses  of  ice  upon  us.  The 
pressure  is  considerable,  listing  the  vessel  several  degrees.  Fortunately 
a  large  floe,  which  was  fast  approaching  the  vessel,  4ias  had  its  progress 
arrested  by  one  extreme  of  it  taking  the  ground,  and  the  other  locking 
with  a  grounded  floe  upon  our  weather  beam.  It  is  thus  completely 
checked,  and  forms  a  safe  barrier  against  all  further  pressure.  As  the 
rudder  was  likely  to  become  damaged,  it  was  unhung  and  suspended 
over  the  stern.  We  can  now  do  nothing,  being  regularly  beset,  but 
await  any  favorable  change  of  the  ice,  to  which  we  anxiously  look  for- 
ward, knowing  that  the  navigable  season  for  this  year  has  almost 
reached  its  utmost  limit,  and  that  a  few  hours  of  clear  water  will  in  all 
probability    solve  the  problem  of   the   practicability    of  the  Northwest 


Passage." 


422 


'<         *:l 


PREPARED  FOR  DANGER.  ^^g 

The  .3th  and  14th  brought  no  change  for  the  better,  but  ou  the  i.th 
the  ^v^Kl  veered  to  the  southward,  and  the  vessel  began  to  drift  up  the 
channel.  On  the  16th  a  point  was  reached  only  thirty  miles  from  the 
bcgmnrng  of  the  water,  which,  under  the  name  of  Barrow,  Melville  and 
Lancaster,  connects  with  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  through  the  ice- 
studded  waters  of  Baffin's  Bay.  For  some  reason,  the  ice  in  which  they 
had  been  dntting  would  go  no  farther,  and  thus  at  this  tantalizin..  dis- 
tance  from  Barrow's  Strait  they  were  compelled  to  stop,  and  for  Ttime 
relinquish  their  hope  of  reaching  the  Northwest  Passage. 

It  was  necessary  now  to  decide  whether  they  would  retrace  the.r 
steps  to  the  south  and  find  a  suitable  place  for  wintering,  or  remain  in  the 
pack  and  brave  the  dangers  long  since  declared  fatal  by  alleged  compe- 
tent authorities.  "  I  decided,"  says  M'Clure,  "upon  the  latter  course  en- 
couraged  by  the  consideration  that  to  relinquish  the  ground  obtained 
through  so  much  difficulty,  for  the  remote  chance  of  finding  safe  winter 
•inarters,  would  be  injudicious,  thoroughly  impressed  as  I  was  with  the 
absolute  nnportance  of  retaining  every  mile,  to  insure  any  favorable  re- 
sult while  navigating  these  seas." 

The  ice  now  closed  about  the  Investigator,  and  her  peril  for  a  time  w.s 
.m.n.nent.  As  the  massive  floes  came  crowding  against  her,  causing  her  to 
surge  back  and  forth  in  her  narrow  bed,  the  noise  was  so  deafening  that  the 
orders  of  the  officers,  although  delivered  through  trumpets,  could  scarcely 
be    understood.       Anticipating    the    worst    that    could     happen,    Capt 
M'Clure  ordered  a  large  quantity  of  provisions  and  fuel  to  be  placed  on 
deck,   the  officers  and  men  to  be  carefully  told  off  to    their  boats,  and 
every  one  to  be  in  readiness  for  a  final   catastrophe.     Everv  precaution 
was  taken    to  save  life,  even  if  the  ship  could    not  be    preserved.     At 
len,,h,  however,  the  old  floes  became  so  strongly  cemented  bv  the  younc 
>ce,  that    the  element  around  the    vessel    assumed  a  state  of  quiescence" 
and  the  .langer  which  had  been  threatening  was  for  a  time  averted 

The  housing  was  now  stretched  over  the  ship,  and  the  customarv 
]..eparafons  for  winter  were  made.  Care  was  taken  to  leave  the  sunny 
SKle  ot  the  vessel  uncovered,  in  order  that  the  li^ht  mi..h^  be  enjovcd 
as  long  as  possible,  for   Capt.  M'Clure  was  well  aware  li  the  scorbutic 


■fill 


" 


\  '■ 


f 


m 


I'! 


424  WINTERING  IN  THE  ARCTIC. 

difficulties  with  which  he  must  contend,  and  soujjht  to  antidote  them  a.s 
far  as  possible  in  advance.  Altojrether,  the  crew  was  made  much  more 
than  ordinarily  comfortable,  and  the  usually  cheerless  prospect  of  a  win- 
ter in  the  ice  was  brightened  to  a  wonderful  dejrree  l)y  hopeful  spirits 
and  willing  hands. 

The  winter  was  well  spent  in  exploring  the  coast  adjacent  to  the  ves- 
sel's position,  and  in  battling  the  tendency  to  scurvy,  by  killing  what- 
ever could  be  found.  On  the  iSth  of  April,  1S51,  three  exploring 
sledge    parties  were  sent  out    under   Lieut.    Haswell,  Lieut.  Crcsswell, 


AKCTIC  IIAK>ai. 

and  Mr.  VVynniatt,  respectively  to  the  southeast,  northwest,  and  north- 
east,  with  six  weeks'  provisions  each.  By  these  observations  tlic  sur- 
rounding coast  lines  were  accurately  traced,  but  no  sign  of  the  missing 
vessels  could  be  discovered.  The  party  first  mentioned  discovered  a 
tribe  of  Esquimaux  who  subsequently  visited  Capt.  M'Clure;  they 
proved  remarkably  intelligent,  ami  readily  traced  on  paper  the  coast 
line  of  Wollaston  and  Victoria  Land,  thereby  determiniu"-  the  lon<r. 
disputed  point,  whether  or  not  these  districts  really  belong  to  the  Con- 
tinent of  North  America.  Above  eight  hundred  miles  were  traversed 
by  these  three  parties,  who  diligently  erected  cairns  and  deposited  iti- 


POLAR  HUNTING  GJiOUNDS.  433 

stnictions  wherever  they  woui.l  he  hkely  to  arrest  the  attention  of  wan- 
<UTers;  an<l  all  returned  t<,  headquarters  convinced,  from  the  total  ah- 
sence  of  trace  or  sijjn,  that  Franklin  could  not  have  penetrated  these 
ii'<,'ionH. 

Between  the  5th  an.l  ^^.^  of  May  those  on  hoard  the  Investi-^ator 
hailed    with    deli.,.ht    the    si^.ns  of    comin^r    .ummer.     The  vessel  was 
calked  and  painted,  and  hatchways  opened  to  dry  up  long  accun.ulated 
.lamp  hetween  decks;  the  stores  were  examined  and  culled  with  great 
care,  and  the  health  of  officers  and   crew  was   thoroughly  looke.l   into 
Not  a  trace  of   scurvy  was    discovered,  "  a    record  unparalleled  in  the 
history  of  Arctic  voyages."      This  wonderful  exemption  from  disease 
was  largely  due  to  the  prevalence  of  game,  and  the  skill  exhihited  hy 
the  crew  in  the  securing  of  it.     One  valley  visited  hy  them  was  liter- 
ally  ahve  with    ptarmigans    and   hares,  and  the  keen    appetites  of  the 
seamen  eventually  made  them  keen  sportsmen. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May  a  large  hear  passing  the  ship  was  shot  hy 
M  Clure,  and  irs  stomach  was  found  to  contain  an  astounding  medley 
"  There  were  raisins  that  had  not  long  heen  swallowed;    a  few  small 
p.eces  of  tobacco-leaf;  bits  of  fat  pork  cut  into  cubes,  which  the  ship's 
cook  declared  must   have   heen    used    in    n.aking    mock-turtle   soup,    an 
nrt,cle  often  found  on  board  a  ship  in  a  preserved  forn.;  and  lastlv,  fra..- 
ments  of  sticking  plaster  which,  fron.  the  forms  na  which  they  h^d  iJu 
cut,  must   evidently    have    passed   through    the    hand    of    a    suroeon  " 
Capt.    M'Clure,    bein..    ignorant   of    the    ships    which    had    been    sent 
out    from    England,    could    think    of    only    two    ways    in    which    this 
phe„o„,enon    was    possible,    namely,    that    the     bear    had    come    over 
some    floe    of    ice    visited    by    the     Investigator    last    autumn,    or    that 
the   Enterprise  must    be    wintering    somewhere    in   the    vicinity.       But 
we   know,    or    might,    if    we    had    followed    the     Enterprise    on     her 
course  fron.  South  America  to  Russian  America,  that  she  had   returned 
to  the  south,  and  was  at  this  time  in  China.     The  first  theory   was    ren- 
dered .mprobable  by  the  fact  that  no  vestige   left   by  the  Investigator  in 
her  churning  of  the  previous  autumn,  could  have  avoided    destruction   in 
the  endless  grinding  of  the   moving  ice.     A  meat-can  containing  all  the 


II*  r" 


w 


420 


THE  BNTERPlilSB. 


|^ifnii^i|j 


articles  mentioned  above,  was  afterward  found,  convii.  ing  all  of  a  fact 
which  could  render  them  no  service, — that  some  other  party  had  win- 
tered in  their  immediate  nei}^hV)orhood. 

The  ice  which  had  so  lonjj  held  the  vessel  a  prisoner,  bejjan  to  yield 
about  the  middle  of  July,  and  M'Clure  shaped  iiis  course  for  the  north- 
east, intending^,  if  possible,  to  sound  the  northern  coast  of  Melville  Island. 
At  the  outset  of  her  voyage  the  Investigator  had  a  narrow  escape  ;  the 
floe  to  which  she  was  temporarily  attached  gave  way,  and  the  detached 
portion  being  whirled  round  and  crushed  together  by  the  pressure  of 
surrounding  ice,  bore  down  with  tremendous  velocity  and  force  upon 
the  sturdy  vessel.  The  chains  and  lines  were  at  once  let  go,  and  the 
ship  thus  freed  from  the  floe — a  fortunate  event;  for  the  vessel  no  longer 
held  stationary,  was  driven  onward  by  the  blow,  and  so  escaped  from 
the  influence  of  the  floe. 

Escaped  from  this  danger,  the  Investigator  followed  her  course  with 
comparative  ease  until  the  20th  of  August,  when  they  were  driven  be- 
tween the  ice  and  the  beach,  a  little  nortli  of  Prince  Albert's  Cape. 
Here  they  lay  till  the  ist  of  September,  in  comparative  safety.  At  this 
time,  however,  they  we  e  threatened  with  imminent  peril  from  ;in  im- 
mense floe  to  which  they  were  attached,  being  raised  by  surrounding 
pressure,  and  elevated  perpc^diculaiiy  thirty  feet.  A  few  moments  of 
suspense  and  anxious  watching  showed  all  on  board  how  small  an  ad- 
ditional force  would  turn  the  glassy  rocking-stone  completely  over,  and 
crush  the  helpless  vessel  in  that  awful  fall.  Gradually  the  floe  slipped 
down  and  righted  itself,  and  the  ship  so  long  and  severely  tried,  again 
sailed  level  on  her  course.  After  a  series  of  such  experiences  as  we 
have  just  narated,  the  Investigator  was  compelled  once  more  by  the  ad- 
vance of  winter  to  seek  winter  quarters.  A  harbor  on  the  north  of 
Baring  Island  was  chosen,  and  the  winter  of  1852-3  was  begun. 

Having  now  brought  to  a  close  the  narration  of  the  Investigator's 
experience  up  to  1853,  let  us  turn  to  the  course  of  the  Enterprise,  which 
started  with  the  Investigator  under  such  promising  circumstances.  Hav- 
ing, as  before  intimated,  wintered  in  China  in  1850-1,  she  had  the  next 
season  again  approached  the  north  coast  of  America,  and  on  the  24111  ^-f 


.;.!^ 


ANXIETY  IN  ENGLAND.  437 

July  was  following  in  the  track  of  the  Investigator,  around  Point  Bar- 
row.     Struggling    along    as     far    as    she    could,  she    winter«l    in   the 
ice  in  1851-2,  at  the  southern  end  of  Prince  of  Wales   Strait.     It  was 
..ot  until  September,  ,852,  that  the  Enterprise  seems  to  have   made  any 
progress  eastward  from    lier   wintering-place-a    direction  which  Capt. 
Collinson   naturally  decided  upon  attempting,  with  a  view  to  penetrate 
tlie  distance  between  him  and  Cape  Walker.     He   reached   on  the   36th 
of  September,  Wollaston  Land,  where  he  passed  the  winter  of  ,852-3, 
of  which   we  are   now   writing.     In   these  winter  quarters   they    were 
visited  by  Esquimaux,  one  tribe   of  whom  numbered  over  200.     In  their 
possession  was  found  a  piece    of  iron,  which  many   still   believe  to  have 
cnme  from  the  missing  ships.     This  seems  very  probable  from   what   we 
know  of  the  place  of  Franklin's  death;  but  Capt.  Collinson,  being  igno- 
rant  of  that    fact,    could  have  no  idea  of  how  close  his  ship    was  to  the 
place  where  Dr.  Rae's  informants  afterward   stated  that  they   had    seen 
the  remains  of  Franklin's  men.  Leaving  now  the  Enterprise,  presuming 
that  she  experienced  a  very  severe  winter,  we  turn  once  nore  to  the  In''- 
vcstigator,  whose  adventurous  crew  and  officers    were   spending   their 
second  winter  in  the  ice. 

Their  story  from  this  point  may  be  told  in  it^w  words.  All  the 
English  vessels  which  had  sailed  in^the  same  year  with  the  two  ships  of 
our  narrative,  had  returned  home,  and  great  anxiety  was  beginning  to  be 
felt  for  the  long-absent  fleet.  The  commander  of  the  Investigator  had 
premised  the  necessity  of  eventually  abandoning  his  ship,  Lut  -  r-  nre- 
linimary  step,  selected  a  party  of  men  who  were  to  make  the  best'  of 
their  way  out  of  the  ice  and  get  to  England  if  possible.  A  fortunate 
combination  of  circumstances,  however,  was  about  to  make  this  danger- 
ous  journey  unnecessary.. 

In  accordance  with  the  "Arctic  Committee's  Report,"  an  expedition 
for  the  relief  of  the  Enterprise  and  Investigator  was  sent  out  from  Eng- 
land in  the  spring  of  1 852.  It  consisted  of  the  Assistance  and  the  Resolute 
under  Sir  Edward  Belcher  and  Capt.  Kellett;  two  steam-tugs.  Intrepid 
and  Pioneer;  and  a  provision-ship,  the  North  Star,  under  Commander 
Pullcn.     The  northern  waters  were   reached    by  way    of  Baffin's   Bay, 


,^iimm»mii£.-i::i.^T,M\i&i.^^  •-■limit' '-:•-■%. 


1 

ii; :! 

1 

1  . 

1 

iiiiir  'ii^iBii 

Hi' vi  J 

'W 

1 

;|'f  jr 


lisi 


438 


HEIJEF  EXPEDITION, 


439 


I 


about  the  1st  of  September,  1S53,  and  the  search  hnmecjately  befjuii. 
Melville  Island  was  reached  by  Capt.  Kellett  of  the  Resolute,  and  Com- 
mander  M'Clintock  of  the  Intrepid,  on  the  5th  of  September,  and  the 
vessels  made  fast  to  ice  which  still  !in<?ered  iti  Winter  Harbor,  the  well- 
known  wintering-place  of  Sir  Edward  Parry  in  the  year  1819. 

Having  hecomc  securely   frozen  in  for  the  time,  parties  were  sent 
out  durinjj  the  fall  and  winter   for  discoveriiifr  traces  of  either  of  the 
ships  sou-hr.     On  one  of  these  occasions,  Lieut.  Meacham  of  the  Reso- 
lute,  happened  to  inspect  more  closely   than   usual   the  famous   mass  of 
sandstone   on  which  Parry  had  caused  his  ship's  name  to   be  engraved. 
He   could  scarcely  credit  his  senses  when  he    discovered  a  document 
upon  its  summit,  detailing   the  practical   accomplishment  of  the  North- 
west Passage,  and  th    position  of  H.  M.  S.  Investigator  in   Banks   Land. 
Impressed   with  the  bel'-f  that  the  Investigator  had  got  out  of  the 
Bay  of  Mercy  and  passed  to  tr.e  northwest  of  Melville   Island,  M'Clin. 
lock  and   Meacham   chose  routes  which  would  intercept  her  supposed 
track;  consequently,  Lieut.  Pirn  of  the  Resolute,  was,  with  Dr.  Dom- 
ville  of  the  same  ship,  chosen   10   make   a  journey    with   sledges  from 
Melville  Island   to  Banks   Land;  and   on  March    10,  1853,  they  started, 
amid  the  prayers  and  cheers  of  their  shipmates. 

In  the  meantime,  April,  1S53,  greeted  the   inmates  of  the  Investiga- 
tor.     All  preparations  had  been  made  for  the  departure  of  the  party  be- 
fore  referred  to.     On  the  5th  of  April  a  fine  deer  was  hung  up  ready  to 
be  divided  for  a  hearty  meal,  of  which  all    hands  were  to  partake  beVore 
their  separation.     The  events  of  this  day  are  given  in  the  language  of 
M'Clure's  journal:     "  While  walking  near  the  ship     *     *     *  "*  "*     * 
we  perceived  a  figure  walking  rapidly  toward    us  from  the  rough  ice  at 
the  entrance  of  the  bay.     From  his   face  and  gestures  we  both  naturally 
supposed    at  first  that  he  was  some  one  of  our  party  pursued  by   a  bear, 
but  as  we  approached  him,  doubts  arose  as  to  who  it  could  be.     He  was' 
certainly  unlike  any  of  our  men;  but  recollecting  that  it   was  possible 
some  one  might  be  trying  a  new  traveling  dress,  preparatory  to  the 
departure  of  our  sledges,  and  certain  that  no  one  else  was  near,  we  con- 
tinued  to  advance;   when  within  about  two  hundred  yards  of  us,  this 


1^    . 


f 
L  , 


%il 


^■fX7m\  •  ,f,ii_^i 


PIAI'S  RECEPTION. 

strange  figure  threw  up  his  arms,  and   made  gesticulations  resembling 
those   of  Esquimaux,  besides   shouting  at   the  top   of  his  voice,   words 
which,  from  the  wind  and  the  intense  excitement  of  the  moment,  sounded 
like   a  wild  screech;  and  this  brought  us  to  a  stand-still.     The  stranger 
came  quietly  on,  and  we  saw  that  his  face  was  black  as  ebony,  and  really 
at  the  moment  we  might  be  pardoned  for  wondering  whether  he  was  a 
denizen  of  this  world  or  the  other,  and  had  he  but  given  tis  a  glimpse  of 
a  tail  or  a  cloven  hoof,  we  should  have  assuredly  taken  to  our  legs;  as  it 
was,  we  gallantly  stood  our  ground,  and  had  the  skies  fallen  upon  us,  we 
could    hardly    have   been    more   astonished    than   when  the   dark-faced 
stranger  called  out : 

"'I'm   Lieut.   Pim,  late  of  the  Herald,  and  now  in  the  Resolute. 
Capt.  Kellett  is  in  her  at  Dealy  Island.' 

"To  rush  at,  and  seize  him  by  the  hand,  was  the  first  impulse,  for  the 
heart  was  too  full  for  utterance.     The   announcement  of  relief  at  hand, 
when  none  was  supposed  to  be  even  within  the  Arctic  circle,  was  too  sud- 
den,  unexpected,  -.nd  joyous,  for  our   minds  to  comprehend  it  at  once. 
The   news  flew  with  lightning   rapidity,  the  ship  was  all  in  commotion; 
the  lick  forgetting  their  maladies,  leapt  from  their  hammocks;  the  artifi- 
cers  dropped   their  tools,  and  the  lower  deck  was   cleared  of  men,  for 
they   all  rushed  to  the  hatchway  to  be  assured   that  a  stranger  was  ac- 
tually amongst  them,  and  that  his  tale  was  true.    Despondency  fled  from 
the  ship,  and   Lieut.  Pim   received  a  welcome— pure,  hearty,  and  grate- 
fill—that  he  will  assuredly  remember  and  cherish  to  the  end  of  his  days." 
M'Clure  at  once  decided  to  visit  Capt.  Kellett  to  make  arrangements 
with  him  for  conveying  to  England  all  the  sick  on  board  his  vessel.     It 
was  still  his  purpose  to   remain   by  the   Investigator  another  season  if 
necessary,  rather  than  abandon  her  while  any  possibility   of  her  release 
remained.     We  can  easily  conceive   of  the   nature   of  his   meeting  with 
Capt.  Kellett.     They  had  last  parted  on  that  eventful  day  in  1850  when 
Kellett  had  felt  tempted  to  restrain  M'Chire  until  his  consort  came  up— 
a  course  which,  if  it  had  been  adopted,  would  probably  have  prevented  the 
happy  achievement  of  the  Northwest  Passage. 

Capt.  Kellett,  hov/ever,  did  not  feel  it  to  be  in  accordance  with  his 


the  Resolute. 


THE  INVESTIGATOR  ABANDONED.  43^ 

duty  to  allow  M'Clure  to  once  more  peril  the  lives  of  his  crew  by  rashly 
,e,naining    in    the    ice    during    the    winter    of    ,853-4.      A    consulta- 
t.on  between  Dr.  Domville  and   Dr.  Armstrong  resulted  in   condemning 
the  measure  as  impracticable,  considering  the  health  of  the  Investigator's 
crew;  and  M'Clure  himself,  found  to  his  surprise  and  mortificatic;.  that 
only  four  of  h.s   whole   number  felt   able    and    willing    to    go    through 
another  winter      Much,  therefore,  as  he  regretted  the  step,  he  felt  justified 
>n  Icavmg  the  Investigator  and  proceedmg  with  his  disabled   crew  to  the 
hospitable  Resolute   and    Intrepid,   where   he  arrived  June    ,7      Their 
troubles,  however,  were  yet  by  no  means   at  an    end;   for   the    gallant 
squadron  which  had  volunteered  their  rescue,  in  turn  found  itself  beset 
and  unable  to  leave  its  doubtful  harbor   until  another  summer-that  of 
1854. 

The  events  which  led  ,o  their  final  release,  and  the  circ„„,sta„ces  of 
the  quesfonahle  desertion  by  Sir  Edward  Beleher  of  several  ships  in 
good  order,  will  be  fully  presented  in  the  succeeding  chapter 


HEAD  OP  REINDERK. 


nee  with  his 


yr,' 


I 


m 


q  «.1i|  ijj«« 


CHAPTER    XLVIIL 

belcher's     innovation  —  HIS     INSTRUCTIONS    TO    CAPT.    KELLETT 

RETURN    TO    ENGLAND A  COURT-MARTIAL A  BRITISH  WRITER's 

FANCY OSBORN      AND      CATOR  TRACES  REPORT      OF      RAE's 

DISCOVERIES A    THRILLING    STORY. 

The  abandonment  of  a  number  of  ships  in  good  condition,  well- 
provisioned,  and  with  good  promise  of  release  within  a  reasonable  period, 
certainly  constituted,  at  the  time,  a  novel  conclusion  to  a  series  of  Arctic 
ventures;  and  one  which  subsequent  repetition  has  never  justified;  so  that, 
in  pursuing  this  course.  Sir  Edward  Belcher  may  at  least  have  had  the 
satisfaction  of  complete  originality.  It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  chapter 
however,  to  pronounce  final  judgment  upon  the  wisdom  of  choices,  nor 
to  attempt  to  criticise  motives,  but  simply  to  give  the  facts  as  they 
occurred;  from  which  the  reader  will  be  free  to  form  his  own  conclusions. 

While  M'Clintock  and  Kellett  had  been  pushing  their  investigations 
in  the  direction  of  Melville  Island  and  Banks  Land,  the  remainder  of 
Belcher's  squadron  had  continued  at  or  near  Beechey  Island,  and  had 
made  it  the  center  of  operations.  Although  some  good  service  was 
rendered  in  the  way  of  surveying  and  exploration.  Sir  Edward's  course 
appears  to  have  been  timid  and  unsailorlike  throughout.  His  ships 
Pioneer  and  Assistance,  having  become  temporarily  beset  fifty  miles  north 
of  Beechey  Island,  surprising  arrangements  for  the  abandonment  of  the 
whole  fleet  were  at  once  made  by  Belcher. 

Totally  ignorant  of  such  an   arrangement  on  the   part  of  the  senior 

officer,  the  commanders  of  the  Resolute  and  Intrepid,  which  we  left  frozen 

up   in   the  winter  of  1853-4,  '''='^1  ^"  carefully  and  judiciously  husbanded 

their  resources  that   they    were   prepared   for  the  possible   contingency 

of  being  compelled  to  remain  still  another  year  in  the  ice  near  Barrow's 

Strait.    '     .is  fact  was  all  the  more  to  their  credit  because  they  had  added 

433 


f*  '  ,  I    ■  r 


-V- 


BELCHER-S  INSTKUCTIONS.  ^ 

to  Iheir  lis,  of  c„„su,n„,,  ,he  exhausted  crew  of  the  Investigator.    Caot 
Ke  e„  .as  therefore  surprised  to  receive  fro™  Sir  Edward,  i„  ,He  ^ 

pLa^e:'  ""   ™"'°'"'"^    "'"    """""'"^    -"■"'-",! 

"Shoal,,   Cap..  Collinso,,,  of  the  E„terpri.«.,  fortunate,,  reach  you 
yo„  w  .  pursue  the  sa.ne  course,  and  „„,  „„aer  any  .onsLaHon  U' 
the  Cen, on  of  „„.,;„,,  _„„.     ^^^  ^,.^  ,^_^^  ^.^^^  ^^^  ^  ^^ 

me,,,;  and  hav.ng  so  far  explaine,,    ,nyse,f,  I  „ „.    „„,„p„     „"„  „.,; 

further  ,ns truct.ons  than,  .neet  ,„e  a.    Beeche,  Is,a„d,  with  , he  crew,    f 
all  vcssds,  ,)e,oro  „ie  26th  of  August." 

Deter,ni„ed  not  to  take  such  a'course  hastily,  Cap,  Kelle,,  ,e„,  C  ,   , 
M.CIi„,ock  .„infor,n  Sir    Edwa,.  Belcher  of^thc  'pe^ct  ;s:     ^r:; 
-,n,  h,s  sh.ps;  .0  advise   hi,n  of  ,hc  s.o,es  of  provisions  which    , ad 
e    saved  up;  ,0  assure  hl.n  of  ,hc  health  of  ,hc   ,nen;  and  to  expres^ 
I-  .l.sapp,oval  of  so  unnecessary  and  unwise  a  ,r,„ve,.e„,.     These  rep 
i«cnta„ons,    howeve,-,    weie    unavailin,.        Sir    Fl         ,  ^ ''9- 

T,r,f„.        .  ".iv.uitng.       b,i    jLdwaid    scut    back   hv 

M'Chntock  an  o.,er!.r  abandoning  the  Resolute  aud  Assistance       d  the 
m.es.,gator.s  brave  crew,  ••  who  ha.l  lived  through  such  ,ria        l     I  ,  d 
»  .p.  -or  four  win,ers,  s,arcd  .0  see  all    bauds  g..adu„lly  .Creati-    ult 
«ec.  ey  Island,  ready  ,0  ,.c.ur..  ,0  England  .as  specdilyl  possible:.' 

.  h..s,  lcavn,g  Cap,.  Collinso,,  ,„  steer  ,be  En,erprise  safely  o„,  as 
.»M,e,„,g   .,a„daban,l„„i„g   the    „.„,    ,,.,,    ,^  ^^^ 

As  s  ,a,,cc.   I„„.cp  1  .„,  ,,„„,„.,  ,^„^„^.,.  „^,,^,.^,  ^,^^  -^^^^^^       -, 

".h..se  live  vessels  ,0  seek  quarte,,  on  b„a,,l  the  North  Star  p,ovisio„ 
sh,|),  an,lc,nba,-ked  forEn..land  in  ch.„„,.      ,•  ,  l>">vis,on- 

-"'''""^'>-     All,  „,clud,„g  the  Enterprise,  ,eache<l    England 

■.           v.,.ipt.  .\i  ciiiie   ^y.j^  tried  hv  a  court-iiv.i-H')!-  ., 
P^ccc  ,,,g    .1,1  b  ,.es„l,ed  in  his  s,  b„n..,.,blc  aequiUal.    .xl  w,;,. 

:,:;,.;:  '"™"""^-  ""•^'  '"■"'  ^-"-^^  -^  «"-j°""  r-rauir. 

NO..I.W.S,  Passage,  were  unanimous  in  bes,owi„g  „p„„  himself  aud 


4»4 


AN  BiVGLJSH  W HI  TEH'S  FANCT. 


1 


crew  .£'10,000,  or  half  of  the  standing  reward.  In  addition  to  tliis  dis- 
tinction, M'Cluro  was  knighted  by  tlie  Queen,  and  several  of  his  officers 
received  inerited  promotion. 

Sir  Edward  Belcher  was  also  tried  l>y  a  court-martial,  hut,  althougii 
he  was  barely  acquitted,  the  venerable  chairman  of  the  judicial  body  be- 
fore whom  he  was  brought,  handed  him  his  sword  in  "  significant 
silence."  Concerning  the  justice  of  the  acquittal,  it  seems  difficult  to 
determine,  but  his  course  in  this  particular  case  seems  to  be  in  contrast 
with  the  usually  generous,  courageous  sjjirit  ()f  the  British  sailor.  A 
writer  contemporaneous  with  the  events  just  narrated,  thus  feelingly  de- 
scribes the  condition  of  the  abandoned   vessels: 

"Meantime,  it  is  sad  to  think  of  those  poor  doomed  vessels,  which  we 
have  invested  \vith  so  much  personality  in  our  nautica".  fashion,  deserted 
thus  ill  that  lone  white  wilderness!  We  can  fancy  in  the  long  coming 
winter,  how  weird  and  strange  tiiey  will  appear  in  the  clear  moonlight 
— the  only  dark  object  in  the  dazzling  plain  around.  How  solemn  ;uul 
op2)rcssive  the  silence  and  solitude  all  around  them!  No  more  broken 
by  the  voices,  and  full-toned  shout?  and  ringing  laughter,  which  so  often 
wake  the  echoes  far  and  near;  varied  only  by  the  unearthly  sounds  that 
sweep  over  these  drearv  regions  when  a  iissure  opens  in  the  great  ice- 
fiekls,  or  the  wild,  mournful  wailing  of  the  wind  among  the  slender 
shrouds  and  tall,  tapering  masts,  that  stand  so  sharply  defined  in  their 
blackness  upon  the  snowy  background.  .Vnd  so,  perchance,  long  years 
will  pass,  till  the  snow  and-  ice  may  have  crept  round  and  over  them,  and 
they  bear  less  resemblance  to  noble  English  sailors  than  to  shapeless 
masses  of  crystal;  or  more  likely  some  coming  winter  storm  may  rend 
the  bars  of  their  prison,  and  drive  them  out  in  its  fury  to  toss  upon  the 
waves,  until  the  angry  ice  gathers  around  its  prey,  -and,  crushing  them 
like  nut-shells  in  its  mighty  grasp,  sends  a  sullen  booming  roar  over  the 
water — the  knell  of  these  intrudi  rs  on  the  ancient  Arctic  solitudes!" 

VOYAGE  OF  LIEUT.  OSBORN. 


In  following  the  fortunes  of  the  various  expeditions  sent  out  in  the 
year  1850,  we  must  not  omit  to   speak  of  the  adventures  of  the    Pioneer 


:lilion  to  tliis  dis- 
iri\l  of  his  officers 

ial,   but,  although 
judicial  body  be- 

1  in  "  significant 
it^ems  difficult  to 
:<)  be  in  contrast 
British  sailor.  A 
tlius  feelingly  dc- 

vessels,  whicli  we 

fashion,  deserted 

the    long  coming 

2  clear  moonlii^ht 
How  solemn  niul 
No   more  broken 

er,  which  so  often 

rthly  sounds   that 

in   the   great  ice- 

long    the   slender 

delined    in  their 

hance,  long  years 

id  over  tliem,  and 

han   to    shapeless 

storm    may  rend 

to  toss  upon   the 

id,  crushing  them 

ling  roar  over  the 

:tic  solitudes!" 


s  sent  out   in  the 
;s  of  the    Pioneer 


48S 


436 


OSBORN  AND  CATOR. 


and  Intrepid,  under  Lieuts.  Osborn  and  Cator,  both  of  whom  jiroved 
themselves  brave  and  efficient  navigators.  As  will  be  seen  by  tiieir  in- 
structions, the  object  of  their  voyage  was  essentially  the  same  as  that  of 
the  other  expeditions  which  were  prepared  and  sent  out  almost  at  the 
same  time.  They  received  orders  from  the  admiralty  to  ^'xamine  liar- 
row's  Strait,  southwesterly  to  Cape  Walker,  westerly  toward  Melville 
Island,  and  northwesterly  up  Wellington  Channel. 

Starting  from  England  early  in    May,  the  coast   of  Greenland   was 
sighted  on  the  26th,  and  the  Whalefish  Island,  their  first  stopping  place, 
soon  arrived  at.     May  and  June  were  both  spent  in  cruising  up  the  west 
coast  of  Greenland,    and   endeavoring  to  effect   a    safe   passage    to    the 
opposite  shore  of  Baffin's  Bay.     During   the    first  days  of  July,  Osborn 
had  his  first   experience  of  the  real  perils  of  the   Arctic    world.     The 
hands  were  all  at  dinner  when    the    startling   announcement   was   made 
that  a  large  body  of  ice   was  bearing  down  upon  the  ship,  and  threaten- 
ing to  crush  her  in  its   surging  m-iss.     The  best  security  in  emergencies 
of  this  kind,  is  the  preparation  of  docks  in  the  body  of  the  ice,  cut  in  the 
portion  which  is  firm  and  solid.     The   ships  are  then   thrust  into  these 
artificial  "  leads,"  as  it  were,  and  thus  are  protectetl  by  the  very  element 
to  whose  tender  mei-cies  they  were  but  a  short  time  before  exposed.     In 
this  case  ihe  combined  crews  were  instantly  on  the  ice,   their  triani,'-lcs 
were  rigged,    and  their   long   ice-saws  were  at    work.     The   relief  was 
much  needed,  for  the  floe  was  coming   with   terrible   torce,  and   the  col- 
lisions between  pack  and  berg  were  frequent  and  prodigious. 

After  struggling  through  almost  impenetrable  ice  for  several  weeks, 
they  reached  Lancaster  Sound  on  the  32d  of  August,  and  began  the 
search.  They  soon  reached  Beechey  Island,  on  which  the  three  graves 
of  Franklin's  men  were  to  be  found,  together  with  otlier  evidences  of  iiis 
having  wintered  there  during  1845-6,  the  first  winter  of  his  absence. 
When  about  to  leave  Beechey  Island  Osborn  found  it  difficult  under 
his  directions  to  determine  what  course  to  pursue.  Franklin  had  evidentlv 
chosen  one  of  three  routes  on  leaving  Beechey  Island.  He  must  either 
have  proceeded  southwest  by  Cape  Walker,  west  by  Melville  Islaiul,  or 
northwest  through  Wellington  Ciiannel.      In  tiie  meantime,  \ague  reports 


STRICKBH  FIIOM  THE  NAVr  LIST.  ^„ 

bccnmo  crre...  cl,«,  Pe„„,  ,.  his  ,„e„  had  .lUeovered  sleclge-.rack,  „„ 
,l,e  wc,.  CO,..  „«  Becchoy  Island.  H.  therefore  d«e™I„ed  .„  exploa- 
,n,s  island  u,  perso,,  before  adop,h,g  any  o.he,-  eourse.  Firs,  finding  .he 
slcdge.™arks  he  d,v,de,l  l,is  party,  and  each  followed  the  slcd^e.^arks  in 
.an  „,,pos,.e  .hrecion.  Among  o.her  .hing,  he  discovered  ,he  si.e  of  .. 
circnlar  h„.  „r  "shack,"  which  had  apparency  been  buil.  and  u,ed  by  \ 
shoo.,ng  par.y  fr„,„  .he  Erebns  or  Terror.  The  stones  used  i„s.ead  of 
s.ake,  „h,ch  could  no.  be  driven  in.o  .he  frozen  ground,  lay  sc„..ered 
around,  and  some  well-blackened  boulders  indicated  where  .he  fireplace 
had  been.  Bones,  on,p.y  n,ea..ca„s,  and  porter  bottles  were  stLn 
around  and  told  offcasts  an.l  good  cheer,  but  no  written  word  helped  to 
solve  the  mystery  which  occupied  so  fully  the  minds  of  our  searchers 

.Soon  after  this  the  Intrepi.l  and  Pioneer  fell  in  with  the  other  En„. 
hsh  vessels  „h,ch,  together  with  the  two  American  brigs,  were  en.„.e"d 
m  explonng  the  same  regions  as  themselves.  Nothing  further  of  ilrest 
occurred  save  the  hardships  and  a.lventures  contmon  to  any  crew 
expcncncing  the  rigor  of  an  Arctic  winter.  After  spending  the  win.er 
01  ,  ,0-,  u,  he  ,ce  and  n.arrowly  escaping  a  .second  imprisonmen.,  .ha 
squadron  reached  England  in  Sep.ember,  ,85,,  after  a  successful  ,r  p  of 
three   weeks.  ^ 

DISCOVERIES  AND  REPORT  OF  DR.   RAE. 

Early  in  the  year  ,83+,  before  the  return   of  M'Clure  and    Belcher, 
llH-  f,.llow,ng  notice  appeared  in  the  London   Gazette  ■ 

".Votice  is  hereby  given  that  if  intelligence  be  no.  receive.1  before -the 
3.».o.  .March  nex.  of  the  office,,  .and  crews  of  H.  M.  S.  Erebus  and 
Terror  l»,ng  alive,  the  names  of  the  ofticers  will  be  removed  from  the 
N.avyL,st  and  they  and  the  crews  of. h<«e  ship,  will  be  considered  as 
havu,g  d,ed  u,  Her  Majesty's  service.  The  p.ay  and  wages  of  the  omcer, 
«l  crews  „,  those  ships  will  cease  on  the  3, St  of  March  next;  and  all 
persons  legally  ,.„titled,  and  qualifying  ,hem,,elves  to  claim  the  pay  and 
wages  -n  due,  will  be  paid  the  same  on  application  .0  .he  Accountant 
Gener:il  of  I  Jcr  Majesty's  navy. 

"By  co,n.ua.ul  of  the  Lc.rcls  Co.nmissioners  of  the  Admiralty." 


I 


488 


A   THlilLLING  STORY. 


In  a  letter  full  of  affection  and  hope  for  her  lost  consort,  Lady  Frank- 
,    lin  deprecated  to  the  adiniralty  the  necessity  under  which  they   had    felt 
compelled  to  take  this  summary  step.     In  gracious  terms    the  admiralty 
explained  to  her  ladyship  the  exigencies  of  the  case.     Their  sympathies 
and  finances  were  all  needed  for  the  prosecution  of  the  Russian  war;  and 
the  particular  date  announced  had  been  chosen  since  it  was  the  close  of 
the  fiscal  year,  and  it  was  necessary  to  close  the  accounts  for  that  period. 
However  cruel  it  may  seem  to  have  thus  classed  among  the  dead  those 
of  whose  death  no  cctain    tidings  had  been  gained,  the  intelligence  re- 
ceived from  Dr.  Rac  a  few  months  later,  seems  to  have  confirmed  as  ap- 
propriate,  the  decision  of  the  admiralty.     His  story  is  briefly  this:     He 
had  been  sent  by  the  Hudson's    Bay   Company  in  1853     o  complete  the 
survey  of  the  long  isthmus  of  land  which  connects  North  Somerset  with 
the  American  continent  under  the  name  of  Boothia. 

Repeating  his  plan  of  operations  in  1849,  Rae  wintered  at  the  lakes 
on  the  isthmus  which  divide  Regent's  Inlet  from  Repulse  Bav,  and  early 
in  the  spring  of  1S54  started  with  his  sletlge  party  to  accomplish  his 
task.  While  making  his  way  to  the  northwest,  he  met  on  the  30th  of 
April  an  Esquimaux,  who,  upon  being  asked  if  he  had  ever  seen  any 
ships  or  white  men,  replied  no,  but  that  "a  party  of  white  men  had  died 
of  starvation  a  long  distance  to  the  west  of  where  he  then  was,  and  be- 
yond a  large  river!" 

After  questioning  this  Esquimaux  further,  Rae  gleaned  the  following 
information,  which  we  give  as  it  was  presented  in  his  report:  '^In  the 
spring,  four  winters  since  (1850),  while  some  Esquimaux  families  were 
killing  seals  near  the  north  coast  of  a  large  island,  named  in  Arrow- 
smith's  charts  King  William's  Land,  about  forty  white  men  were  seen 
traveling  in  company  southward  over  the  ice,  and  dragging  a  boat  aiul 
sledges  with  them.  They  were  passing  along  the  west  shore  of  the 
above-named  island.  None  of  the  above  party  could  speak  the  Esqui- 
maux language  so  well  as  to  be  understood ;  but  by  signs  the  natives 
were  led  to  believe  that  the  ship  or  ships  had  been  crushed  by  ice,  aivd 
that  they  were  now  going  where  they  expected  to  find  deer  to  shoot. 
From  the  appearance    of  the    men,  all   of  whom,  with  the  exception  of 


.ady  Fraiik- 
ey  hud  felt 
2  admiralty 
sympathies 
ill  war;  and 
the  close  of 
that  jjeriod. 
!  dead  tliose 
lligence  re- 
tmed  as  ap- 

I  this:  He 
)mplete  the 
nerset  with 

it  the  lakes 
',  and  early 
>inplish  his 
the  3oth  of 
r   seen  any 

II  had  (lied 
as,  and  be- 

i  following- 
:  '^In  the 
nilies  were 
in  Arrow- 
were  seen 
a  boat  and 
lore  of  the 
the  Esqui- 
he  natives 
ly  ice,  and 
■  to  shoot, 
xception  of 


489 


]! 


F>t 


440 


CANNIBALISM. 


m 


ail  officer,  were  hauling  on  the  drag-ropes  of  the  sledge,  and  looked  thin, 
they  were  then  supposed  to  be  getting  short  of  provisions;  and  they  pur- 
chased a  seal,  or  piece  of  seal  from  th.  natives.  The  officer  was  de- 
scribed as  being  a  tall,  stout,  middle-aged  man.  When  their  day's  jour- 
ney terir '       ed,  they  pitciied  tents  to  rest  in. 

"At  a  later  date  the  same  season,  but  previous  to  the  disruption  of  the 
ice,  the  corpses  of  some  thirty  persons,  ami  some  graves,  were  discov- 
ered on  the  continent,  and  five  dead  bodies  on  an  island  near  it,  about  a 
long  day's  journey  to  the  nortiiwest  of  the  mouth  of  a  large  stream, 
which  can  be  no  other  than  Back's  Great  Fish  River,  as  its  description 
and  that  of  the  low  shore  in  the  neighborhood  of  Point  Ogle  and  Mon- 
treal Island  agree  exactly  with  that  of  Sir  Geo.  liack.  Some  of  the 
bodies  were  in  a  tent  or  tents;  others,  were  under  the  boat,  wliich  had 
been  turned  over  to  form  a  shelter,  and  some  lay  scattered  about  in  dif- 
ferent directions.  Of  those  seen  on  the  island,  one  was  supposed  to  have 
been  an  officer,  as  he  had  a  telescope  strapped  over  his  shoulders,  and  a 
double-barreled  gun  lay  beneath  him. 

"  From  ttie  mutilated  state  of  many  of  the  boc'.ies,  and  the  contents  of 
the  kettles,  it  is  evident  that  our  wretched  countrymen  had  bep'i  driven 
to  the  dread  alternative  of  cannibalism  as  a  means  of  sustaining  life. 
There  must  have  been  among  this  party  a  number  of  telescopes,  guns, 
watches,  compasses,  etc.,  all  of  which  seem  to  have  been  broken  up,  as  I 
saw  pieces  of  these  articles  with  the  natives,  and  I  purchased  as  many  as 
possible,  together  with  some  silver  spoons  and  forks,  an  Order  of  Merit 
in  the  form  of  a  star,  and  a  small  silver  plate  engraved  'Sir  John  Frank- 
lin, K.  C.  B.'" 

In  this  report  Dr.  R.!ie  sent  a  list  of  things  bought  from  the  Esqui- 
maux, and  afterward  on  his  return  to  England  brought  the  articles  them- 
selves, and  received  the  proffered  reward  of  jC  10,000.  He  had  not  proved 
the  death  of  Franklin,  but  his  account  bore  terribly  painful  evidence  to 
the  now  generally  receivctl  opinion  that  the  whole  combineil  crew,  135 
in  number,  had  miserably  perished.  Fr'^m  Rae  we  revert  to  the  details 
of  the  adventures  of  the  American  Grinncll  E>:pedition,  already  referred 
to  in  a  previous  chapter. 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 


prasT  GHiNXELr.  KxPEnrrroM-ACTrox  ok  conorkss-hkvkvolknce 

OF  MU.  GUmNELI.  -INSTRUCTIONS -LEAVE  NEW  YORK  _  MEL 
VILLK  RAV_XN  A  I^H  AD  -  ICE-NA  VIG AT.ON  _  ARCTrC  PLORA-A 
FORTUNATE   ESCAPE. 


The 


anxiecy  felt  by  the  people  of  Great  Britaiu  for  the 


c  c-     T  1       -n,  rescue  or  dis- 

cover,  of  S,r  John  Franklin,  was  warm,,,  appreciated  and  ,l,are,l  by 
the,r  fnends  on  .1,,.  side  of  el,e  w„,er.  Exeep.  fro™  a  scientific  stand 
po,„t  the  drseovery  of  a  Nortlnves,  Passaic  did  not,  for  plain  reasons, 
liavc  the  merest  for  .l,e  United  States  that  it  l,ad  for  England.  But 
Amenca  l,ad  looke.1  with  admiration  upon  that  display  of  valor  and  hero- 
.s,n  wh,ch  had  had  such  a  tragical  termination;  and  her  great  heart 
beat.u  sympathy  for  the  bereaved  nation  and  the  afflicted  widow.  Thus 
we  find  pr,vate  benevolence  co-operating  with  the  public  purse  in  fitting 
ou.e.pcd.„ons  ,„  behalf  of  the  object  common  to  at  least  two  nations. 

The  ch,ef  Amencan  expeditions  for  this  purpo,,e  were  three  in  number 
co,„n,o„,y  cabled  ..  Grinnell  Expeditions,  fron,  the  .agency  of  Mr.  Henry' 
Gnnnel,  of  New  York,  in  their  conception  and  execution     Tl  ■  firs,  w,.' 
co,„,„ande<l  by  Lieut.  DcHaven,  U.  N.;  the  secon<l  by  Dr.  Kane  U  N 
ami  the  third  by  Mr.  C   F    Hall  ..f  fi  ,  ■       ..       .  ' 

y    "•"-•''."all.ol   Cmcinn.ati.     An  account  of  these 
voyages  wnl  be  given  in  their  chronolo.jical  order 

aid  t  i!'the"°  f """'"  1"'  ''°""'""'-"  '"""'="  '"  "-'  ^'"•'"'  States  for 

!    ve"    Th         ,r'"        '""'°""-^  "'  '""  ■-i^^'-'f™™  a  dreary 
»i»v  .       The  matter  was  considered  by  Congress,  but  owing  ,o  the  cir 

..ppeal  was  threatened  by  defeat.     A.  this  juncture  the   benevo^nt 
S    tloman  „  „ve  mentioned  generously  fitted  out  two  of  his  own  vessel 

fn...lated  by  such  l.berahty.  Congress  .accep.«l  the  gift,  and  immediately 

441 


;         ,  '        ! 


lilij 


442 


DESCRIPTION  OF   THE  ADVANCE. 


I 


'■'* 


•j.Tfflijf  Wi^ip  mj.^  uij 


authori/.eil  the  executive  to  detach  men  ;iiul  officers  from  the  navy  to 
accompany  ami  take  charjjc  of  ,lic  expedition.  Lieut.  Edward  J.  De- 
Haven  was  chosen  as  commander,  and  Dr.  E.  K.  Kane,  who  was  sum- 
moned by  telegram  frotn  his  field  of  labor  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  as 
medical  officer. 

It  may  lie  vvell  to  state  here,  that  Lieut.  DeHaven  declining  to  make 
more  than  an  official  report  of  the  voyage,  an  '.'xtcndcd  .account  was 
written  and  published  by  Dr.  Kane,  being  compiled  largely  from  his 
journal.  We  shall  feel  free,  accordingly,  when  occasion  presents  itself, 
to  quote  from  his  copious  observations  in  his  own  clear  and  graceful 
style. 

The  two  vessels  profTercd  by  Mr.  Grinncll  for  the  use  of  the  party, 
were  the  brigs.  Advance  and  Kescue,  and  were  admirably  calcul.ated  for 
their  intended  service.  In  an  enterprise  of  this  kind  strength  rather  than 
weight  or  size  seems  to  be  the  desideratum^  and  the  following  descrip- 
tion of  the  Advance,  given  by  Dr.  Kane,  well  shows  the  good  judgment 
of  Mr.  Grinnell  in  the  matter  of  selection: 

"Commencing  with  the  outside,  the  hull  was  literally  double,  a  brig 
within  a  brig.  An  outer  siieathing  of  two  antl  a  half  inch  oak  was 
covered  with  a  second  of  the  same  material ;  and  strips  of  heavy  sheet 
iron  extended  from  the  bows  to  the  beam  as  a  shield  against  the  cutting 
action  of  the  ice.  The  decks  were  water-tight — made  so  by  a  packing 
of  tarred  paper  between  them.  The  entire  interior  was  lined,  ceiled  witii 
cork,  which,  in  Jependently  of  its  low  conducting  power,  was  a  valuable 
protection  against  the  condensing  moisture,  one  of  the  greatest  evils  of 
the  polar  climate. 

"  The  strengthening  of  her  skeleton — her  wooden  framework — was 
admirable.  Forward  from  keelson  to  deck  was  a  mass  of  solid  timbers, 
clamped  and  dovetailed  with  nautical  wisdom,  for  seven  feet  from  the 
cutwater;  so  that  we  could  spare  a  foot  or  two  of  our  bow  without  spring- 
ing aleak.  To  23revent  the  ice  from  forcing  in  her  sides  she  was  built 
with  an  extra  set  of  iieams  running  athwart  her  length  at  intervals  of 
four  feet,  and  so  arranged  as  to  ship  and  unship  at  pleasure.  From  the 
Samson  posts,  strong,  radiating  timbers,  calle(l  shores,  diverged  in  every 


f^variiucTroArs.  ^^g 

.lirtcrion;  ami  oaken  knees,  hanging  «n,l  obliqui.,  were   a.kled    wherever 
space  would  permit." 

The  plan  of  the  voyage,  a^  indicated  by  the  formal  messa^^e  of 
instruction  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  Lieut.  Dellaven.^as 
briefly  as  follows: 

The  main  object  of  the  expedition  was  undcrstoo.l  to  be  the  discovery 
ofSir  jno.  Franklin  and  his  companions;  subjects  of  scientific  inquiry 
were  to  be  considered  only  so  far  as  they  might  not  interfere  with  the 
grand  object  of  the  search. 

The  ships  were  to  steer  for  Harrow'.  Straits,  and  decision  was  to  be 
then  made  as  to  whether  they  should  separate;  in  case  of  separation  a 
plac.  of  rendezvous  w^,s  to  be  agreed  upon  with  Commander  (iriffin, 
who  was  to  have  charge  of  the  Rescue. 

In  case  iianow's  Strait  could  not  be  approached  or  penetrated,  atten- 
tion was  to  he  directcl  to  Smith's  Sound  or  Jones'  Sound;  and  in  case  the 
ice  should  materially  obstruct  these,  making  entrance  impossible  o,  dan- 
gerous  the  expedition  was  advised  to  return  at  once  to  New  York,  or 
make  further  search  at  the  discretion  of  the  leader. 

As  the  entire  Arctic  face  of  the  Continent  had  been  traversed  in 
search  of  the  missing  navigators,  it  was  thought  useless  tore-examine 
those  points. 

The  commander  was  enjoined  not  to  take  any  course  which  would 
ha/;n-.i  his  own  life  or  that  of  the  crew,  and  was  advised  to  spend  only 
one  winter  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

On  the  22d  of  May,  1850,  the  tw.,  ships  were  towed  out  of  New 
York  harho,  and  after  taking  leave  of  iMr.  Grinnell  and  his  sons,  who 
had  accompanied  the  ships  out  to  sea,  they  tacked  away  in  good  earnest, 
an<l  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  the  metropolis.  The  course  along  up  the 
Atlantic  till  the  coast  of  Greenland  was  reached,  was  varied  by  tiie  new 
experiences  of  icebergs  and  driftwood  from  the  far  north.  An  occasional 
school  of  whales  was  met,  to  amuse  the  crew  with  their  porpoise-like 
tt-mblins:  about  the  ship.  The  lengthening  days,  also,  as  gradual  advance 
was  made  toward  the  north,  was  a  novel  experience, and  when  at  last  the 
sun  a'...ed  altogether  to  disappear  below  the  horizon,  the  usual  order  of 


Liiii^M'yrvi 


444 


ARCTIC   TEHMS. 


thinj^^s  seemed  quite  subverted.  To  these  things  the  crew  quickly  became 
accuslomed,  and  routine  on  board  the  ships  being  perfect,  the  enthusiasm 
for  discovery  soon  caused  these  disturbing  elements  to  be  forgotten. 

The  1st  of  July  found  the  little  squadron  approaching  Melville 
Bay — that  well-known  wholesale  depot  of  ice,  both  new  and  old. 
It  was  the  fate  of  the  Advance  and  Rescue,  as  it  had  been  of  many  ships 
before  them,  to  become  engaged  in  a  large  ice-pack;  and  for  weeks  they 
lay  without  being  able  to  advance  or  recede,  except  with  the  pack.  It 
may  not  be  generally  known  that  ice-navigation,  or  the  manoeuvering  of 
a  vessel  neces-ary  when  involved  in  a  pack,  has  become  a  recognized 
branch  of  the  nautical  art, — being,  as  it  were,  a  science  in  itself,  and 
having  its  own  terminology  to  designate  the  difficulties  peculiar  to  such 
an  event,  and  the  movements  necessary  to  gain  relief.  Dr.  Kane's  de- 
scription of  a  scene  in  this  particular  time  of  extremity  is  too  vivid  and 
typical  to  omit  or  abridge: 

"  Let  us  begin  by  imagining  a  vessel  or,  for  variety,  two  of  them 
speeding  along  at  eight  knots  an  hour,  and  heading  directly  for  a  long, 
low  margin  of  ice  about  two  miles  off.  '  D'ye  see  any  opening?'  cries 
the  captain,  hailing  an  officer  on  the  fore  top-sail  yard.  'Something  like 
ii  lead  a  little  to  leeward  of  that  iceberg  on  our  port-bow  !'  In  a  little 
while  we  near  the  ice;  our  light  sails  are  got  in,  our  commander  takini^ 
the  place  of  the  officer,  who  has  resumed  his  station  on  the  deck.     *      * 

"  Now  commences  the  process  of  '  conning.'  Such  work  witli  the 
helm  is  not  often  seen  in  ordinary  seas.  The  brig's  head  is  pointed  for 
the  open  gap;  the  watch  are  stationed  at  the  braces;  a  sort  of  silence 
j>revails.  Prcscntlv  comes  down  the  stentorian  voice  of  our  commander, 
*Hard-a  starboard!'  and  at  the  same  moment,  the  yards  yield  to  the  re.idy 
hands  on  the  braces.  The  ship  turns  her  nose  into  a  sudden  indentation, 
and  bangs  her  cpiarters  against  a  big  lump  of  smashing  ice.  'Steady, 
there!'  For  half  a  minute  not  a  sound,  until  a  second  yell, — 'Down, 
down!  hard  down  !'  and  then  we  rub,  and  scrape,  and  jam,  and  thrust 
aside,  and  are  thrust  aside;  but  somehow  or  other  Hud  ourselves  in  ;m 
open  canal  losing  itself  in  the  distance.     This  is  a  lead.         *  * 

"Looking  ahead,  wc  see  that  our  lead  is  getting   narrower,  its  sides 


AV  A  LEAD. 


44fir 


edging  toward  each  other;  it  is  losing  its  straightness.  At  the  same 
moment  came  a  complicated  succession  of  orders:  '  Ilelm-a  starboard  r 
.  Port: '  '  Easy! '  .  So! '  .  Steady-ee!'  ^  Hard-a-port! '  ^  Hard,  hard,  hard!  ^ 
(Scrape,  scratch,  thump.)  ^Eugh!'  an  anomalous  grunt,  and  we  are 
jammed  fast  between  two  great  ice-field,  of  unknown  extent.  The  cap- 
tain comes  down,  and  we  all  go  quietly  to  supper. 

"Next  comes  some  processes   unconnected  with  the  sai'.,  our  wings 
These  w.ll  explain,  after   Arctic  fashion,  the  terms 'heave,' and    'warp,' 


AKCTIC   TOOIJi, 


»-l  •  .-ct,  a,„l  -haul,'  f..  „.  aa.  „„„■  !,.«  i„  io.,  „„.,  „,„,  ,;,„,.  „,;„,, 
wc   l.av..,   ,»  ,U.,.I   alK.a,l.      A    ,„„,,,,  ,„■  ,,„„,|,^  „„,,^,,.  ^,,.^,^._.^_  ^,,.  ^^^^^^^ 

"■'"■ "'  "■ ' ''  '"■  '■"■  -'^'""■.  '■'■  "iiici,  wo  i,av.  t„-„  ,i.„ ;„; 

"">-™'l--h".,r:,l,o,„,„H-h,„„lK.,l,,.„ .;  „.UI,  ,l,is   ,!,„    i„,n„ 

>"■'- '-  '•-»  .-,„.,  ,,,,,„.  i.  i„  „,,,,,  ,„,„,,  ,1,,^^,  ,„  „„„,^,^;„f  ^,1 

™d,  „l,„„  „,,id,  „„  wish  „.  r,.,.o,.  .„„.  way.      T,.  ,.,a,„  an  ice'  a„ol„„.,  a 
.  .  .  ™,  ,„„„„„.  ,„  ,h„  ,„,, „,„„,  „„_,_  ^,.  ,^^,^  ^^.^,_  ^__^  .^^_^^  .^^^  ^__ 

»'"'  'I--  -'^i-r  i.solf  ,,..,1  pick.axc  fashi„„,  a.ul  i,„„  this  hoi.  tl,.  ,„,-.,„,. 


i\ir 


ti%- 


146 


MELVILLE  BAV. 


% 


m 


corner  of  the  anchor  is  hooked.  Once  fast,  you  slip  a  hawser  around  che 
smaller  end  and  secure  it  from  further  slip  by  a  '  mousing  '  of  rope- 
yarn.  The  slack  of  the  hawser  is  passed  around  tho  shaft  of  our  patent 
winch, — an  apparatus  of  cogs  and  levers  standing  in  our  bow,  and 
everything  in  far  less  time  than  it  takes  me  to  describe  it,  is  ready  for 
'heaving.' 

"  Then  comes  the  hard  work.  The  hawser  is  hauled  taut;  the  strain 
is  increased.  Everybody,  captain,  cook,  steward,  and  doctor,  is  taking  -j 
spell  at  the  pump-handles,  or  overhauling  the  warping  gear;  for  dignity 
does  not  take  care  of  its  hands  in  the  middle  2>ack,  until  at  last  if  the 
floes  be  not  too  obdurate,  they  separate  by  the  wedge-like  action  of  our 
bows,  and  we  force  our  way  into  a  little  cleft  which  is  kept  open  on  either 
side  by  the  vessel's  beam.  But  the  quiescence,  the  equilibrium  of  the  ice 
which  allows  it  to  be  thus  severed  at  its  line  of  junction,  is  rare  enougl). 
Oftentimes  we  heave  and  haul  and  sweat,  and  after  parting  a  ten  inch 
hawser,  go  to  bed  wet,  and  tired  and  discontented,  with  nothing  but  ex- 
perience  to  pay  for  our  toil.      This  is  'warping.'  " 

For  twenty-one  days  they  were  in  tliis  narrow  strait  between  two 
continents  of  ice,  part  of  the  time  immovable  in  relation  to  the  pack,  aiui 
part  of  the  time  edging  thei.-  way  along,  a  yard  an  hour,  by  means  of 
their  '^eternal  warping."  It  was  now  August,  ami  the  season  Ht  for 
search  was  passing  away;  the  prospect  of  success  was  rapidly  vanishin-, 
and  the  ice-locked  mariners  were  becoming  nearly  desperate;  when  a 
fortunate  combination  of  winds,  currents,  and  temperature  released  them, 
and  they  were  able  once  more  to  continue  the.'r  course. 

But  it  was  no  quiet  lake  into  which  they  made  their  escape  from  tliuir 
icy  besetment.  Melville  Bay  presented  itself  to  them  in  all  its  terrors 
From  the  dark  headlands  loomi^.r  up  in  the  distance,  a  soliil  shore  of  ice 
projected  itself  for  miles  into  the  bay.  Along  this  solid  ice  the  great 
drift  moves,  impelled  by  the  varying  winds  and  currents,  sometimes  dose 
to  its  edge,  sometimes  at  such  a  distance  as  to  leave  a  passable  charniei  of 
open  water.  Down  this  channel  the  great  icebergs  came  sweeping  along; 
and  more  than  once  during  their  first  night  in  the  bay,  all  hands  were 
called  on  deck    to  warp  the  vessels   out  of  their  course.     Throug!;  the 


hawser  around  die 

Housing  '  of    rope- 

ihaft  of  our  patent 

in  our  bow,  and 

le   it,    is    ready   for 

led  taut ;  the  strain 
Joctor,  is  takin<^  h 
<;  gear;  for  dignity 
luitil  at  last   if  the 
■like  action   of  our 
;ept  open  on  either 
lihbrium  of  the  ice 
•n,  is  rare  enougii. 
parting  a  ten  inch 
h  nothing  but  ex- 
trait  between  two 
1  to  the  pack,  aiui 
our,  by   means  of 
the    season  Ht  for 
rapidly  vanishing,', 
Icsperate;  when  a 
re  released   them, 

escape  from  (lieir 
1  in  all  its  terrors 
solid  shore  of  ice 
olid  ice  the  great 
i,  sometimes  close 
issable  chamiei  of 
■  sweeping  along; 
,  all  hands  were 
;.     Througl;  the 


AIV  ARCTIC   GARDEN.  44, 

channel,  between  the  advancing  Hoes  and  solid  ice,  the  vessels  made 
their  laborious  way,  sometimes  by  towing,  sometimes  by  their  sails;  but 
holding  always  upon  their  northwestward  course.  This  transit  across 
Melville  Bay,  a  distance  of  not  more  than  three  inmdred  miles,  consumed 
five  entire  weeks  of  a  voyage  whose  success  depends  upon  clays,  and 
eve.1  hours.  A  small  steamer  would  have  towed  them  across  in  a  couple 
of  days. 


AUCTK;    iM   \.VT.      (Af  t!    \!,  sr/i  .) 

As  they  skirted  these  icy  shores,  ,hey  not  infrequently  fbund  oppor- 
tun.t,es  to  leave  the  vessels,  and  son.times  came  upon  spots  amid  snow 
a.ul  .ce  where  the  reflected  rays  of  the  sun  formed  a  delicious  little  Al- 
p.ne  garden,  green  with  mosses  and  c.rices,  and  surrounded  with   shrub. 


rif'i 


44B 


A   NARROW  ESCAPE. 


and  trees— what  passed  for  shrubs  and  trees,  in  the  meagerness  of  Arctic 
vegetation;  plants  like  those  dwarf  specimens  produced  by  Chinese  art. 
There  was  the   wild  blueberry   in  full   flower  and    fruitage,  yet  so  small 
that  it  might  have  been  inclosed   in  a  wine  glass;   wild  honeysuckles,  an 
entire    plant  of  which  niijrht  have  been    worn  in  one's   button-hole;  wil- 
lows  like  a  leaf  of  clover;  trees,  not   one  of  which  reached   to  the  level 
of  a  man's  knees,  while  the  majority,  clinging  along  the  ground,  scarcely 
rose   to  the  height  of  the  shoes  of  tiie   navigators  who  towered  above 
them  like  the  giants  of  Brobdignag  among  the   vegetation   of  Lilliput. 
The  processes  of  nature,  hampered   or  rather   modified   by   the  Arctic 
temperature,  produce  results  quaintly  diflx^ring  from   those  to  which  we, 
reared  in  the  climate  of  40^-50°,  are  daily  witnesses.     Kane  had  opp,,,--' 
tunity  to  measure  the  depth  of  the  accumulating  mosses  of  many  years. 
In  many  places  he  found  it  five  or  more  feet  in  height,  and  counted  sixty- 
eight  (lifFerent  layers  indicating  the  fertilizing  accumulations  of  as  many 
years. 

The  auks  had  built  their  nests  upon  the  rocks  overhanging  the  min- 
iature hot-beds,  and  the  apparently  easy  ascent  invited  adventure. 

"  Urged  by  a  wish  to  study  the  habits  of  these  little  Arctic  emigrants 
at  their  homesteads,  I  foolishly  clambered  up  to  one  of  their  most  populous 
colonies,  without  thinking  „f  my   descent.      The    angle    of  deposit    was 
already  Aery  great,  not  much  lessthan  50%  and  as   I   moved    on,   with  a 
walking-pole  substituted  for  my  gnn,  I  was  not  surprised  to  find  the  fra-- 
ments  receding  under  mv  feet,  and  rolling   with   a    resounding   eras!,,   U) 
the  plain  lielovv.      Stopping,  however,  to  regain  my  breath,  I  found  tliat 
everything,  beneath,  around,  above  me,  was  in  motion.     The  entire  sur- 
face seemed  to  be  sliding   down.      Ridiculous   as   it   may   seem    to  dwell 
upon  a  matter  apparently  so  trivial,  my  position   became   one   of  dan-cr. 
The  accelerated  velocity  of  the  masses  caused  them  to  leap  ofFin  dellectcd 
lines.       Several    uncomfortable    fragments    ha<l   already   passed    by    nic, 
some  even  over    my    head,   an<l   my    walking-pole   v/as  jerked   from  mv 
hands  and  buried  in  the   ruins.     Thus   helpless,  I  commenced   my    own 
balf-involuntary  descent,  expecting  momentarily  to  follow  my  pole,  when 
»)y  eye  caught  a  projecting   outcrop  of  feldspar,  against  which  the  strong 


eagerness  of  Arctic 
;ed  by  Chinese  art. 
litage,  yet  so  small 
1  iioneysuckles,  an 
5   button-hole;  vvil- 
inched   to  the  level 
le  ground,  scarcely 
ho  towered   above 
tation   of  Lilliput. 
ed   by   the   Arctic 
hose   to  which  we, 
Kane  had  oppor. 
ies  of  many  years. 
and  counted  sixty- 
lations  of  as  many 

•hanging  the  min- 
adventure. 

Arctic  emigrants 
leir  most  populous 
-    of  deposit    was 
loved    oil,   with  a 
d  to  find  the  fra<,'- 
)uii(ling   crasii,   lo 
L'ath,  I  found  that 
The  entire  sur- 
y  seem    to  dwell 
e   one   of  daiiLTcr. 
ap  off  in  dellected 
V'   passed    by    nie, 

jerked  fioni  iiiv 
Tienced  inv  own 
w  my  pole,  when 
which  the  stron<r 


o/^^  TO  lancasteh. 

449 
current  spi.t  into  two  minor  strean.s.  This,  with  some  hard  jumps  I 
succeeded  ni  reaching."  i*  ^ 

ny  tho  ™kW.  of  August    ie  became    evident    that    the    expedition 
would  >.,,,„,„  pa.  the  ice,  and  wou.d  winte,-  i„  .„e  „^o.  unknown 
rc,,no„s  of  he  Northwest.     Their  spirits  tose    when    the    ice-paeU    was 
coaled  and  tnstead  of  threading  the  winding  ehauneis  among   the  iee 
.hoy  hade  good-bye  to  the  hay  of  the  "  famous  Mr.  William  B.ffin  "  and 
with  full  sail,  headed  toward  Lancaster  Sound  ' 


THB  ARCTIC  OWU 


#• 


CHAPTER    L. 

A    COMPARISON — MEET    WITIt    ENGLISH    SQUADRON  —  SEARCH    IN   CON- 
CERT  GRAVES    DISCOVERED VARYING    CONCLUSIONS END    OK 

SUMMER TOGETHER    ONCE    MORE UNPLEASANT    INFORMATION 

AN    UNPRECEDENTED    DRIP'T. 

Probably  most  of  those  who  read  this  book  have  been  reared  in  the 
zone  of  the  oak,  the  maple,  and  waving  fields  of  grain ;  or  some,  perhaps, 
have  passed  their  lives  in  a  still  more  genial  region,  where  the  orano-e 
flourishes  and  the  sun  invites  to  a  life  of  indolence,  and  sensuous  enjoy- 
ment of  Nature's  lavish  gifts.  Such  will  find  it  har  I  to  realize  the  con- 
dition and  sensations  of  those  who,  like  themselves,  accustomed  to  the 
.variety  of  temperate  regions,  have  been  transported  suddenly  to  the  land 
where   continuous  night  or  prolonged  day  is  the  rule. 

The  reader  has  been  accustomed  to  night   and   day ;   he    has   felt  the 
soothing   influence   of  the  twilight    merging    gradually   into   darkness, 
whose  more  somber  hues  invite  repose  and  sleep;  and  he  is  used  to  the 
speedy  return    of  day  whose  stimulating  sunlight   urges   once   more  to 
activity.     But  in  the  long  watches   of  Arctic   life   there  comes  no  such 
pleasing  variety.     For  six    months    the    benighted    Esquimaux    or  the 
chance  adventurer  mourns  the  absence  of  the  light-giving  orb;  life-^^ivinc^ 
as  well  as  light-giving,  for  in  his  absence  health  fails  and   the  spirit  sinks 
in  depression   and    melancholy.     On  the   other    hand,  joyous    as   is   iiis 
appearance,  when  once  he  establishes  his  course  above   the   horizon,  his 
constant  presence  stimulates  to   unnaturaland   excessive  activity.     The 
hours  of  rest  are  broken.     Meal-times  tread  upon  each  other's  heels,  and 
only  the  most  rigid  self-government  can  prevent  a  disastrous   subversion 
of  the  accustomed  order  of  everyday  eveuts.     vSuch    are  some    of  the 
necessary  obstacles  in  the  way  of  those  who  would  unravel  the  mysteries 
of  Arctic  life. 

460 


MEET   WITH  ENGLISH  SQUADRON. 


4S1 

We  ieft  our  U„le  squad™  speeding  ,heir  way  as  bos.  they  could  ,„ 
La  caseer  Sound.  A,  ...ee  hour,  after  ,„id„I,h.  on  .he  .nornin,  of  .ht 
.,s.,  they  overhauled  the  Felix,  the  foremost  of  the  vessels  !fh 
Bntish  search  exp.di.io„,  „„der  co,„,„and  of  the  W  oLT^:  ^ 
Joh„  Ross.  «  Vou  and  I  are  ahead  of  the.  all  1"  shouted  the  I  o'd 
E„g  sh,„„n  n,  tones  that  rose  above  the  noise  of  the  winds  a^d  the 
.h,p-r,«g,„,.     He  h.ad  been  east  away  in  this  san,e  countr;  sevent el 

;os.c,,nr.ade.     Xhene.tday.whi,echec.^eXtt::;r^^^^^^^^^ 

a    ,,p  the  passage  to  fort  Leopold,  they  were  overtaken  by  the  ga    ^  t' 
Lttlc  Prmce  Albert,  Lady  Franklin's  own  ship  fi„ed  on,  , 

e.arch  for  her  missing  lord.     Kane  savs  of   w  '"'°"""''  "" 

^  ^'^"'^  S'lys  of  this  interview  • 

"  Th,s  was  a  very  pleasant  meeting.    Capt   Forsvfh    Ji 
.e  PHnce  Albert,  and  Mr.  Snow,  wL  aet^d  a"'  oTrd;.::: ^ 
h.m,  were  vcrv  .agreeable  gentlemen.     They  stx^nt  s„m„   I 
w.oh  Mr.  Snow  ha,  remembered  kindly  i.^  T^  ^Z  TZ 
pub  ,»h.d  smee  h,s  return  to  England.     Their  little  vessel  wa.  1, 
FHecly  fitted  th.a„  ours  to  encounter  the  perils  of  th      ej   b  t  ' 

■cpcct  a.  least,  their  exj^-dition  resembled  our  own      Th  v  l', ,  , 
.■-.     To  use  a  Western  phrase,  they  had  no  fa„;  „xilg       "J"  'T 

«».-w.hwh„:;t:r:hV:::ic:::- 
^::xi::::r!:!::r^:i:rr''-i--- 

"  ma,l  Yankee."  '"=  "PP^'l^'ion  of  the 

On  (he  27th   the  varying  chances  of  the  search   in  ,h 
water,,  had  brought  together  within   a  ouarter  of  a       ,  "     "*' 

Head,  five   vessels  belon^in.,  to  three  '  "'''"'   ^'"^'^ 

Ro»»',  Cap,.  Penny-s,  and  the'ir  own    T,     '"  '""''""'  "^''''""■'-• 

::';::;  :ft : ""°"  '--^^  *-  --  -  "-trrc" 

1  posed,  of  the  mtssmg  manners,  had  been  discovered  on  Beechey 


".»iLL-^ 


■r?mr^-' 


452 


Til  HILLING  NEWS, 


Island.  Penny's  plan  was  to  assign  difTercnt  parts  of  the  island  to 
diftercnt  parties;  he  himself  would  take  the  western  search ;  Ross  should 
run  ove.  'o  Prince  Regent's  Sound,  and  the  American  Expedition  was  to 
pass  through  the  first  openings  in  the  ice  by  Wellington  Channel  to  the 
north  and  east.  These  projects  were  just  receiving  preliminary  dis- 
cussion when  a  messenger  was  reported  hastening  over  the  ice. 

"  The    news   he    brought    was    thrilling.     'Graves,    Captain  Penny! 
Graves!     Franklin's  winter  quarters!'     We   were  instantly   in  motion. 


ON   BEECIIEY  ISLAND. 


Capt.  De  Have!'.,  Capt.  Penny,  Commander  Phillips,  and  myself,  with  a 
party  from  the  Rescue,  hurried  on  over  the  rugged  slope  that  extends 
from  Beechey  to  the  shore,  and  scrambling  over  the  ice,  came  after  a 
weary  walk  to  the  crest  ot  the  isthmus.  Here  amid  the  sterile  uniformity 
oi  snow  and  slate,  were  the  headboards  of  three  graves,  made  after  the 
old  orthodox  fashion  of  gravestones  at  home.  The  mounds  which 
adjoined  them  were  arranged  with  some  jjretensions  to  symmetry,  coped 
and  defended  wita  limestone  slabs.     They  occupied  a  line  facing  toward 


RELICS.  ^53 

Cape  Riley,  which  was  dis'anctly  visible  across  a  little  cove  at  the  dis 
t.nce  of  some  four  hundred  yards.     Upon  these  stones  were  inscriptions" 

wh.ch  conveyed  important  information;  the  first,  cut   with  a  ch.sel,  ran 
tnus:  '     " 

'  Sacred 
to  the 
memory 
of 
N.    Braine    R.    M. 
H.  M.  S.  Erebus, 
Died  April  3d,  1846, 
aged  32  years. 
Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve. 

Joshua,  chap.  24 — 15.'  " 
The  Cher  two  epitaph,  were  very  ,i,.llar  .„  ,he  one  juse  .r.n^eribed. 
Th    „or*  of  „„e_.Dep.r.e.,  .hi,   life  „„  Wrf  the  Terror,"  proved 

wrc  kul      rh     cv„le„ce,,  were  plentiful  that  the  expedition  had  passed 
a  »  e  and  con,  ortable  winter.     There  was  the  anvil  hloek  and  the'raee^ 

f  the  annorer-s  or„e  and  earpenter's  shop;  the  tron.h  whic d  served 

or  >vnsh,„,„  rnde  ,ar,.ent  fashioned  h,  a  sailor's  hand  fro™  a  blanto 
cy;    fragments  of  paper;  the  „„ves  of  on  omcer  washe.1   and   laid 
out  ,0  d  y  under  two  stones  to  prevent  then,  f,o,n  blowing  away     There 
w»  a  httle  garden-plot,  with  its  transplanted   bosses  and  ,f  ejonel 
T  ere  were  the  three    graves    already  described,    the    headstonrt: 
cbed  wtthscnptural  text.     Vet  not  a   traee  existe.l  of  any  ,„en,ora 
.n  or  n,ark  to  throw  the  least  r,ay  of  light  u,„n  the  e„ L  o  ," 

f.M  Ih.,  they   were  the  latest  n,craentoes  of  the   lost  navigators-   and 

ever,  <.ay  was  deepening  the  apprehension  that  they  were  .  e    U^ 

-S^  wlneb  would  be  had  of  then,  until  the  grave  gave  up  i     de   I 

-...est  of  all  was  that  FranWin,  the  pr.actical,  experienced  'n  1        ' 

own  gray  n,  the  peril,  of  Arctic  sailing,  should  have  left  no  record    ; 

-h,eve.ne„.s  in  .he  past  months,  nor  of  his  needs  or  plans  for  the 


454 


END  OF  SUMMER. 


»    1 


Kane,  ever  sanguine,  and  full  of  conjectures,  did  not  see  evidences  of 
sorrow  or  extremity  in  the  traces  discovered,  nor  in  the  fact  that  no  roc 
ord  was  left,  and  thought  it  probable  that  the  party  had  left  their  quar- 
t  rs  w!*!i  the  intentiou  of  returuing.  -'A  garden,"  says  he,  "implies  a 
purpose  either  to  remain  or  return ;  he  who  makes  it  is  looking  to  the  fu- 
ture." He  thought  that  the  party,  tempted  by  an  opeiinig  in  Wellington 
Channel,  had  sailed  away  with  the  promptness  that  had  always  charac- 
terized the  brave  old  commander,  and  we.e  possibly  exploring  the  open 
sea  beyond,  if  living;  or  if  not,  that  their  remains  would  be  found  amou" 

to 

the  ice  fields  of  the  frozen  north.  And  he  accounted  for  the  absence  of 
a  record,  in  the  haste  with  which  sue!)  a  dopartuio  might  naturally  i)e 
made.  These  conclusions  seemed  very  reasonable.  That  they  were 
wrong  everybody  knows,  but  the  course  of  reasoning  by  which  they 
were  arrived  at,  shows  both  the  hopefulness  and  leady  logic  of  their 
author. 

With  the  close  of  August  the  brief  Arctic  summer  V)egan  to  come  to 
an  end.  T  le  sun  traveled  far  to  the  south,  and  the  northern  midniyhf 
began  to  assume  the  somber  hues  of  twilight.  The  ice  w.^s  growing 
thicker  and  clost  r  around  the  vessels,  which  vainly  attempted  to  urge 
their  way  to  the  western  shores  of  Wellington  Channel.  The  thickness 
of  the  tables  of  ice  sometimes  reached  fourteen  feet,  and  huge  hum- 
mocks were  heaped  up  by  the  force  of  their  impact  to  a  height  of  forty 
feet  or  more,  v  vertopping  the  decks,  and  threatening  to  topple  down  up- 
on them.  The  great  masses  drifted  past  the  vessels,  usually  just  missing 
contact  with  them.  On  one  occasion,  however,  the  Rescue  was  caught 
bodily  up  by  a  drifting  floe  until  the  mooring  cables  parted,  when  she  shot 
ahead  into  an  open  patch  of  water.  The  Advance  escaped  the  impai.; 
by  hugging  close  to  the  solid  ice.  The  British  vessels  were  less  fortu- 
nate, being  swept  on  by  the  resistless  force  of  the  moving  mass. 

During  the  early  September  days  the  cold  be<j^an  rapidly  to  increase. 
The  thermometer  fell  by  night  to  2i°,  and  rarely  in  the  daytime  rose 
above  the  freezing  point.  No  fires  had  been  lighted  below.  The  historian 
of  the  expedition  retiring  to  his  narrow  berth  and  drawing  close  the 
India-rubber  curtains,  lighted  his  lamp  and  wrote  his  journal  in  a  freezing 


UNWELCOME   TIDINGS. 


4SS 


al  in  a  freezina: 


temperature.  "This  is  not  very  cold,"  he  says,  under  date  of  September 
S,  "no  doubt  to  your  45"^  minus  men  of  Arctic  winters;  but  to  us  from 
the  zone  of  liriodendrons  and  peaclies  it  is  rather  cold  for  the  September 
month  of  Wii*^ermelons."  On  this  same  8th  of  September  the  Ameri- 
can expedition  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  in,  ICnglish  vc  sels  in  tow 
of  their  steamers  shooting  ahead  of  iheni  right  in  the  teeth  of  the  wind. 
They  felt  that  they  were  now  the  hindmost  of  all  the  searchers.  "All 
hav','  the  lead  of  us,"  is  Hie  desponding  entry  in  Dr.  Kane's  journal. 
Two  'lays  later,  however,  i  .e  two  American  and  all  the  iCnglish  vessels 
found  themselves  together  once  more,  anchored  fast  to  the  solid  ice,  with 
tlio  way  to  the  westward  impassably  blocked  up  before  them. 

Now  began  the  re:i'  and  earnest  perils  of  the  expedition.  On  tije 
1 2tli  a  storm  arose,  which  swept  the  Rescue  from  her  moorings,  and 
drove  her  out  of  sight  of  her  consort.  It  soon  became  evident  that  the 
g,  It  mass  of  ice  to  wh!  h  they  were  moored,  was  slowly  drifting, 
whither  they  knew  P'  '.  The  cold  increased.  The  thermometers  sank 
to  14°,  then  to  8",  li  to  5°,  yet  no  fires  were  lighted  in  the  cabins  of 
the  Americans,  though  those  in  the  British  vessels  were  under  full  blast. 

Thf  next  day  the  Advance  fell  in  with  her  lost  consort,  partially  dis- 
abled. It  being  evident  that  all  further  progress  to  the  north  and  west 
was  impracticable,  the  commander  decided  to  turn  his  course  homeward. 
But  many  a  long  and  dreary  Arctic  r.ight  was  destined  to  elapse  before 
the  vessels  escaped  from  Wellington  Channel. 

Toward  t^vening  on  he  14th  of  September,  vhile  the  vessel  was 
raoidly  crunching  her  \<  v  liirough  the  ice  that  was  forming  around,  the 
Doctor  had  retired  bel.  hoping  to  restore  some  warmth  to  his  stiffened 
limbs.  It  wa-  a  somewhat  unpromising  task,  for  the  tempt  ture  in  the 
cabin  was  close  upon  zero.  The  dull,  grimling  ound  of  the  vessel  labor- 
ing through  the  ice,  grew  jerking  .md  irr-.'gular;  it  .pped,  began  again, 
grew  fainter  and  fainter;  at  last  all  w,  still.  Down  to  thr  cabin  went 
the  commander  wit!  he  words:  "  Doctor,  tli  x- has  caught  n^;  we  are 
frozen  n p."  And  so  it  proved.  There  was  the  American  Searching 
Expedition  fast  embedded  in  the  ice  m  the  very  center  of  Wellington 
Channel.     Here  commenced  that  wonderful  drift,  wh    li  lasted  more  than 


•I 

li 


|i; 


4S6 


A   NIP, 


I       ,i 


,  uijrht  months,  hack  nml  forth,  throujjh  the  Arctic  seas,  wherever  the 
winds  and  currents  impelled  the  continent  of  ice.  No  vessel  was  ever 
Iteleajfuered  so  hefore;  and  prohahly  no  other  one  that  had  ever  floated, 
would  liave  escaped  from  such  a  heleaguerment.  Hefore  this  the  explor- 
ITS  had  heen  so  thorouj^hly  husieii  i'l  canvinj,^  out  the  objects  of  their 
voyaf,'e,  that  they  had  bestowed  h  irdly  ;•.  thou^fht  upon  their  own  per- 
sonal comfort  or  safety.  With  the  thermometer  at  zero,  they  had  no 
means  of  producing  artificial  heat  in  the  cabin.  The  moisture  from  so 
many  breaths  had  condensed  till  the  beams  were  all  a-drip,  and  every, 
thinj,'  bore  the  aspect  of  having  been  exposed  to  a  drenching  mist.  The 
delay  occasioneil  by  their  involuntary  detention  was  put  to  some  use,  hy 
fitting  up  a  lard  lamp  in  the  cabin,  by  which  the  temperature  was  raised 
to  twelve  degrees  above  the  freezing,  or  44"  above  zero.  This  degree  of 
warmth  was  accounted  a  positive  luxury.  So,  in  uncertainty  and  gloom, 
they  drifted  to  and  fro,  sometimes  to  the  north,  and  sometimes  to  the 
south,  in  the  '«  waste  of  waters," 

The  animal  life  with  which   the  region  had  heretofore  been  teernin-,-, 
now  almost  wholly  disappeared,  and   to  this   fact  was   added  the  appar- 
ently precarious  condition   superinduced  by  the  bondage  of  ice.     Some 
of  the  smaller  and  more  hardy  animals  and  birds  still  remained,  but  these 
were  in   small   numbers,  while  the  most  of  the  seals,  the  polar  bear,  and 
all  that  gave  occasion  for  exercise,  and  afforded  nourishment  and  incident, 
had  vanished.     As  the  weather  became  more  severe,  the  danser  of  bein" 
"nipped"  or  caught  between   two  masses  of  ice  and   perhaps   crushed, 
became  more  and  more  imminent.     Ten  days  after  they  were  frozen  in, 
occurred  the  first  of  tiie  fearful   nips  with  which  they  were  soon  to  be- 
come familiarized.     A  field  of  ice  fourteen  inches  thick,  overlaid  with  an 
additional  half  foot  of  snow,  is  driven,  with  a  slow  and   uniform  motion, 
directly  down  upon  the  helpless  vessel,  which  is  half  buried  beneath  the 
shattered  fragments.     The  force  behind  impels  the  broken  fragments  up- 
ward in  great  tables  rising  in  large  mounds  above  the  level  of  the  deck, 
and  threatening  to  topple   over  and  overwhelm  the  vessel.     Other  frag- 
ments take  a   downward  direction,  and   slide  below  the   brig,  which  is 
lifted  sheer  out  of  the  water,  and  rests  unevetdy  upon   shattering  blocks 


IN   WINTER  QUARTERS. 


457 


of  ice.  Amid  darkness  and  cold,  and  srmw,  and  deadly  peril,  all  hands 
art  called  aloft  with  crows  and  picks,  to  «  fight  the  ice"  that  rises  aroinid. 
Well  was  it  that  the  ice  which  thus  drifted  down  upon  them  was  the 
now  ice  just  forming.  Mad  it  heen  the  solid  mass  of  later  winter,  no  fab- 
ric that  man  has  framed  of  wood  or  iron  could  have  withstood  it.  As  it 
was,  the  ice  which  was  now  their  assailant,  became  afterward  their  pro- 
tector,  and  warded  off  the  collision  with  other  packs  against  which 
thc\  subsequently  drifted.  By  the  ist  of  October  the  icy  setting  around 
them  had  become  so  firm,  that  for  a  time  they  experienced  something 
like  repose. 

Deliberate  preparations  now  began  to  be  made  for  passing  the  winter 
in  the  ice.  Stoves  and  fuel  were  brought  up  from  the  hold,  and  with 
the  thermometer  at  20°  below  the  freezing  point,  the  work  of  manu- 
facturing a  stove  pipe  was  undertaken.  Embankments  of  snow  and  ice 
were  made  about  the  vessel,  in  which  was  deposited  coal  and  stores.  Hut 
alas,  for  the  stability  of  Arctic  weather!  Hardly  was  this  accomplished 
when  the  floe  began  bre^iking  up,  and  all  hands,  otficers  and  men,  set  to 
work  to  replace  the  stores  upon  the  vessel.  So  insecure  was  still  the  po- 
sition of  both  vessels,  that  it  was  not  till  the  19th  of  October  that  they 
were  able  to  set  up  stoves  in  the  cabin,  and  for  warmth  they  were  stili 
forced  to  rely  upon  the  lard  lamp.  So  accustomed  had  they  become  to 
a  temperature  but  a  few  degrees  above  the  freezing  point,  that  they 
would  have  heen  quite  content  had  it  not  been  for  the  perpetual  mois- 
ture dripping  from  the  roof  and  sides,  a  circumstance  full  of  danger  to 
those  having  a  scorbutic  tendency.  This  was  at  last  mitigated  in  some 
degree  by  canvas  gutters,  by  which  several  cans  full  of  water  were 
daily  collected,  which  would  otherwise  have  fallen  upon  the  floor. 

The  experience  of  Kane  well  illustrates  the  power  of  the  human 
system  to  adapt  itself  to  varied  circumstances.  Only  a  few  months  be- 
fore he  was  in  the  warm  regions  of  the  Gulf,  luxuriating  in  its  tepid 
waters,  and  basking  in  its  sunshine.  Now  he  contentedly  watched  for 
hoiu-s  by  a  seal  hole  in  the  open  air,  with  the  thermometer  20°  degrees 
below  the  freezing  point,  and  if  successful  in  shooting  it,  ate  of  its  raw 
flesh  with  a  relish. 


458 


KILLING  A  SEAL. 


The  long  Arctic  night,  or  rather  succession  of  nights  and  days  (for, 
ahhough  midnight  and  noon  were  scarcely  distinguishable,  they  still 
managed  to  separate  them  in  their  chronology),  was  varied  as  far  ;is 
possible  by  races,  games  and  seal  hunting,  although  the  seals  had  become 
scarce  and  more  than  usually  shy.  Kane  speaks,  in  his  cliaracteristic 
manner,  of  killing  one  of  these  reticent  animals: 

"  To  shoot  seals  one  must  practice  the  Esquimaux  tactics,  of  much 
patience  and  complete  immobility.  It  is  no  fun,  I  assure  }oii,  after  full 
experience,  to  sit  motionless  and  noiseless  as  a  statue,  with  a  cold  iron 
musket  in  your  hands,  and  the  thermometer  lo"  below   zero.      By  and 


SHOOTING  SEALS. 

by  I  was  rewarded  by  seeing  some  overgrown  Greenland  calves  come 
within  shot.  I  missed.  After  another  hour  of  cold  expectation  they 
came  again.  Very  strange  are  these  seals.  A  countenance  between  the 
dog  and  the  wild  African  ape,  an  expression  so  like  tiiat  of  humanity, 
that  it  makes  gun-m.urderers  hesitate.  At  last,  at  long  shot,  I  hit  oiu'. 
God  forgive  me! 

"  The  ball  did  not  kill  outright.  It  was  out  of  range,  struck  too  low, 
and  entered  the  lungs.  The  poor  beast  had  risen  breast-high  out  of 
water,  like  treading-water  swimmers  among  ourselves.  He  was  looking 
about  with  curious  and  expectant  eyes,  when  the  ball  entered  his  lungs. 


COURSE  OF   THE  SHIPS. 


m 


« For  a  moment  he  oozed  a  little  bright  blood  from  his  mouth,  and 
looked  toward  me  with  a  startled  reproachfulness.  Then  he  dipped ;  an 
instant  after  he  came  up  still  nearer,  looked  again,  bled  again,  and  went 
down.  *  *  *  The  thing  was  drowning  in  the  element  of  his  sport- 
ive revels.     He  did  drown  finally,  and  sank;  and  so  I   lost  him. 

"Have  naturalists  ever  noticed  the  expression  of  this  animal's  phiz.? 
Curiosity,  contentment,  pain,  reproach,  despair,  even  resignation,  I 
thought  I  saw  on  this  seal's  face." 

Thus  passed  the  month  of  October,  during  which  the  expedition  was 
drifting  about  near  the  outlet  of  Wellington  Bay,  in  a  general  southern 
direction,  although  a  south  wind  would  occasionally  force  tliem  bac"k  to 
the  north.  But  it  soon  appeared  that  the  progress  in  this  direction  was 
impeded  by  more  compact  ice,  and  by  a  steady  current;  while  a  north 
wind  drove  steadily  before  it  the  thick  floe  in  which  they  were  embedded. 


I 


•I: 


CHAPTER   LI. 

ARRANGEMENTS —  ICY      AN ALOGIES  —  DEPRESSING    INFLUENCES  —  Ix- 

GENIOUS    REMEDIES THE    HISTRIONIC    ART THREATENED    BY    A 

HERG  — THE  SUN  RE-APPEARS  -THE  ICE-SAW  —  THE  GRAND 
BREAK-UP  —  TOWARD  THE  GREENLAND  COAST  —  A  SHORT 
RESPITE. 

The  9th  of  November  found  the  arran<?ements  for  the  winter  com- 
plete. Over  the  entire  deck  of  the  Advance  was  thrown  a  housin<^  of 
thick  felt,  restiiii,^  on  an  improvised  rid;^c-pole  running-  fore  and  aft. 
Under  th*;  main  hatch  was  the  cook's  <,'alley,  with  its  pipe  niiinin- 
thron|/h  the  fek  roof  above.  Around  t\w  |;*p.>  was  built  an  apparatus 
for  Mieltin^r  ice,  to  supply  them  with  wau^r.  The  buik-he;«ls  between 
the  forecastle  an<l  the  cabin  were  removed,  t:iirowin<^  ix/th  into  one 
apartment,  occupied  by  both  o^^icers  and  men  in  common.  Asthecrews 
of  both  vessels  were  collected  in  th.e  Advance,  this  small  room  was  the 
home  of  thirty-one  persons.  Warmth  was  distributed  through  the 
cabin  by  three  stoves  besides  the  cookinj,^  -alley;  and  as  the  unbwUn 
night  set  in,  f  )ur  apj^aud  .md  three  bear's  tat  lamps  supplied  the  place  ., 
sunlight.  Need  enough  was  tiiere  for  all  this  heating  apparatus,  for  l.e- 
fore  the  winter  was  fairly  begun  the  temperature   was  40"  below  zero. 

Fancy  a  day  in  the  ice,  as  «pent  l)y  the  ice-fettered  explorers.  At 
half-past  six  by  the  chronometers,  the  crew  are  called;  the  officers  a  h:ilf 
an  hour  later.  Their  ablutions  must  be  performed  first,  to  wash  off  the 
soot  and  grim  accumulated  during  the  night.  This  is  accomplished  in 
half-frozen  snow  water.  Then  the  toilet  must  l)e  made.  Three  pairs  ..f 
socks,  several  undershirts  and  outer  robes  of  fur,  the  whole  complemented 
by  a  cap  and  hrod  of  sealskin,  must  be  donned;  and  all  hands  take  a 
turn  on  deck,  to  get  up  an  appetite  for  breakfast.  This  is  f  )und  neces- 
sary, for  the  nameless  stenches  coinccted  with  the  sleeping  room,  kitchen 

460 


DEPIiESSING    INFLUENCES.  ^^ 

and  larder  combined,  suffice  to  completely  nauseate  the  "  stoutest  stomach 

of  them   all." 

Nothin- hotter  showed  the  extremity  of  the  weather  than  the  con- 
.iition  and  appearance  of  the  various  articles  of  provisions.  Everything 
was  transformed  into  some  grotesque  analogy  of  itself.  All  vegetable^ 
were  pebbles  of  assorted  varieties.  Frozen  meat  was  hard  as  Ixiilding 
stone.  The  fat  of  the  bear  and  the  seal—liquid  at  respectably  low  tern' 
perature,  were  like  marble;  a  pleasing  assemblage  of  figures  moulded 
and  carved  from  nature  by  nature. 

The  extreme  temperature  and  the    absence    of  the   sun  began  to   tell 
upon  the  health  and  spirits  of  the  men.      In  more  temperate  Regions  we 
learn  to  recognize  the  tendency  to  rheumatic  diseases   and   depression   of 
spirits  occasioned  by  even  a  few  days   of  cloudy    weather.      This   condi- 
tion was  fuKilled  to  perfection  in  the    case   of  our   explorers.      All  faces 
l.c-au  to  assume  a  livid  paleness,  like  plants  growing  in  darkness.     The 
men  .^resv  moody  and  dreamy.     They  heard  strange  sounds  in  the  night, 
aiul  had  wonderful  visions  in   their  sleep.     One   dreamed   of  wandering 
oiFainon-   the  ice   and  returning   laden  with  watermelons;  another  had 
toiHul  Sir  John   Franklin   in    a   beautiful   cove   lined   with  orange  trees; 
and  a  thinl,  in  the  iialf-delirium  of  his  mental  wanderings,  had  heard   his' 
wife    and    children    crying    for    help.      All   were    particularly    sensitive 
to  snpposeil  slights  or  eflrontery  on  the  part  of  the  rest.      This  led  to  un- 
pleasant feelings  an.l  painful  scenes.     The    officers  alone,  by  strict  guard 
ui)on  their  tongues,  managed  to  keep  up  a  show  of  good  feeling.     Sick- 
ness appeared  in  new  and  peculiar  forms,  and  the  genius  of  our  physician 
and  author  was  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  provide  for  the  sanitary  necessities 
of  the  party.     As  is  usually  the  case,  the  scurvy-atflicted  adhered  to    the 
ft*fal  diet  of  sail  meat,  and  cunning  had   to   be   resorted   to,   in   order   to 
save  them  from  themselves.      As  they    would   not  eat  the  anti-scorbutic 
food  provide.!,  the  doctor  prepared  a  sort  of  beer  from  his  little  store    of 
vegetables,      Olive..,il      .n,l    lime-juice,    raw     potatoes,    saur-kraut    and 
vinegar  combined,  m;tdf  -a  delectable  compound    which   the    men   drank 
greedily.    .S<,  successful  was  this  treatment  that,  as  we  shall  see,  not  one 
of  the  crew  was  lo^. 


li-l 


*  ■  •* 


P  :' 


lii|;| 


468 


r//B  HISTRIONIC   ART. 


Christinas  Day  was  spent  with  as  much  merry-making  as  could  l,e 
contrived  in  the  ahnost  total  absence  of  resources.  Some  bottles  „f 
champagne  remained,  and  the  French  cook  prepared  an  elaborate  dinner. 
Mr.  Bruce,  one  of  the  crew,  and  possessed  of  divers  (inalifications,  li,„| 
contrived  .1  jilay,  and  the  iiow  had  undertaken  to  pnxluce  it  upon  an 
extemporized  stage.  "  Never,"  says  Kane,  "ha.l  I  enjoyed  the  tawdry 
ipiackery  of  the  stag-  half  so  much.  The  theater  has  always  ])een  to  ,ne 
a  wretched  simulation  of  realities;  and  T  have  too  little  sympathy  with  the 
unreal  to  thid  pleasiue  in  it  long.  Not  so  our  Arctic  theater.  It  was  one 
continual  frolic  from  beginning  to  end. 

'■  The  'niiK-  Devils' :  (Jod  bless  us!  but  it  was  very,  very  funny.  None 
knew  their  parts,  and  the  prompter  could  not  read  glibly  enough  to  d,, 
his  office.  Everything,  whether  jocose  or  indignant,  or  common-phke, 
or  pathetic,  was  delivered  in  a  high  tragedy  monotone  of  despair;  live 
words  at  a  time,  or  more  or  less,  according  to  the  facilities  of  the 
prompter.  Megrim,  with  a  pair  of  sealskin  boots,  bestowed  his  gold 
upon  gentle  Annette,  and  Annette,  nearly  six  feet  high,  received  it  with 
mastodonic  grace.  Annette  was  an  Irishman  named  Daly;  and  I  miglit 
defy  human  being  to  hear  her,  while  balanced  on  the  heel  of  her  l)o,)t, 
exclaim  in  rich  masculine  brogue, 'Och,  feather!'  without  roaring." 

Other  amusements  followed  in  like  style,  but  the  desolateness  of  their 
condition,  their  separation  from  home  and  friends,  and  the  absence  of  the 
means  and  opportunity  for  obtaining  help  and  sympathy,  nearly  stiHod 
all  attempts  at  merriment.  New  Year's  W\y  was  passed  in  much  the 
same  way,  varied  by  a  race  for  a  purse  of  three  flannel  shirts.  This 
effort  exhausteil  most  of  the  men,  showing  the  debilitated  condition  into 
which  tiiey  IkuI  fallen.  In  the  meantime  Lieut.  Dell.aven  had  <rro\vn 
almost  helj>lessly  sick,  and  being  contuied  to  his  bed,  Commander  GrilHii 
became  the  executive  officer  of  the  combined  crews. 

From  the  Sth  of  December  to  the  i  ith  of  January,  the  floe  in  which 
they  were  fastened  had  steadily  increased  in  solidity  till  it  seemed  scarcely 
less  firm  than  the  granite  ranges  which  girdle  a  continent;  and  lirnily 
embedded  in  it  the  vessels  enjoyed  a  season  of  comparative  re'l^pite  from 
danger.     The  Advance  all  this  time  lav  with  her  hows  sunk  in  the  snow 


APPROACH   OF  DAr. 


4eu 


and  KC-,  .111(1  her  stern  elevated  some  live  or  six  feet;  she  also  canted  over 
to  starboard,  so  that  walking  her  deck  was  up-hill  work.  During  this 
time  her  bare  sides  had  been  "banked  up"  with  snow  as  New  England 
and  other  farmers  bank  up  their  houses  at  the  approach  of  winter.  On 
tin-  I  2th  of  January  a  sudden  shock  brought  all  hands  upon  df;ck.  A 
lissure  appeared  in  the  icc-plain  which  soon  widened  into  a  broad  passage, 
liwoiigh  which  the  large  fragments  bore  right  down  upon  the  vessel. 
At  one  hour  past  midnight  the  crew  stood  on  deck  strapped  and  harness 
ready,  to  take  to  the  ice.  Right  down  ujjon  them  bore  the  large  hum- 
mock upon  the  vessel's  stern,— a  mass  soli.l  as  marble,  thirty  feet  square 
al  liu-  base  and  rising  twelve  feet  out  of  water;  ii  stops,  then  advances; 
it  approaches  so  near  the  vessel  tliat  liardly  enough  room  is  left  to  admit 
of  a  man's  walking  between.  That  narrow  channel  cn.sscd,  and  no 
human  art  could  construct  a  fabric  which  wonld  resist  the  ice-hill's  ter- 
rible  might.  That  passage  was  never  crossed.  The  huge  mass  stopped; 
clung  to  the  stern;  became  impacted  tliere;  and  for  months  remained  in 
the  same  place  as  a  ghostly  memento  of  the  narrowly-escaped  destruction, 
i: ven  while  they  had  prepared  to  leave  the  ship,  the  question  arose, 
Whither  should  they  go?  The  Rescue,  their  disabled  consort,  was  scarcely 
an  eligible  place  of  safety,  and  they  had  drifted  far,  far,  from  the  coast. 
Indeed,  they  had  already  drifted  well  toward  Baffin's  Hay.  What 
would  be  the  consequence  when  the  two  great  oceans  of  ice  should 
meet  ? 

The  approach  of  Arctic  day  was  iiailed  u  ith  great  joy  and  anxiety, 
an,!  botli  officers  and  crew  prepared  to  make  suitable  demonstrations  for 
the  appearance  of  the  god  of  ,lay.  Day  by  day,  the  rosy  tints  shut  up 
f(Mthcr,  and  seemed  to  the  waiting  adventurers  to  bode  an  end  to  all 
their  trials.  The  day  when  the  sun  could  be  seen  for  the  first  time  was 
reckoned  to  be  January  sgth-after  an  absence  of  eigiity-six  <lays.  The 
now  were  out  ready  to  give  three  cheers  to  the  great  planet  as  it  marked 
<i  a  short  period  the  conjunction  of  sunrise,  noon,  and  sunset.  Dr.  Kane 
had  separated  from  the  rest,  and  witnessed  the  scene  by  himself.  Never  did 
tlie  radiant  orb  receive  more  hearty  welcome  from  devout  Parsee,  than 
was  given  him  0,1  this  day.     "I  looked  at  him,"  says  Kane,  "thankfully, 


404 


THE  ICE-SAW, 


\.  w      ' 


with  a  crreat  globus  in  my  throat.     Then  came  the  shout  from  the  ship 
— three  shouts — cheering  the  sun." 

We   must  pass  over  the  following  days  during   which,  although  the 
sun  was  constantly  rising  nigher,  the  temperature  was  still   insupportahly 
low.     It  was  not  till  near  the  close  of  March  that  the  broad  ice-pack  be. 
gan  fairly  to  open,  and  a  broarl  reach  of  water  spread  before  the  e^es  of 
the  voyagers,  weary  of  the  perpetual    gaze  upon  ice,  stretching  beyond 
the  reach  of  vision.     From  this  time  the  process  of  their  libeiation  went 
slowly  but  surely  on.     The  prevailing  northerly  winds  drifted   the   floe 
toward  more  genial  latitudes.     Frost-smoke  began  to  arise  from  the  ice. 
A  slight  moisture  became   perceptible;  the  paths  along  the  vessel's  side 
became  soft  and  pulpy.     The  men,   long  accustomed  to  an  Arctic  tern- 
perature,  complain  that  "it  is  too  warm  to  skate,  though  the  thermom- 
eter   indicates   a  temperature   of  io°   below   freezing.     At   last,  on  the 
loth  of  April  that  unerring  monitor  rose   to   32°  at   noon-day.     Up  to 
freezing  again!     Very    soon  the  cabin-lamps  were  put  out.     The  crews 
cut   the  ice  from  about  the  Rescue,  anil  she  was  once    more  manned  in 
readiness  for   release.      The  felt   covering  was   taken  from  the  deck  of 
the    Advance,    and    daylight   prevailed  throughout   the  Arctic  regions. 
Early  in  May  the  ice-saw  was  put  in  operation  as  a    preliminary  at- 
tempt at    freeing  tiie  vessel.      Parallel   tracks  were   cut  of  convenient 
width,  and  thd  ice  sawed  away  in  blocks,  and  hauled  to  the  edge  of  the 
floe.     Thus  the  open  lead  was  daily   brought   nearer.     In  a   short  time 
the    Advance   was   surrounded   on   all  sides  by  these  floating  barricades. 
Shortly,  too,  the  ship  showed   signs  of  changing  her  position,  grating  a 
little  on  the  moving  ice,  and  seeming   to  advance  a  few  inches   upon  the 
remainder  of  the  floe.     Desperate  endeavors   were  made  to  wrench  the 
vessels  clear  from  their  icy  moorings  by  means  of  strong   tackle  and  de- 
termined pulls,  but  in   vain;  they  would  not  float  level   upon  the  water 
till  the  grand  break-up  occurred.     Meantime  the  summer  was  hastening 
on.     Evidences  of  coming  final  disruption  were  multiplying  about  them. 
Animal  life  increased,  birds  were  flying  in  every  direction,  and  seals  and 
whales  were  playing  on  every  hantl.     The  floe  on  which  the  ships  were 
cast  had  become  reduced  to  a  small  patch. 


!j^f^-i 


THE   GRAND    BREAK-UP.  ^^ 

On  the  29th  of  May  land  was  seen-one  of  the  capes  of  Greenland 
for  they  had  been  drifting  down  Baffin's  Ray  Mith  the  wind  and  current 
for  several  months.  How  suddenly  and  complct-  1y  they  had  been  cut  off 
not  only  from  the  means  of  search  for  Sir  Job.  Franklin,  but  also  from' 
the  place  where  it  was  now  evident  that  search  should  be  made! 

The  5th  of  June  witnessed  the  grand  break-up.      Commander  Griffin 
the  com.nanding   officer  of  the   Rescue,  had  walked  across  the  ice  for  a 
call  on  his  friends  in  the  Advance.     He  had  just  started  for  home  when 
a  cry  arose  that  there  was  a  crack  in   the  floe.     Sure  enou-^h,  there    m 
peared  a  crevice  in  the  ice   between  the   two  ships,  and   water  flowing 
between  the  ice-sheets.     Reaching  the  crack  hurriedly,  he  had  just  time 
to  spring  across  its  widening  surface,  and  escape  to   his  ship.     In   ten 
minutes   more  there  was  water  all  around   the  Rt.scue,  and  in  half  an 
hour  both  vessels  floated   in   their  element.     A  large  piece  of  ice   how 
ever,  clung  to  the  stern  of  the  Advance,  and  by  its  great  buoyancy  held 
her  posterior  up  almost  out  of  water,  while  her  bows  suffered  a   corres 
ponding  depression.     Finally,  about  noon  on  the  8th  of  June,  one  of  the 
officers  was  in  the  act  of  clambering  down  on  this  attached  mass.    Hardly 
had  his  foot  touched  it  when  it  parted  from   the  vessel.     He   scrambled 
hurriedly  up  the  side,  tearing   his  nails  and   clothing  in  his  haste,  just  in 
time  to  escape  the  huge  block  as  it  surged   up  to  the  surface.     The  Ad 
vauce  was  free  at  last,  and  floated  level  with  open  water  all  about  her 

Although  now  clear  from  any  direct  attachment  of  i.e,  the  remain 
ing  portion  of  the  journey  to  the  coast  of  Greenlan.l  was  a  somewhat 
uncomfortable  task.     It  was  too  warm  to  have  flres  in  the  cabin,  and  yet 
the  growing  dampness  of  the  warmer  climate,  increased  by  the  pressure 
ot  icebergs,  made  fires  extremely  desirable.     In   spite  of  the   seal  meat 
ot  which  they  now  had  some  reinforcement,  the  scurvy,  deep-seated  and' 
persevering,  broke   out  again;  and   it  was  evident  that  the  tedious  pro- 
cess ot  regaining  lost  health  must  be  gone  through  with  before  any  new 
adventures  could  be  attempted.     Many  of  the  sailors  were  ill  from  shore 
excesses  when  the  vessel  left  New  York,  and   the   circumstances  of  the 
winter  were  such  as  had  been  most  favorable  to  the   reopening  of  old 
wound,  and  the  revivification  of  slumbering  virus.     Icebor..  it 


30 


•at 


"'■%' 


If 


11  :i   , 


u.  f-*^ 


'mm 


OAT   LAND. 

numbers,  worn  and  carved  by  the  water's  action  into  many  grotesque 
shapes,  crowded  around  them,  :iud  impeded  their  progress;  and  insi;r. 
nificant  as  the  remaining  distance  was,  it  caused  a  painful  effort,  in  the 
exhausted  and  debihtated  condition  of  the  party. 

Lieut.  Dellaven,  who  had  now  recovered  sufficiently  to  take  chap'c 
of  the  expedition  once  more,  had  decided  to  recuperate  at  Whalefish 
Islands,  off  the  coast  of  Greenland,  for  a  few  days,  and  hasten  back  to 
Melville  Bay,  Barrow's  Strait  and  Lancaster  Sound,  and  renew  the 
search  which  their  untimely  bcsetment  had  curtailed.  Every  man  con- 
curred  heartily  in  the  plan.  It  is  true,  they  were  worn  and  weary;  hut 
they  had  had  the  seasoning  which  a  winter  in  the  ice  alone  can  j,nvc, 
and  considered  themselves  as  veterans,  well  iitted  by  experience  for  con- 
tinued service.  As  they  drew  near  the  coast  the  same  appearance  pre- 
sented itself  which  tlicy  had  witnessed  a  year  ago;  only  they  themselves 
had  lost  the  freshness  and  buoyiincy  with  which  they  had  approached 
the  same  coast  in  the  preceding  summer.  The  destined  port  was  reached 
on  the  i6th  of  June,  Dr.  Kane,  with  five  others,  was  dispatched  to  the 
shore.  Esquimaux  crowded  the  bank,  dogs  barked,  and  children  yelled. 
So,  after  a  short  pull,  ended  that  marvelous  nine  months  of  besetment, 
drift,  toil  and  disease. 


CHAPTER    LII. 


•  ii 


A  PLKASANT  PARTY- CULTIVATKD  TASTKS  _  DANGKKOUS  FEATS- 
THE  NATIONAL  DA V_  BOUND  KOR  T„K  NORTH  AGAIN -ESCAPE 
.  KOM     MELVILLE    BAY- HOMEWARO-UESULTS    O.    THE    VOYAGE. 

The  remainder  of  the  story  of  the  expedition  niij^ht  ho  easily  sumn.ed 
up.     After  allowing,  themselves  five  days  for  recruitin,^  they  were  a-^ain 
on  thoi.  svay  to   the  north.     This  second  journey  was  peculiarly  rich  in 
.nculcnt  and   in  experience  with   the  natives,  with   whom  the  fortunes  of 
the  past  year  had   not  allowed  th    n  much   communication.     All  of  the 
pr.nc.pal  places  on  that  coast  were  touched  at,  each  one  furnishing  its  list 
of  pleasmg  happenings.     As   the  fleet  landed  near  Proven,  a  Danish  Es- 
qu.maux  town  well  to   the  north,  a  merry  party  of  E,sc,uimaux  came  out 
to  ,neet  them,  dragging   their  kayaks  after  them  over  seven  .niles  of  the 
pack,  and  then  spinning  out  to  them  over  the   narrow  channel  of  water 
These  were  soon   followed  by  a  yawl   load  of  the  gentry  of  the  place 
The  reader  will  best  enjoy  the  account  of  this  occasion  in  Dr.  Kane's  own 
words:     "She   (the  yawl)    brought   a   pleasant    company.      Unas    the 
schoolmaster  and    parish  priest,  Louisa,  his    sister,  the    gentle  Amalia, 
LouKsa  s  cousin,    and    some    others    of  humbler    note.     The    baptismal 
waters  had   but  partially  regenerated  these  savages.     Their  deportment 
at  least,  d.d  not  conform  to  our  nicest  canons.    For  the  first  few  minutes' 
to  be  sure,  the  ladies  kept  their  faces  close  covered  with  their  hands,  only' 
withdrawing  them  to  blow  their  noses,  which  they  did  in  the  most  prim- 
.t.vc  and  picturesque  manner.     But  their  modesty  thus  assured,  thev  felt 
that  ,t  needed  no  further  illustration.     They  volunteered  a  dance,  avowed 
to  us  confidentially  that  they  had    cultivated    tastes-Amalia,  that  she 
smokcl,  Louisa,  ^hat    she    tolerated    the    more    enlivening    liquids,  and 
l-th  that  their  exercise  in  the  open  air  made  a  slight  refection  altogether 
acceptable.    Hospitality  is  the  virtue  of  these  wild  regions;  our  hard  tack 
and  cranberries,  and  rum,  were  in  requisition  at  once, 

46? 


tf 


!<il 


f 


{hi 


I        t 


468 


THE   NATIONAL   DAT. 


"It  is   not  for  the  host  to  tell  talcs  cf  liis  after-dinner  coinpan 
the  truth  of  Jiistory   may   be  satisfied   without  an    intimatio'     •  ,i 

guests  paid  niggard  honors  to  the  jully  god  of  a  miiilcr  cllmc.  s 

iest  prince  of  bottle    memories   would    not    have    quarreled    v    'h  ilicir 
heel-taps." 

Some  of  the  feats  performed  by  the  natives  in  their  kay  iks  were  truly 
remarkable.  The  process  of  turnin;^'  a  somersault  in  the  water,  lioat  .md 
all,  seems  an  impossible  one,  but  its  practicability  among  the  Esquimn  x 
is  attested  by  many  witnesses.  An  active  male  will  seize  a  large  stout 
in  both  hands,  and  leaning  backward,  will  disappear,  to  return  almost 
instantly,  still  holding  the  stone.  But  this  species  of  aquatic  perform- 
ance is  hardly  more  remarkable  than  the  process  of  catching  a  seal,  and 
is  certainly  not  as  tlangerous.  The  former  feat  is  exhibited  l)y  the  half- 
day  for  a  chew  of  tobacco  or  a  glass  of  grog.  The  latter  is  dared  l)e- 
cause  hunger  and  the  domestic  necessity  demand  it. 

Here  at  PrOven  the  parties  celebrateil  the  national  anniversary  in  the 
best  manner  that  their  limited  means  permitted.  By  way  of  salute,  and 
in  lieu  of  gunpowder,  the  seamen  rolled  a  huge  boulder  down  the  clifls, 
"spliced  the  main  brace  by  means  of  egg-nog,  made  from  the  eggs  of  the 
eider-duck,  and  wound  up  with  a  ball  in  which  some  of  the  Esqui- 
maux belles  figured  conspicuously.  Putting  to  sea  on  the  5th,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  working  their  way  northward,  and  on  the  13th  they  encoun- 
tered their  old  acquaintance,  the  Prince  Albert,  from  which  they  had 
been  separated  in  the  bcsetment  of  the  month  before.  This  vessel,  thou'di 
under  a  new  command,  was  back  more  once  upon  the  same  mission  as 
themselves.  The  two  expeditions  kept  together  for  three  weeks.  H\ 
watching  every  opening  in  the  ice  tiiey  managed  to  make  a  few  miles  of 
northing  every  day,  which  brought  them  early  in  August  to  the  dreaded 
Melville  Bay,  over  which  tiie  "Devil's  Thumb"  kept  solitary  guard. 
Here  they  found  the  ice  more  impracticable  than  the  year  before.  The 
icebergs  came  down,  threatening  them  witli  instant  destruction.  The 
leads  were  all  closed,  and  solid  ice  blocked  up  the  jjassage  across  the  hay. 
The  British  abandoned  the  idea  of  succeedin<>:  in  that  direction,  and 
proceeded  to  the  south,  there  to  continue  their  unsuccessful  search. 


Li: 


HOME  W A  J,     .  4gj, 

Still  the  Americans  hcl.l  .ri.nlv  to  their  purpose,  and  remained 
.n"-v.l  to  a  land-floe  waitinjr  for  the  ice  to  part  and  alio  ,hem  to  pass 
ioU„  ..est.  Mut  no  opening'  came;  the  ^s,y  w.  -t,l  oeked.  The 
sr      •,  vv  so  favorable  as  the  former   one    h.d   been.     Only   a   few 

V.  .uiK-r  remained,  and  to  remain  in   the  ice    of   Baffin's    Iky 

anot..r,Mn,  mcmths  was  not  to  be  thout^ht  of  as  a  wise  course  for  the 
scurvy-riddled  crew.  The  commander,  therefore,  wisely  referring  to  . 
clause.  ,n  his  formal  instructions  counseling  him  ut„  spend  only  one  win- 
ter u.  the  Arctic  regions,"  resolved  to  set  sail  for  home  at  the  first 
opportunity.  Watching  their  ehance,  they  one  day  notice<l  a  lead  to  the 
south,  Ml  the  tremen.lous  ice-barrier.  Toward  this  they  steered  ukI 
ent.  in  awe-struck  silence,  the  scanty  passage  opened  before  'them. 
A.,^  Mug  of  this  frightful  mouth  would  have  been  instantly  fatal  but 
..  u-.s  passed  in  safetv,  and  the  escape  from  the  "  Devil's  Nip"  w'as  a 
l)n.virl)  among  them  for  many  days. 

( )ncc  pointed  for  home,  n.>t  much  remains  to  tell  of  the  rest  of  the  jour- 
■a^ .      l^l.ey  touched  at  Upernavik,  Disco,  and  Holsteinberg,  and  enjoyed 
;'-•    '-N>.tal.ty  of   the    kindly   Danes  and    Esquimaux,  who  were  well- 
•;-l  .nough  not  to  laugh  at  their  ragged,  distressed   appearance.      With 
.ac.  sharpened  by  the  pinchings   of  hunger  and    cold,  beards   unshorn, 
-1  Innhs  tottering  irom  sheer  weakness,  they  were,  as  Kane   expressed 
■U  -n   uncouth,    shabby,   and    withal,    snobby-looking    set   of  varlets." 
-•  -n  n„„.,  ,,,,,,,bes  had  become  exhausted,  and  they   had   been 
^^^.io,  late  to  resort    to  domestic   tailoring.     ^I   wish,"   says    Kane, 
^h-"  ^""H.  ot  n.y  soda-water-in-the-morning  friends  could   see   me   per- 
W.n.  ..u-  a  pair  of  pants.      We   do   our   own   sewing,   clothing   our- 
^lus.,^...^.,and  lam    astonished    in   looking   back    upon   my   dark 
— "   "   prcvous  .gnorance,  to  feel  how  n.uch  1  have  learned.     I   won- 
-'-v   ether  your  Philadelphia  tailor  knows  how  to  adjust,  .vith  a  ruler 
-^'  ^'  '-"P  of  soap,  the  seat  of  a  pair  of  breeches  » 

l^Uhe  trials  and  privations  t.  which  t.r  over  a  year  they  had    been 

M     u,     V.      ,...,„  ,^        ,     ^^^^^^  n^^^^r,   ..    ,He   6th  of  Sep. 

-^    .,    h.  two   vessels  were  separated   in   a   gale   off  Cape  Farewell. 

Ait.  .  ,un  of  twenty-four  days  the  Advance  arrived  at  New   York   on 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


|p^    /#, 


{< 


i/j 


(/, 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


t   1^    12.0 


M 

2.2 


1.8 


M.  11.6 


nl-  _x 


riKJiugrapmc 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


V 


V 


m 


O 


'«'**■'',.  w 


C/j 


% 


m 


COURSE    OF    THE    DRIFT. 

the  30th  of  September.  The  Rescue  arrived  safely  seven  days  later;  the 
greatest  gratitude  prevailing  among  all,  for  their  safe  deliverance  from 
so  many  dangers  of  shipwreck,  death,  and  disaster. 

It  now  remains  to  speak  briefly  of  certain  things  that  have  been,  up 
to  this  poii  t,  purposely  neglected.  In  the  desire  to  make  the  narrative 
continuous  and  complete,  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  state  concisely  or 
minutely  the  course  of  the  expedition,  nor  the  geographical  results  which 
may  properly  be  claimed  for  it.  This,  with  the  indulgence  of  the  reader, 
we  will  now  attempt  to  do. 

The  slightest  attention  to  the  geography  of  North  America,  will 
make  the  course  of  the  party,  until  after  leaving  Mslville  Bay,  perfectly 
plain  to  any  observer.  Not  so  perhaps,  their  wanderings  after  entering 
Lancaster  Sound,  and  the  labyrinth  of  waters  which  makes  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  northern  coast  of  North  America  perplexing  and  dangerous. 
Entering  Lancaster  Sound  according  to  official  instructions,  the  expedition 
pursued  a  course  almost  directly  west  through  Barrow  Straits  as  far  as 
Beechey  Island,  near  which  place  the  meeting  with  the  English  squad- 
ron took  place,  and  where  the  discoveries  before  mentioned  were  made. 
From  here  a  zigzag  course  was  pursued  along  the  islands  on  the  north 
of  Barrow  Strait,  as  fur  west  as  Grifiith  Island,  some  fifty  miles  to  the 
west  of  Wellington  Channel.  The  vessels  then  returned  to  Wellington 
Channel,  where  they  were  beset  in  September,  and  where  the  memorable 
drift  began  whose  principal  events  have  been  recorded  in  tlie  preceding 
pages.  The  course  of  the  drift  during  the  month  of  September  was  almost 
wholly  northward,  and  the  upper  extremity  of  the  Channel  was  almost 
reached  before  the  influence  of  the  currents  and  winds  changed  the  di- 
rection of  the  ice  field  in  which  they  floated,  and  a  southward  course  was 
begun.  Back  they  went,  over  nearly  the  same  ground  that  they  traveled 
in  ascending  the  channel.  Following  the  course  of  the  immense  ice 
prairie  which  had  now  accumulated  about  them,  they  drifted  slowly 
eastward  into  Baffin's  Bay,  and  thence  southeast  until,  as  we  have  seen, 
they  were  released,  after  nine  months  of  driftin'j,  m  ir  the  coast  of 
Greenland. 

In  the  meuntime,   in   the  drift   to  the    northward,  certain     natniai 


AN    UNFORTUNATE  CONTROVBRST 


illX 


after  enterine 


irtaiii     natural 


divisions  had  been  discovered,  and  received  names  from  the  American 
party.  These  discoveries,  while  they  were  of  „o  great  practical  value, 
were  still  supposed,  at  that  time,  to  be  of  importance  in  confirming  a' 
theory  which  was  gaining  ground  during  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  namely,  that  about  the  Pole  were  land  and  water  of  comparative- 
ly  mild  temperature— perhaps  inhabited,  and  certainly  capable  of  sus- 
taining  animal  life 

These  discoveries  were  announced  in  Lieut.  De  Haven's  formal 
report  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  substance  as  follows: 

"  Between  Cornwallis  Island  (already  long  since  discovered)  and  a 
large  mass  of  elevated  land  to  the  north,  was  seen  a  large  open  channel 
leading  to  the  westward.  To  this  was  given  the  name  of  '  Maury's 
Channel,'  in  honor  of  the  then  chief  of  the  Hydrographical  Bureau, 
an<l  tiie  National  Observatory.  The  large  body  of  high  land  seen  to 
the  north  between  N.  W.  and  N.  N.  E.,  was  termed  "orinnell  Land,' 
in  honor  of  the  head  and  heart  of  the  man  in  whose  philanthropiL 
mind  originated  the  idea  of  this  expedition,  and  to  whose  munificence  it 
owes  its  existence." 

A  remarkable  peak  on  the  eastern  visible  extremity  of  the  unknown 
land  was  termed  Mt.  Franklin,  with  obvious  fitness.  Several  other  un- 
important  discoveries  were  made;  among  them  a  small  island  which  was 
named  after  xMr.  Murdaugh,  the  acting  master  of  the  Advance,  and  an 
inlet,  discovered  by  Mr.  GrilHn,  the  commander  of  the  Rescue,  was 
aptly  i.amed  from  its  discoverer. 

It  is  proper  to  remark  in  this  connection  that  the  matter  of  pre- 
cedence in  the  discovery  of  the  so-called  Grinnell  Land  above  men- 
tioned, became  a  subject  of  unfortunate  controversy  between  English 
and  American  geographers  and  explorers.  English  geographers,  in  cer- 
tai.i  maps  published  in  the  latter  part  of  ,85.,  plotted  this  tract  of  land 
and  named  it  Prince  Albert  Land,  announcing  it  as  the  discovery  of 
Capt.  Ommaney,  confirmed  more  recently  by  the  explorations  of  Capt. 
Pomiy.  This  map  was  supplemented  by  a  foot-note  mentioning  the  fact 
of  il.e  American  claim,  and  stating  that  a  certain  other  tract  of  lan.l 
hearing  some  (,o'^  ,„•  70    to   the  westward  must  have  beeti   the  Grinnell 


m 


THE   AMERICAN  CLAIM  VtNDtCATED. 


I 


Land  announced  by  the  American  squadron   from  that  drift  of  Septem- 
ber, 1S50.     The  injustice  of  this  course  was  easily  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing facts:     Capt.   Ommaney  was  proved  to   have  been  a  hundred  miles 
south  01"  this  land  at  the  date  on  which  he  is  claimed  to  have  discovered 
it.     As  the  American  squadron  was  only   forty  miles  from  it  at  the  time 
its  leader   first  sighted   the  new  coast,  and  as  it  was  barely  visible  then, 
disappearing  upon  the  vessels  retreating  only  a  few  miles  to  the  south,  it 
followed  that  Capt.  Ommaney,  sixty  miles  still  farther  south,  could  not 
have,  as  was  professed,  seen  and   named   this   new  verge  of  a  possible 
Arctic  continent.     Again,  as  the  American  squadron  was  well   supplied 
with  chronometers  and  other  instruments,  it  was  hardly  possible  that  the 
able  leader  of  the  expedition  should  have   made  an  error  of  60^",  as  the 
English  aspirants  for  precedence   and  prestige  would  have  attributed  to 
him.      To  be  sure,  the   Americans   were   carried  thither  without   any 
choice  of  their  own,  and  it  was  under  circumstances  beyond  their  control 
that  they  preceded  the  British  party  in  the  matter  in  controversy ;  but,  as 
Dr.  Kane  laconically  observes,  "They  did  precede  them,"  and  thus,  with- 
out doubt,  established  the  claim  of  discoverers,  and  the  right  of  designa- 
tion.    In  bringing  forward  this  discussion,  the  writer  has  endeavored  not 
to  allow  natural  prejudice  to  influence  him  in  presenting  the  facts,  and 
he  is  not  conscious  of  having  violated  any  rule  of  international  etiquette. 
All  American  geographers,  and  we  are  glad  to  note,  some  also  of  Eng- 
lish authorship    continue  to  give  the  land  in  ques<^ion  the  American  des- 
ignation, thus  vindicating,  after  three  decades,  the  American  claim. 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

EXPEDITION  OF  INGLEFIELD  —  IN  THE  NAVY  YARD  — THE  CREW — 
ADVERSE  INFLUENCES— AT  FISKERN^S— GREENLAND  PIETY— 
devil's  THUMB— VARIOUS  DISCOVERTES— NEARLY  SHIPWRECKED 
— A    WATCHFUL    BEAR. 

The  screw  schooner,  Isabel,  was,  it  seems,  originally  fitted  out  by 
Mr.  Donald  Beatson  for  a  cruise  to  the  Arctic  regions  in  search  of  Sir 
John  Franklin  by  way  of  Behring's  Strait.  This  expedition,  however, 
owing  to  unavoidable  difficulties,  was  abandoned,  and  the  ship,  with  five' 
years'  provisions  for  twelve  men,  and  a  small,  high  presstir,  engine  of 
sixteen-horse  power,  which  had  been  fitted  to  drive  an  Archimedian 
screw,  besides  having  been  doubled,  strengthened,  and  covered  as  far  up 
as  the  heads  with  galvanized  iron,  was  thrown  back  upon  the  hands  of 
Lady  Franklin,  the  original  owner.  It  was  then  offered  to  the  admiraltv 
for  Arctic  service;  but  their  lordships  not  caring  to  inaugurate  any  more 
Arctic  expeditions,  declined  the  offer. 

A  proposition  was  then  made  by  Lady  Franklin  to  Commander  E. 
A.  Inglefield  to  the  effect  that  he  should  take  the  vessel,  provide  a  crew 
and  such  other  details  of  equipment  as  the  vessel  should  require,  and 
that  he  should  take  the  provisions  now  on  board,  and,  joining  the  squad- 
ron at  present  in  the  Arctic  regions,  deposit  with  them  his  provisions, 
and  return  the  same  season  to  England.  Capt.  Inglefield  had  little  relish 
for  being  employed  merely  as  a  transport  captain,  but  seeing  how  well 
fitted  the  vessel  was  for  Arr'dc  cruising,  he  accepted  Lady"  Franklin's 
liberal  offer  to  give  him  the  ship  in  compensation  for  his  services,  pro- 
viding tha'.  he  could  be  allowed  to  conduct  a  search  in  any  manner  he 
saw  fit;  provided,  also,  that  he  could  obtain  leave  of  absence  from  the 
Lord  Admiral,  and  be  allowed  to  have  his  vessel  fitted  up  in  a  govern- 
ment yard. 

473 


tl^   THB  DOaCTARD. 

As  he  had  alread)>  expressed  his  taste  and  willingness  for  Arctic 
explorations  by  volunteering  on  several  previous  occasions  to  join  a 
search  for  Sir  John  Franklin,  and  as  he  further  believed  that  Franklin 
could  be  found,  or  that  he  could  be  followed  over  the  route  which  ho 
had  chosen,  he  regarded  this  opportunity  as  too  tempting  to  be  lost;  and 
as  the  admiralty  granted  him  in  full  the  permission  he  desired,  he  lost 
no  time  in  acquainting  Lady  Franklin  with  his  decision. 

With  the  divers  appliances  on  hand  at  the  navy  yard  it  was  a  com- 
paratively short  task  to  fix  up  the  little  schooner,  and  with  the  engine 
thoroughly  examined,  provisions  well  stored,  sails  duly  repaired,  and 
ship  considerably  strengthened,  together  with  the  addition  of  sledges, 
tents,  traveling  and  cooking  apparatus,  and  innumerable  articles  which 
many  friends  found  the  means  of  supplying,  Inglefield  was  ready  to  move 
out  of  the  basin  on  the  4th  of  July,  1852. 

After  taking  leave  of  his  friends,  the  Lord  Admiral  and  Lady 
Franklin,  Inglefield  caused  his  vessel  to  be  towed  out  of  the  harbor,  and 
was  soon  speeding  up  along  the  coasts  of  England  and  Scotland.  His 
plan  of  search  was  briefiy  as  follows:  His  first  object  was  to  arrive  at 
Whale,  Smith  and  Jones'  Sounds  by  either  the  eastern  or  western  shores, 
ascending  as  he  might  find  that  the  state  of  the  ice  would  enable  him  to 
do,  and  having  thoroughly  examined  these  sounds,  bays,  inlets,  or  what- 
ever they  turned  out  to  be  (for  there  was  then  no  accurate  knowledge 
of  them),  he  would,  if  not  forced  to  winter  so  far  north,  proceed  aovvn 
the  western  coast  of  Baffin's  Bay,  exploring  its  shores  as  far  south  as 
Labrador. 

In  order  that  he  might  intelligently  communicate  with  the  natives, 
he  hoped,  at  Holsteinberg,  or  some  other  Danish  town,  to  procure  an 
interpreter,  and  with  this  in  view  he  had  taken  with  him  a  letter  to  the 
Danish  authorities  of  Greenland,  requesting  for  him  their  assistance, 
should  he  be  in  need  of  it. 

If  the  lateness  of  the  season  or  any  other  cause  should  oblige  him  to 
winter  at  Lancaster  Sound  or  north  of  it,  he  hoped  by  means  of  his 
sledges  to  be  able  to  communicate  wiUi  the  royal  squadron,  as  well  as 
to  make  a  careful  search  of  all  the  deep  inlets  of  Baffin's  Bay ;  and  thus, 


THE  CREW, 


47S 


even  if  unsuccessful  in  the  great  object  of  his  voyage,  he  hoped  to  settle 
forever  the  vexed  question  of  the  entrance  into  the  Great  Polar  Basin 
through  the  so-called  Smith's  Sound,  which  before  his  voyage  had  never 
been  approached  nearer  than  within  seventy  miles. 

After  stopping  for  their  last  letters  at  Peterhead,  on  the  coast  of 
Scotland,  they  steamed  away,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  land. 

The  crew  and  office  is  who  composed  this  "little  band  of  spirited 
adventurers,"  as  the  newspapers  spoke  of  them  at  the  time,  numbered 
seventeen,  and  consisted  of  tv/o  ice-masters  and  a  mate,  a  surgeon,  an 
engineer,  a  stoker,  who  was  also  a  blacksmith,  two  carpenters,  a  cook, 
and  eight  able  seamen.  Of  these  every  one  of  the  officers  was  a  man  of 
experience  and  ability.  Dr.  Sutherland,  the  surgeon,  was  particularly  a 
valuable  man,  having  been  engaged  in  the  previous  Arctic  expedition 
under  Mr.  Penny,  and  being  versed  in  the  sciences  a  knowledge  of 
which  would  be  called  into  play  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

The  accommodations  of  the  Isabel  were  very  scanty.  «  My  cabin," 
says  Capt.  Inglefield,  "  was  not  more  than  six  feet  square,  having  a  sky- 
light at  the  top  of  a  kind  of  trunk,  which  passed  through  a  storeroom, 
built  on  the  middle  of  the  quarter  deck.  My  bunk,  or  sleeping  berth, 
was  on  the  starboard  side,  four  feet  above  the  deck,  and  could  only  be 
approached  through  an  aperture  in  a  kind  of  wooden  screen;  and  certain 
convenient  book-shelves  and  lockers  were  fitted  in  all  the  angles  and 
corners,  which  none  but  those  accustomed  to  a  seafaring  life  could  have 
so  ingeniously  appropriated.  A  table  two  feet  by  two  and  a  half,  was 
fixed  against  the  bulkhead  which  separated  the  'doctor's  cabin'  from  the 
captain's'stateroom;' the  former  something  smaller  than  the  latter,  the 
bunk  the  same  size,  but  arranged  as  the  sleeping  berths  of  the  doctor 
and  y.x.  Manson,  one  of  the  ice-masters.  The  engineer's  cabin,  and 
Mr.  Abernethy's  (the  other  ice-master), occupied  positions  on  either  side 
of  the  engine-room  hatch,  so  that  when  steam  was  up,  they  enjoyed  a 
temperature  of  100°  Fahrenheit." 

The  boiler  and  engine  were  as  conveniently  placed  as  possible.  It 
was  impossible,  however,  on  so  small  a  ship  so  to  arrange  the  binnacle, 
that  the  compass  should  not  be  disturbed  by  the  presence  of  so  much 


■Ln  AAMm 


iia 


J^ySKUHN.iiS. 


metal.  Indeed,  the  writer  is  disposed  to  attribute  the  discrepancies  in 
Commander  Inglefield's  results,  as  afterward  determined  by  Dr.  Kane, 
directly  to  the  necessary  inaccuracy  of  the  former's  instruments.  Incrle-' 
field  himself  remarks:  "Owing  to  the  amount  of  iron  in  the  vessel,  "the 
local  attraction  was  very  great.  The  boiler,  engine,  screw,  its  shaft  and 
freanng,  together  with  the  iron  sheathino,  were  all  powerful  agents  to 
bewilder  our  magnetic  instruments."  It  will  be  thus  seen  tliat  Dr 
Kane's  conclusions  (they  will  be  given  in  a  subsequent  chapter),  how-' 
ever  arbitrary  they  may  seem,  were  in  reality  reasonable,  and  based  upon 
facts  which  sufficiently  explain  the  discrepancies  of  Capt.  Inglefield. 

A  meeting  with  several    English  sails,  and  a  severe  and^lasting  gale 
encountered  off  Cape  Farewell,  were  the  principal  events  of  importance 
occurnng  during  the  voyage  to  the  first  stopping  place  on  the  Greenland 
coast.     On   the  7th  of  August,  as  the  vessel  was  keeping  in  toward  some 
islands  on  account  of  the   heaviness  of  the  sea,   some  natives  were  ob- 
served coming  ofi^  in  their  light  kayaks.    It  was  soon  understood  that  the 
vessel  was  off  Fiskerna^s,  a  Danish  settlement;  and  Capt.  Inglefield  was 
soon  able  to  verify  his  position  from  his  instruments.     Having  taken  the 
Esquimaux  and  their  canoes  on  board,  one  of  them,  seemingly  more  in- 
telligent than    the   others,  proposed  to  take  the  ship  into  an  anchorage, 
and,  thinking  it  prudent  to  stop  for  the  night,  Capt.  Inglefield  yielded  to' 
his   inclination  to   see   the  settlement,  and  proceeded  to  land  in  the  little 
harbor.     So  very  small  was  the  bay   of  Fiskerna^s,  however,  that  the 
ship  grated  on  a  rock  in  passing,  and  demolished  her  rudder.     This  mis- 
fortune  was  repaired  in  a  short  time,  and  after   righting  the  ship  up  pre- 
paratory to  her  coming  battle   with  the  ice,  Inglefield  landed  to  wait  on 
the  Danish  Governor,  Mr.  Lazzen.     Here  the  greatest   hospitality  was 
shown   him,  and  although  neither  the  governor   nor  his  secretary  could 
speak  anything  except   Danish,  some  information  was  gathered  of  the 
modes  of  life  in  these  regions.     Among  other  things  they  found  that  for 
some   reason   sledging  was  not  practiced  in  this  bay,  but   the  travel  and 
traffic   were  performed   wholly   in  the   water  by    means  of  the    kayaks, 
and  "oomiaks"  or  woman-boats.     The  firewood,  consisting  of  willows, 
half  an   inch  in  diameter,   and   scanty   at  that,   was  gathered    in   these 


'pancics  in 
Dr.  Kane, 
ts.  Inglc- 
^^cssel,  the 
5  shaft  and 
agents  to 
that  Dr. 
tcr),  how- 


ased 
jfield. 


upon 


sting  gale 
nportance 
Greenland 


^ard 


some 


were  ob- 
d  that  the 


field 


was 


taken  the 
more  in- 
ichorage, 
'ielded  to 
the  little 
that  the 


rh 


IS  mis- 


>  up  pre- 
)  wait  on 


was 


ility 

ry  could 

d  of  the 

that  for 
avel  and 

kayaks, 
willows, 
in   these 


477 


478 


GREENLAND  PIETY. 


oomiaks.     The   principal  export  seemed  to  be  codfish,  of  which  a  ship, 
load  had  been  sent  away  to  Denmark  only  a  few  days  previous. 

Curious  to  observe  the  method  of  worship  in  this  out-of-the-way 
place,  Inj^lefield  obeyed  the  summons  of  a  little  bell  in  the  neighbor- 
hood,  and  took  his  place  in  the  village  church  to  watch  the  worshipers  as 
they  flocked  in. 

"Softly,  but  rapidly,  the  little  meeting-house  filled,  and  then  the  door 
closed,  and  an  Esquimaux   with  the    most  forbidding  exterior  of  any  I 
had  seen,  slowly  rose,  and  with  much  solemnity  gave  out  a  hymn,  and  in 
a  few  moments  the  melodious  harmony  of  many  well-tuned  voices  broke 
forth.     I  was  delighted   with  the  strain,  for  though  not  a  uord  was  in- 
telligible to  me,  I  could  nevertheless  feel  that  each  person  was  lifting  his 
heart  to  his  Maker,  and  I  unconsciously  joined  in  the  harmony  with  words 
which,  having  been  learnt  in  childhood,  now  rushed  into  my  mind,  and 
bade   me  mingle  them  with  the  hallelujahs  of  these  poor  semi-savagos. 
*****      /\^  sermon  followed,  and  there  burst  from  the  preach- 
er's lips  a  flow  of  elocution  that  I    have  seldom  heard  equaled;  without 
gesticulation  he  warmed  to  his  subject  till  the  large  drops  of  perspiration 
fell  on  the  sacred  volume,  and  his  tone  and  emphasis  proved  that  he  was 
gifted  with  eloquence  of  no  ordinary  nature."     After  exchanging  court- 
esies with  the  authorities,  by  giving  and  receiving   several  dinners,  the 
party  bade  a  final  adieu  to  the  little   harbor  of  Fiskernais  and  steamed 
away  to  the  north.     Capt.  Ingleficld  intended  to  touch  at  Holsteinborg,  in 
order  to  take  on,  if  possible,  one  Adam  Heck,  a  Dane,  who  had  become 
responsible    for   a    report  of  Franklin's  murder.      Inglcfield  desired  to 
make  him  prove  his  statements  by   actually  visiting  the  scene  of  the  al- 
leged   tragedy.     A   gale,    however,  drove  the  vessel   by   Holsteinhori^ 
with  such  force  that  the  town  could   not  be  made,  and  so  the  project  re- 
ferred to  above  had  to  bo  abandnned. 

It  was  now  resolved  to  pash  for  Godhaven  on  Disco  Island  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  dogs  and  an  interpreter.  On  reaching  this  port  it 
was  found  that  Sir  Edward  Belcher,  who  had  preceded  Inglelield,  h;i(l 
taken  all  the  dogs  there  were  to  spare.  The  governor,  however,  gave 
Capt.  Ingleficld   a  letter  to   the  authorities  at    Upernavik,  directing  that 


DEVIL'S    THUMB. 


41» 


his  wants  Bhould  be  supplied  there.  Findinpr  here  the  mail  bags  of  Sir 
H.Iward  Belcher's  s(,u:ulron,  they  <rhj(lly  added  their  letters  to  his  dis- 
patches,  and  proceeded  t<>  Upernavik.  Landinjf  here  on  the  i6th  of 
Aii},'iist,  they  were  not  l()n<,r  in  procuring  the  things  which  tiiey  needed. 
"A  description  of  this  settlement,"  says  InjrlcHeld,  «  would  be  quite 
superfluous,  for  one  of  these  Greenland  villages  is  so  exactly  the  counter- 
part of  another,  that  any  one  account  of  their  huts  and  houses  would  be 
t(|ually  suitable  to  all;  two  or  three  wooden  houses  for  the  settlers,  and  a 
few  mud  huts  for  the  Esquimaux,  are  the  general  features  of  these 
places." 

A  stiff  southerly  breeze  soon  brought  them  in  sight  of  the  entrance 
to  Melville  Bay.  It  was  now  forty-one  days  since  they  left  Peterhead, 
ami  they  had  reached  this  point  only  a  icvf  days  later  than  the  expedition 
of  the  previous  year,  with  apparently  a  better  season,  unencumbered  with 
a  consort,  and  without  orders.  The  Devil's  Thumb  and  Crimson  Cliff 
were  successively  passed,  a  sharp  lookout  being  kept  in  the  meantime  for 
vcstij^'es  of  wrecks  and  traces  of  human  life.  A  wedge  of  a  ship's  mast 
a  cask,  a  cork,  and  some  staves  were  picked  up,  and  at  the  time  seemed 
worthy  of  notice  with  reference  to  the  missing  squadron;  but,  as  was 
afterward  found,  the  disasters  of  the  whalers  in  Melville  Bay  accounted 
for  the  presence  and  condition  of  these  articles. 

After  discovering  and  naming  Northumberland  Island  and  Murchison 
Channel,  and  accurately  fixing  Ilakluyt  Islands,  discovered  but  wrongly 
located  by  Baffin  many  years  before,  steam  and  sail  were  put  on,  and  the 
vessel  sped  away  to  the  northward,  and  Smith's  Strait  and  Sound  were 
reached.  Here  many  points  of  interest  were  discovered  and  named. 
The  western  coast  showed  at  some  distance  back  a  high  range  of  moun- 
tains, which  were  called  afler  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales; 
and  those  terminating  in  the  most  northern  point  visible,  received  their 
name  from  the  English  Queen,  Victoria  Head. 

The  bay  intervening  between  that  and  Cape  Albert,  was  named  after 
the  Princess  Marie,  then  Duchess  of  Hamilton.  Other  capes  on  the  west 
shore  were  called  after  the  Earl  of  Camperdown,  Col.  Sabine,  and  Miss 
Cracroft,  a  niece  of  Sir  John  Franklin, 


Iff! 


I>  I 


VA lilOUS    D  rSCO  VER/ES. 


fKJ 


^.PM 


r  ( 


n 


)t  : 


'ri  i:; 


On  the  eastern  land,  the  furthest  northern  point  observed  was  called 
after  his  Danish  Majesty,  Kinj.'.  Fredericif  VII.,  heing  the  most  northern 
point  of  his  dominions.  The  water  nearest  this  point  was  called  after 
Lady  Franklin,  Franklin  Hay,  ai;d  .»ther  cares,  hays,  gulfs,  and  momi- 
tains  of  less  importance  were  desij^^nated  after  distinguished  English  tlig. 
nitarics.  As  has  been  seen,  Inglcfield's  locations,  especially  his  repre- 
sentation of  the  trend  of  Smith's  Strait,  were  faulty,  but  the  tracing  of 
the  configuration  was  mainly  correct,  and  with  the  new  latitude  and 
longitude  afterward  given,  the  points  noted  by  him  did  not  receive  new 
names. 

A  violent  gale  rising  soon  after  Victoria  Head  was  discovered, 
prevented  any  further  progress  to  the  north,  and  a  return  to  Jones  Sound 
was  now  contemplated.  The  highest  latitude  reached  by  the  Isabella 
was,  according  to  Inglcfield's  reckoning,  78°  30',  being  farther  north 
than  any  vessel  had  yet  attained  in  this  Sound.  As  Kane  afterward 
found  that  Inglefield  had  made  the  coasts  of  the  strait  trend  too  much  to 
the  north,  it  is  probable  that  the  latitude  reached  at  this  time  was  less 
than  reported  by  him. 

The  ship  was  now  directed  along  the  north  coast  of  Jones  Sound,  and 
Inglis  Peak  and  Cape  Maxwell  were  successively  noticed,  and  named 
from  English  personages.  After  attaining  a  western  longitude  of  84° 
10',  the  ship  scudded  before  a  gale  over  to  the  south  shore,  and  the  party 
once  more  proceeded  eastward,  surveying  and  r'-arting  the  coast  as  they 
went. 

After  reaching  the  eastern  extremity  of  Jones  Sound  and  nearly  suf- 
fering shipwreck  on  Cape  Parker,  it  was  necessary  to  decide  what 
should  be  their  next  step;  and  after  deliberation,  it  was  determined  to 
risk  the  chance  of  being  caught  by  freezing  up,  and  of  spending  the  win- 
tei  in  the  ice,  for  the  benefit  that  might  be  conferred  on  the  government 
service,  by  carrying  the  surplus  stores  of  provisions  and  coal  to  the 
squadron  of  Sir  Edward  Belcher,  whose  provision-ship,  the  No<Ii  Star, 
was  known  to  be  in  the  vicinity  of  Beechey  Island.  In  this  case  Sir 
Edward  might  be  benefited  by  Inglefieid's  disroveries,  and  on  the  other 
hand,  the  latter  could  carry  back  to  England,  which  could  probably  be 


A    WATCIIFL       'iEAR.  ^, 

re  .chccl  heforc  winter,  the  latest  intelligence  of  the  movements  of  the 
Bqiiadroii,  and  of  their  chances  of  success. 

Upon  renchin,  Heechey  Island,  it  w"as  found  that  Sir  Edward  and 
Capt.  kellett  had  sailed  fro,„  that  place  with  their  steam-tenders  about 
three  weeks  previously,  the  former  up  Wellinj^ton  Channel  and  the  lat-r 
to  Melville  Island;  nothinfj  since  had  been  heanl  of  either  of  them-  uid 
it  was  supposed  that  Sir  Kdward  had  ,.one  away  into  open  water  beyond 
I'arry  Strait.  The  officers  of  the  North  Star  could  not  be  induced  to 
accept  any  considerable  aniount  of  the  stor.s  oirered  by  In-rlcHeld 
allhoujrh  the  fact  that  he  was  about  to  return  to  En^Wand  mado'\  pos' 
sible  for  him  to  part  with  the  most  he  had  on  board. 

Here  they  showed  Injrlof^.dd   the  three  graves 'of  I'rmkHn's   men 
which  had  been  discovered  by  Penny  and  Dellaven  two  years  previous' 
and  told  him  of  the  bear  which  was  said  to  keep  a  continuo.-s  vigil  over 
one  of  the  graves,  sitting  upon  it  every  night. 

The  mail  bags  being  all  prepared,  and  the   kind   farewells  said,  the 
Isabella  prepared   to  begin  her  homeward  journey,.     It  was  at  firs't  in 
tended  to  land   at   Ilolsteinberg,  but  Whalefish   Islands   provin-^  a  more- 
convenient  point,  a  landing  was  effected   here,  and  the  ship  refitted  for 
the  homeward  journey.      After  a  rest   of  several   days,  during   which 
tune  a  reception  and    ball,  given   by  the   Danish   Crown,  were  r-njoyed 
the  party  set  out  for  home,  where  they  landed  in   November,  just  four 
months  from  the  time  of  starting. 

Upon  arriving  in  England  Capt.  Inglcfield   published   an  account  of 
his    adventures,  and    received   the    approbation    of   manv   public   men 
Although,  through  causes  over  which  he  had  no  control,  his  results  v.ere, 
many  of  them,  inaccurate,  his  voyage  was  still  a  valuable  service  to  the' 
cause  of  geographical  science,  and  deserves  due  mention  in  our  list. 


MnR^llt^w^^viiw'tvp*^,^,, 


1  - 1 


.l*'fl 


,  ^tS-l^ 


fffr 


It's' 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

BIOGKAPHY  OF  KANE — EARLY  QUALITIES — KORMAL  EDUCATION — It 
WRETCHED  HEALTH — DECIDES  UPON  A  LIKE  OF  CELIBACY — Ill'i 
LOVE-LIFE — CRITICISMS. 

It  is  the  misfortune  of  soniC  men  to  outlive  their  reputations,  at  least 
so  far  as  their  noble,  worthy  features  are  concerned.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  has  often  been  observed  tn.-c  real  worthiness  of  character,  and  even 
genius,  have  not  received  full  recognition  nor  due  homage  until  the  ear 
of  the  possessor  "  has  grown  too  dull  to  hear."  Fortunate  is  the  man 
who,  like  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  listens  in  life  to  the  praise  of  his 
own  heroic  and  virtuous  deeds,  and  dies  with  affectionate  and  honorable 
tributes  still  offered  him  on  every  hand.  Admiration  for  so  distinguished 
an  American,  and  a  knowledge  of  his  popularity  and  thorough 
appreciation  in  every  part  of  America,  must  be  the  excuse  (though  none 
were  needed)  for  giving  his  biography  so  large  a  place  in  this  series  of 
narratives. 

Elisha  Kent  Kane  was  born  on  the  3d  of  February,  1820,  on  Wal- 
nut St.,  Philadelphia.  In  respect  to  nationality  he  was  descended  from 
four  distinct  ancestral  stocks.  He  numbered  as  his  progenitors  the 
Grays,  of  English,  the  Van  Rcnsselars,  of  Low  Dutch,  the  Leipers,  of 
Scotch,  and  the  Kanes,  of  Irish  extraction.  His  immediate  ancestors 
were  Jonn  K.  Kane  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Leipcr, 
all  parties  being  prominent  and  well-known  in  the  politics  and  public 
events  of  the  days  in  which  they  liv.^d. 

As  a  child,  as  a  youth,  and  as  a  man,  Kane  exhibited  striking  qual- 
ities. His  muscular  and  nervous  characteristics  were  such  as  to  fit  him 
for  all  manner  of  athletic  exercises,  and  in  these  ho  especially  delighted 
to  engage.  His  freedom  and  independence  of  spirit,  with  his  intense 
aversion  to  arbitrary  authority,  gave    him,  in  the  estimation  of  prim- 


AL    EDUCATION — 1^ 
OF    CELIBACY — Ill'i 

reputations,  at  least 
On  the  other  hand, 
character,  and  even 
omagc  until  the  ear 
irtunate  is  the  man 
to  the  praise  of  his 
mate  and  honoralile 

1  for  so  distinguished 
rity  and  thorough 
xcuse  (though  none 
>lacc  in  this  scries  of 

•uary,  1S30,  on  Wal- 
was  descended  from 
his  progenitors  the 
Itch,  the  Leipers,  of 
mmcdiatc  ancestors 
r  of  Thomas  Leipor, 
politics  and  public 

ihited  striking  qual- 

2  such  as  to  fit  him 
especially  delighted 
•it,  with  his  intense 
estimation  of  prim- 


is  >^ 


!"*•    r.   K.   KANE. 


i*.'  '9 


488 


484 


EARLY  QUALITIES. 


i'live  jieoplc,  the  character  of  a  "bad  boy,"  though  he  really  had  none 
of  the  qualities  by  virtue  of  which  he  should  have  merited  this  title. 
There  was  nothing  of  the  hypocrite  in  his  nature,  and  he  scorned  to 
resort  to  those  little  lying  subterfuges  which  "  goodish"  boys  are  apt  to 
employ  in  order  to  shield  themselves  from  the  results  of  bad  behavior. 
His  frank  and  open  character  surprised  the  good  people  of  his  neigh- 
borhood and  acquaintance,  who  did  not  interpret  him  as  they  grew  to 
do  afterward;  and  who,  not  understanding  him  at  all,  chose  to  ascribe  to 
him  those  qualities  which  many  boys  possess.  Many  incidents  of  his 
early  life  well  il'ustrate  his  manly  disinterestedness  and  generosity.  Es- 
pecially did  he  establish  himself  as  the  guardian  and  protector  of  his 
younger  brothers.  One  day,  when  about  nine  years  of  age,  being  at 
school  with  his  little  brother  much  younger,  the  latter  was  about  to 
suffer  a  whipping  for  some  slight  oficnse,  when  Elisha  sprang  up,  ex- 
claiming: "Whip  me,  don't  whip  him,  he's  so  little!"  The  teacher, 
thinking  that  this  was  another  exhibition  of  the  boy's  rebellious  spirit, 
said,  "  I'll  whip  you  too,  sir."  The  struggle  which  followed  showed 
young  Kane's  notions  of  justice,  although  he  left  the  room  with  marks 
that  required  explanation. 

He  was  of  that  wiry,  nervous  physique  which  enables  jDCoplc  to  do 
and  endure  in  a  manner  which  surprises  not  only  every  one  else,  but 
oftentimes  themselves,  also.  Commonplace  feats  he  was  never  satisfied 
to  attempt.  He  must  undertake  that  which  was  difficult,  daring,  and  in 
his  earlier  life,  many  times  what  was  reckless  and  useless.  It  was  just 
this  go-ahead,  energetic  spirit  which  enabled  him  in  after  years  to  walk 
over  difficulty,  and  accomplish  his  undertakings,  frequently  in  the  midst 
of  untold  peril,  and  in  a  cond'.ion  of  physical  weakness  amounting  al- 
most to  prostration.  Like  many  other  men  who  have  risen  to  eminence, 
he  did  not,  in  his  earliest  youth,  show  a  taste  for  learning,  and  certainly 
not  a  fondness  for  lessons  set  by  teachers,  but  having  chosen  to  follow  a 
given  course  of  action,  convinced  of  its  reasonableness  or  necessity,  no 
dislikes,  or  difficulties,  or  importunities  sufficed  to  shake  him  from  his 
purpose. 

His  father,  afterward  Judge  Kane,  was  a  shrewd  lawyer,  literatcur, 


1  lawyer,  litcratcur, 


BEG/NS    ACTIVE    LIFE 

489 

™l  o„.„„i,,,,o,„.   i„   science.,  „„„   ...,„,,,  „u„   ,,i,  „„„  p,„«,,,„      „.,, 
Ik...  wore  occlt  |,„„,l,iM,i..,,  „;«,,,  ,,,  „!„  choose  hi,,  co„r,,e  fo,-  hta- 
sol    ,„rc,.ard  .„   his  fo,.™„l  education.     „e   ha.l  intended    his  son   for 
V,lo   College,  an,l  took   hin,  ,„   Now  Haven   fo,-  entrance,  hnt  it  was 
here  soon  d.scovered  that  he  was  already  s.nitten  with  the  heart  disease 
ulach  hnn.  al,o„t  h™  all  his  life.     The  University  of  Virginia,  in  pre. 
.en,n,,  the  plan  of  elective  stndies,  gave    n,ore    freedo,.  to  a  yont    of 
po,.,-  health,  and  here,  for  a  time,  he  prosecuted  his  studies.     Tirero  was 
notlang  peculiar  about  young  Kane's  college  course  except  that  he  man- 
,  ested  a  great  delight  in  the  concrete  realisation  of  what  he  »„t  in  the 
abstract  from  books.     Geology,  chemistry,  botany,  ,„ust  all  rec'eive  body 
and  ,„ea„,ng  to  him  by  actual  examinations  on  the  rocks,  in  the  wood, 
or  „,  t  c   .aboratory      Thus,  though  he  did  not  take  a  degree,  his  knowl-' 
edge  of  all  the  subjects  which   he  investigated    was   marvelously  c„m- 
1  etc  and  thorough.     His  great  command  of  language,  his  happy  choice 
«l  words,  an,l   h,s  wonderful   knowledge  of  the  terminology  of  the  sci 
onces  are  well  seen  in  the  descriptions  which  he  h.as  written  of  his  voy. 
a.^es  to  tlie  Polar  region.s. 

Although  in  wretche.1  health,  and  without  prospect  of  any  chan<re 
lor  the  better,  it  became  necessary  for  Kane  to  choose  a  profession ;  such 
■^  .omperameut,  and  such  activity  of  mind,  could  no.  be  satisfied  without 
sun,e  dehnite  aim.  His  studies  in  chemistry,  and  his  thorough  insh-ht 
"..".he  .ne.ho,ls  of  scientific  investigation,  ma.lc  his  subsequent  choice 
"1  .  .0  study  of  mclieine  a  wise  one,  an,I  .at  the  age  of  twenty-two  he 
graluate.1  n,  that  profession  at  the  head  of  his  class,  and  with  a  thesis 
wlach  gave  him  great  celebrity  and  made  him  unquestioned  authority 
on  tlic  .subject  treated,  ^ 

He  entercl  a  hospital  as  senior  otHcer  soon  after  grad.ut.ion,  but  it 
was  seen  that  his  health  <lemanded  a  change.  He  therefore  be. 
n.c.  a  ean<l.d.a.e  fin-  the  position  of  assistant  surgeon  of  the  United 
St...es  navy.  Having  received  this  appointment,  his  life  thereafter  was 
-.greatexte„t,ali,e  of  travel.  With  the  questions  how  this  suited' 
""•■  -•  '"  what  restdts  some  other  manner  of  life  would  have  le,l,  we 
"""■  nothntg  ,0  .lo.     We  can  only  record  here  .h.at,  placed  as  he  wa    he 


486 


LOVE-LIFE. 


made  the  best  of  every  circumstance,  and  became  the  polished  scientist 
and  brilliant  writer  that  his    published   works  show   him   to   have  been. 
Mexico,  every  part  of  Europe,  many  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa,  most  „r 
the  important  islands  of  both  oceans,  and,  as   we  have  seen,  the  extrem- 
ity  of  America,  became  the  scenes  of  his  observation,  and  their  interest- 
ing  features  received   :successively  the  attention  of  his  brilliant  and  well- 
balanced  mind.      "Some  persons,"   says  Pres.   Fairchild,  in   his   Moral 
Philosophy,  "without  physical  health,  or  foundation  for  it,  live  because 
they  deem  it  to  be  their  duty."     We  are  aware  of  not  having  quoted 
his   words   exactly,  but  this  idea  of  the  predominance  of  the  soul  over 
the  body,  of  the  will  over  corporal   weakness,  was  embodied  truly  in 
Kane.     He  rose  from  a  sick  bed  to  his  adventures  many  times  when  ris- 
ing seemed  i'uleed  a  resurrection. 

It  is  impossible  to  go  into  the  details  of  his  eventful  life  up  to  the 
time  of  those  events  with  which  this  volume  has  particularly  to  do.  It 
remains,  therefore,  to  mention  briefly  some  matters  connected  with  his 
private  life,  before  continuing  the  narrative  from  which  this  biography 
is  an  incidental,  though  necessary  digression. 

Kane's  great  physical  weakness  had  determined   him  in  early  man- 
hood to  lead  a  life  of  celibacy.     It  is  said  that  as  he  was  one  day  going 
the  rounds  of  the  poor-house  hospital  in  his  junior  service  as  physician  td 
that  institution,  he  came  across  a  diminutive,  squalid   pauper,  who  had 
married  rather   a   comely  w       in  in  the  house.     The  senior  physician, 
who  was  with   him  at  the  time,  asked  him  what    he  presumed  must  be 
the  feelings  of  that  woman  when  she  looked  upon  this  disgusting  speci- 
men, and  reflected  that  he  was   her  lord  and  master.     To   which  Kane 
very  seriously    replied :     "It  is  to  save  some    lady  just  such  thoughts  as 
t.hose,  that  I  have  determined  never  to  marry."     In  spite  of  this  deter- 
mination,   however,  and  in  ^pite  of  his  physical   infirmities,   he  proved 
susceptible  in  after  years    to  the   charms  of  the   fair  sex.     In    the  latter 
part  of  1852  Kane  became  acquainted  with  the  celebrated  Margaret  Fox, 
whose  name  has    long  been  familiar    in   connection  with  the    "spiritual 
manifestations"  which  were  such  a  source  of  wonder  and  scientific  (-om- 
ment  at  the  time.     Although  she  was  but  a  very  young  girl  at  the  time 


"---■  JEHXaiSjJSIL^HilfitiiiSiialLy 


^tSS^SS^^mtm^MmemmM^iMtmi-iMami^^^. 


CAVr/C/SA/S. 


ished  scientist 

0  have  been, 
frica,  most  of 
,  the  extrein- 
their  intcrcst- 
ant  and  well- 
n  his  Moral 
Izve  because 

iving  quoted 
the  soul  over 
died  truly  in 
les  when  ris- 

e  up  to  the 
ly  to  do.     It 

ted  with  his 
is  biography 

1  early  man- 
e  day  goiiij^ 
physician  to 
er,  wiio  had 
r  physician, 
ed  must  be 
isting  speci- 
/hich  Kane 
thoughts  as 

■  this  deter- 
he  proved 
1  the  hilter 
irgaret  Fox, 
e  "spiritual 
entitle  cam- 
at  the  time 


487 


he  first  met  her,  he  fell  in  love  with  her  at  first  sight,  and  resolved  to 
win  and  marry  her.  The  remainder  of  his  life  was  crowded  full  of  af- 
fection and  brotherly  tenderness.  Probably  a  more  devoted  couple  never 
l.cca,ne  engaged  than  these  two,  though  circumstances  were  against  the 
unalloyed  and  unbroken  enjoyment  of  each  other's  society. 

The  necessity  compelling  the  Doctor's  continued  absence  as   well  as 
the  precarious  condition  of  his  health,  prevented  their  marriage  for  many 
years;  but  this  separation  resulted   in   a    rich    legacy    of  correspondence 
winch  nuhcates  more  clearly  than  any  other  circumstance  could  do  the 
sincere,  pure,  noble  character  of  the  affection  of  each  toward   the  other. 
They  were  at  last  married  a  short  time  before   his  death,  but  the  affair 
wr.„  so  quietly  conducted,  that  many  for  a  time  doubted   its   reality,  and 
thus  placed  the  unhappy  widow  in  a  most   undesirable  light  before  the 
world.     It  was  partly  for  the  purpose  of  vindicating  her  own  purity  and 
that  of  lier  sainted  dead  that  she  afterwanl  allowed   his  correspondence 
to  be  published.     His  letters  reveal  a  depth   a.id   warmth   and   steadfast- 
ncss  of  affection,  which  is  rarely  if  ever  excelled.     No  aspect  of  a   man's 
life  so  thoroughly  reveals  his  character  as  the  relatio.i  which  he  holds  to 
the  object    of  his  affections,  and  for  the  same  reason,  in  no  way  does  the 
public  come  so  close  to  a  man's  inner  life  as  in  the  correspondence  grow- 
ing  out  of  such  relation.     Thus  if  there  had  ever  been   any  doubt  of  the 
sincerity  and  purity  of  Dr.  Kane,  or  her  whom  he  honored  with  the  best 
love  of  his  life,  it  surely  was  dispelled  upon  presenting  to  the  public  eye 
the  correspondence  of  his  private  life. 

Few  distinguished  persons  escape  entnely  the  attacks  of  calumniators, 
and  we  find  tliat  our  hero  was  no  exception.  In  his  voyage  to  the  Arctic' 
regions,  certain  dilhculties  in  government  of  the  crew  arose,  the  particu- 
lars r,r  which  will  appear  in  their  proper  place.  We  refer  to  them  here 
fortlie  purpose  of  showing  in  what  way  the  charges  of  injustice  brought 
against  him,  as  the  commanding  officer,  had  been  refuted.  His  course 
on  one  of  the  occasions  referred  to  was  stron:,:/  condemned  after  his 
return  hy  certain  persons,  who,  not  knowing  the  circumstances,  and 
hen.-  nat.n-al  and  chronic  croakers,  felt  called  upon  to  express  a  gra- 
tuitous opinion  ui  on  the  subject.     A  letter  from  VVm.  Morton,  one  of'the 


I 


Wl 
1'.-^ 


4S8 


VI N Die  A  riON. 


crew,  and  a  penetrating,  sagacious  man,  fully  vindicates  the  action  of  the 
Doctor  in  each  of  the  difficulties  which  arose.  Mutinies  were  not  totally 
unlooked  for  in  such  a  time  and  under  such  circumstances  as  an  Arctic 
famine  suggests;  and  if  measures  which  seemed  extreme  were  resorted 
to,  it  seems  that  tlie  Doctor  should  receive  praise  for  exercising  prompt- 
ness and  hravery,  instead  of  pursuing  a  course  which  would  have  resultcci 
in  the  disaffection  of  the  whole  party.  His  fame  and  name  are  too 
thoroughly  established  to  need  exculpation  now.  The  circumstances  of 
his  last  days  and  of  his  death  may  be  best  given  after  the  narration  of 
the  .adventures  whose  daring  and  danger  have  chiefly  given  him 
celebrity. 


II, 


( 


'li- 
ft 1 


'I  .-If 


l-4l!^|- 


VU'>  ,ti^'  cr\\ 


,  em  jii 


;■;.!!'■ 


i  ■ 

i"  > 

I  ' 
i       ' 

■ " 

I' 


i 

in. 


i 


ip. 


CHAPTER    LV. 


TUKOHV    OK    KANK  _  THE     PO.K    OK    OUEATKST    COLD  -  „rs    APPOINT, 
MENT     AND     INSTRUCTIONS  -  „is     PLAN  -  ix     MELVILLE     BAV -, 

smith's      sound — GKEAT     PERIL  —  Pv-rup-ivrT:.      t«^ 

^^^>      i-iiKii.  —  EXTREME      LATITUDE THE 

ADVANCE    AT    ANCHOR, 

To  resume  the  broken  thread.     Upon  the  return  of  the  first  Grinnell 
Exped.t.on,  the  adventures  of  the  voyage  were  fully  set  forth  in  a  large 
volume  by  Dr.  Kane,  the  observer  and  historian  of  the  party.       He,  him- 
self,  meanwhile,  had  acquired  opinions  of  his  ow>i  upon  the  subject  of 
Franklin's  discovery,  and  the  existenceof  an  open  Polar  Sea.   This  opinion 
was  merely  a  confirmation  of  his  previous  judgment,  although  hitherto 
unannounced.    The  extensiveness  of  his  previous  researches  being  well 
known,  he  was  invited   upon   his   return,  to  deliver  a  lecture  before  the 
American  Geographical  Society,  announcing  his  views  and  the  grounds 
for  them.      He  referred  in  his  lectu-  o  to  the  fact  now  generally  known, 
that  the  pole  of  maximum  cold  is  not  identical  with  the  North  Pole.     He 
showed  that  there  are  two  poles  of  extreme  cold,  one  for  each  hemi- 
sphere-one in  Asia  and  the  other  in  America;  and  that  each  is  on  the 
Soth  parallel.      He  further  observed  that  the  mean  temperature  of  the 
American  Pole  is  several  degrees  lower  than  that  of  the  Asiatic  Pole- 
being  31^°. 

Extended  thought  and  observation  had  led  him  to  believe  that  about 
this  pole  was  an  annnlus,  as  it  were,  or  ring  of  land,  of  comparatively 
m.kl  temperature,  surrounding  an  open  polar  sea,  which  presumably  cov- 
ered the  northern  terminus  of  the  earth's  axis.  This  opinion,  shared  also 
i'y  other  eminent  men,  was  founded  upon  several  significant  facts,  amono- 
which  was  that  just  mentioned,  of  the  poles  of  maximum  cold,  600  miles 
^outh  of  the  North  Pole.  Again,  to  the  north  of  the  furthest  point  of 
penetration  liad  been  seen  abimdant  "  frost  smoke,"  always  indicative  of 

489 


1^       i 


400 


WSTRUCTJUNS. 


a  milder  climate,  and  highly  suggestive  of  open  water.  Besides  this,  it 
had  been  remarked  both  by  Lieut.  De  Haven  and  many  others  that,  as 
the  North  Pole  was  approached,  the  evidences  of  animal  life  increased. 
This,  again,  suggested  vegetable  life  as  the  ultimate  means  of  subsistence. 
Certain  facts  regarding  the  currents  and  winds  as  observed  by  Lieut. 
Dellaven,  were  pertinent  to  the  subject  in  hand.  He  announced  further  as 
his  opinion  that  Franklin  had  sought  and  found  this  supposed  open  polar 
sea,  and  that,  if  found  dead  or  alive,  it  would  probably  be  upon  the  limits 
of  this  hitherto  undiscovered  water. 

Whether  the  views  of  Kane  upon  these  subjects  were  coincided  with 
or  not,  he  was  seen  by  all  who  heard  and  knew  him  to  be  a  person  emi- 
nently  fitted  to  conduct  an  expedition  to  the  Arctic  regions,  whether  for 
the  purpose  of  finding  Sir  John  Franklin  or  for  purposes  of  scientific  in- 
vestigation.  He  possessed  skill,  bravery,  experience,  and  great  scientific 
knowledge,  all  of  which  were  qualities  essential  in  the  trying  scenes  im- 
plied in  an  Arctic  voyage. 

Accordingly,  in   December,   1852,  Dr.    Kane  received   the  following 
cormal  message  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy : 

"  Nov.  27,  1852. 
Sir; -Lady  Franklin  having  urged  you  to  undertake  a  search  for  her  husband  and 
his  companions,  and  a  vessel,  the  Advance,  having  been  placed  at  your  disposition  by 
Mr.  Grinnell,  you  are  hereby  assigned  to  special  duty,  lor  the  purpose  of  conducting 
an  overland  journey  from  the  upper  waters  of  Baffin's  Bay  to  the  shores  of  the  Polar 
seas. 

«  Relying  upon  your  zeal  and  discretion,  the  Department  sends  you  forth  upon  an 
undertaking  which  will  be  attended  with  great  peril  and  exposure.  Trusting  tliat  you 
will  be  sustained  by  the  laudable  object  in  view,  and  wishing  you  success^ind  ;i  safe 
return  to  your  friends,  I  am  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

"John  P.  Kennedy 

He  was  also  formally  directed  to  give  his  "attention  to  scientillc  in- 
quiry;" and  "to  transmit  to  the  Department  when  opportunities  alfonial, 
reports  of  his  progress,  and  the  results  of  the  search."  To  the  enter- 
prise in  hand  contributions  were  also  received  from  Mr.  George  Pea- 
body,  noted  for  his  generosity  to  the  London  poor.  Various  scientific 
institutions  aided  in  furnishing  the  expedition  with  suitable  instruments 


rnKmnfrnm'.'-H- 


PLAN   OUTLINED. 

491 

an,l  other  arHcles  uncful  f„  ,he  .xpc.li.ion.     To,,  officers  „„„  ™c„  «re 
.•..,lo<l  l.y  .l,e  U„„c,l   Sea.e,  Goven„„c„.  ,o  ,.cco™p„,„  .he  par.,,  Z 
,  >»c,  w,.h  seven  o.hers  spcei„,l,  chose,  for  .he  occasion,  ^nnpletll  .he 
*,,»  crew.     They  were  no.  nnder  ,he  laws  whici,  .overn  .he   Uni.ed 
S..-,.c,  N„vy,  h„.  .hey  had  e.cellen.   ,.„,es  and   ,c,ula.io„s,  which  wee 
„g,dly  „,lhercd  .o  throughout  all  the  exigencies  of  the  jou,-„ey.     These 
were,  nvnnly,  .„  be  in  comple.e  snhordina.ion  to  .he  officer  in  command 
..H,„  ,.epresc,,.at,v-e,  to  nse  spirituous  li.,uors   only  when  .lispenscd  by 
hespecal  order  of  the  com,na„ding  officer;  and  to  abstain   habitually 
from  profane  lanyua<^e.  •' 

Kane's  plan  had  been  ou.liued  in  his  address  before   .he  American 
Gc„»raph,cal  Soce.y;  and  was  based  upon  .he  .heory  that  .he  northern 
pa,    .,.  Green  and  probably  forme.l  par,  of  .he  annulus  which  has  b'een 
spoke,,  of  as  theoretically  surrounding  the  Pole.     His  general  plan  then 
was  to  pass  up  Baffin's   Hay  to  the   highes.  a.tainahle  point,  a„d  then' 
p,essn,g  on  toward  the  Pole  as  far  as  boats  or  sledges  could  carrv  them 
c..a,n.„c  the  coast  line  for  vestiges  of  the   missing  partv.     It  w;s  with 
reference  to  th,s  plan  that  their  si,nple  e<,uip,ncn.  was  ;hosen.     It  con. 
».ste,l  of  a  ..uantity  of  rough  boanls  to  serve  for  housing  over  the  vessel 
.lanng  the  vnnter,  a  few  s,„all  tents,  and   scve,,,l    carefully  built  sledge, 
Leavmg  New  Yorl.  on  the  30.h  of  May,  ,853.  .he  ship,  in  eigh.^ceu 
ays,  h.ad    reached  Newfoundlan.l,  where  .hey  ,eceived  a   .earn  oHar.e 
ogsfro,n,he  governor  of  .he  province;    an.l   p,oceedi„g,  wi.hou.  ind. 
en.  ..ached   .he  harbor  of  Fisker,„c.,  on  the  coast  of  G,.ee„la„d,  July 
.^.     Here,  understanding  .ha.  bo.h  the  par.y  and  .he  dogs  wouki   re- 
<iu,re  tresh  ,„ea.,  and  knowing  ,ha.  a  skilled  hand  f.n-  .his  service  would 
l.e  accessa,,.,  an    Esquimaux  boy  of  nine.ee,,,  nan,e<l    Hans  Christian 
was  secured  tor  triffing  wages,  and  a  pre.nium  of  bread  and  meat  for  his' 
mot  e,.      I  Ins  boy  heca,ne  very  useful  to  the   party,  both  as  caterer  to 
".<■  .ioj-'s,  and  as  it  came  to  pass,  to  the  pa,ty  also.     Thus  the  expedition 
P-oec,  ed    up   .he  coas.,  s.opping,  ,,s  ,.    ,n„„er  „f  course,  a.  .he  various 
ports,     r„ven,   Lievely,  and   Upernavik,  to   procure  .logs  and   cl.,thin., 
n..c,.ab,,sh  a  t,.ie..|ly  feeling  among  the  natives   and    resident    DancT 
<«»»!.'  on  a,nong   the  ,langer.,ns  fogs  and   shoals,    Melville    Bay    was 


'i! 


li. 


409 


A    GALE. 


'  ii  ;■ 


?S  i  > 


reached,  and  preparations  were  made  to  strike  out  to  the  northwanl  juid 
Smith's  Sound. 

After  entorint,'  Smith's  Sound  Kane  deposited  several  caches  and 
erected  several  cairns  for  the  double  purp.^se  of  supplyin-  them  with 
food  if  obli-ed  to  traverse  that  way  again,  and  of  guiding  any  who 
might  follow  on  thei.  track.  Throughout  all  the  journey  up  this  pas- 
sage the  brig  was  in  the  most  imminent  peril.  On  one  occasion  the  vesvci 
■was  moored  to  an  iceberg  for  the  night,  and  was  supposed  to  be  in  a  ,,0. 
sition  of  safety,  when  suddenly  the  water  about  them  began  to  be  coy- 
ered  with  pieces  of  ice  as  large  as  a  walnut,  and  larger.  There  was 
barely  time  to  put  ofF  from  the  berg  before  it  fell  to  atoms  with  a  ciasli, 
lashing  the  ocean  into  foam  for  many  yards  about.  Thus  capricious  did 
they  find  the  ice  of  Smith's  Sound. 

Working  their  way  up  with  difficulty,  they  had  reached,  on  August 
19,  the  extreme  latitude  of  78°.     Here  an  event  occurre.l   which  modi- 
fied  effectually  their  whole   future  journey.      Indications  of  a  gale  ap- 
proaching  induced  the  commander  to  moor  the  ship  as  securely  as  possi- 
ble, and  await  the  result.     Three  strong  cables  were   employed   in   this 
service,  and  it  was  hoped   that  by  thus  apparently  fastening,  danger  or 
disaster,  at  least,  might  be  averted.     The  gale  arose,  until  the  second  day 
the  straining  of  the  cables  was  intense.     The  six- inch  hawser,  the  whale- 
line,  and    the   ten-inch    manila   successively  jDarted,   with   reports    like 
musketry,  leaving  the  vessel  and  lier  imperiled  crew  to  the  mercy  of  the 
wind  and  the  floating  ice.     For  reasons  given  before,  and   sufficiently 
obvious,  we  quote  the  scene  in  Dr.  Kane's  own  graphic  language: 

«  Ahead  of  us,  farther  to  the  north,  we  could  see  the  strait  still  grow- 
ing narrower,  and  the  heavy  ice-tables  grinding  up  and  clogging  U  be- 
tween the  shore-cliffs  on  one  side  and  the  ledge  on  the  oth^r.  There 
was  but  one  thing  left  for  us:  To  keep  in  some  sort  the  command  of  the 
helm,  by  going  freely  where  we  must  otherwise  be  driven.  We  allowed 
her  to  scud  under  a  reefed  fore  topsail;  all  hands  waiting  the  enemy,  as 
we  closed,  in  silence. 

"  At  seven  in  the  morning  we  were  close  onto  the  piling  masses. 
Wo  dropped   the  heaviest  anchor  with  the  desperate  hope  of  winding 


orthward  and 


SAVED   Br  AN  ICEBERG  493 

the  l.rig;  but  there  was  no  withstanding  the  ice  torrent  which  followed 
us.  VVc  had  only  time  to  fasten  a  spar  as  a  buoy  to  the  chain,  and  let 
her  slip.     So  went  our  best  bower. 

"Down  we  went  upon  the  -ale  aj,^nn,  helplessly  scrapinj-  alon-  a  lee 
of  ice  seldom  less  than  thirty  feet  thick;  one  floe  measured,  by  a  line  as 
we  trie.1  to  fasten  to  it,  more  than  forty.  I  had  seen  such  ice  on  nee 
before,  and  never  in  such  rapid  motio.,.  One  upturne.l  mass  rose  above 
our  -unwalc,  smashin-  in  our  bulwarks,  and  depositing  half  a  ton  in  a 
lump  upon  our  decks.  Our  little  brig  bore  herself,  through  all  this  wild 
adventure,  as  if  she  had  a  charmed  life. 

"  Hut  a  nos^  enemy  came  in  sight.      Directly  in  our  way,  just  beyond 
the    line    of   floe-ice   against   whicii    we     were   alternately   sliding    and 
thumping,  was  a  group  of  huge  bergs.    We  had  no  power  to  avoid  them ; 
the  only  question  was  whether  we  were  to   be  dashed   in   pieces  against 
them,  or  whether  they  might  not  offer  us  some  protection  from  the  storm. 
Hut  as  we  neared  them  we  perreive.l   that   they  were   at   some  distance 
from  the  floe's  edge,  and  separated  from    it   by  an  interval  of  floe  water. 
Our  hopes  rose,  and  the  gale  drove  us  toward  the   passage    and    into  it; 
and  we  were  ready  to  exult,  when,  from  some  unexplai.ied  cause,  proba-' 
bly  from  an  eddy  of  the   wind   against   the   lofty  ice  walls,  we   lost   our 
hoadwa)^     Almost  at  the  same  moment  we  saw  that  the  bergs  were  not 
at  rest;  that,  with  a  momentum  of  their  own,  they  were  beaming   down 
upon  the  other  ice,  and  that  we  were  fated   to  be   crushed   between  the 
two. 

"Just  tlicn  a  broad  sconcepiece,  or  low,  water- washed  berg,  came 
chiving  up  from  the  southward.  The  thought  flashed  upon  me  of  one  of 
<.i.r  escapes  in  Melville  Bay;  and  as  the  sconce  moved  rapidly  alongside 
of  us,  McGary  managed  to  plant  an  anchor  on  its  slope,  and  hold'onto 
It  hy  a  whale  line.  It  was  an  anxious  moment.  Our  noble  tow-norse, 
whiter  than  the  pale  horse  that  seemed  to  be  pursuing  us,  hauled  us 
l"avely  on,  the  spray  dashing  over  his  windward  flanks,  and  his  fore- 
iiead  tearing  up  the  lesser  ice  as  if  in  scorn.  The  bergs  encroached  upon 
us  as  we  advanced;  our  channel  narrowed    to  a  width  r 


Ifct;  we  braced  the  yards  to  clear  the  impend 


>erhaps  forty 


mpendmg  ice  wall. 


404 


HEROIC  ra.vnucT. 


^^^•  passed  cU-ar,  hut  it  was  a  rinse  sl.avi>_s.>  close  thi,l  ,„„■  port  waler 
Ix.af  w.Mil.l  have  lu-en  rnishe.!  I,,,.|  w.  n..l  taken  il  funn  the  .lavits  -  ai„| 
r....n.l  .....selves  u.uler  ll..  lee  uf  ;,  1,,..-  i„  .  r..,npa.-ativcly  „pet,  lea.l. 
Ncve.-.li.j  l.ea.t-l.ie.l  men   aek..uule.l-e  with  more  ^rrafit.i.le   theii- ,nei' 

iif..!  <leliveiaiicc  fioni  a  wictche.l  death." 

'Ph..s  the  .lai-rativc  eontinucs;  a  lo„-  .„„|  ihriHi,,.  ;,ceou„t  ..r,K„,ow 

escapes  (.•..m  heiii.i,-  cnishe.l  in  ihe  m.Mi.ilaiiis  ..fire.      Kane  i^n.es  on; 

"  Dinin.^r  the  whole  of  the  scenes    1  l,.;ve  heen  .lesc.-il,inr,  I    ,,.„"u  „„, 

help  hoin^r  struck  hy  the  co.nposcd  n.ui  manly  demeanor  of  ,ny  cnuado. 

The  turmoil  of  ice  under  a  heavy  sea  ollen  conveys  the  impression  of  (In.,- 


smitii'h  sound. 

ger  when  the  reality  is  absent;  but  in  this  fearful  passa-e,  the  pa.iinjr  of 
our  hawsers,  the  loss  of  o.,r  a..cl.o.-s,  the  a],r..pt  en.shi.i-  of  o..r  stovon 
bulwarks,  a.Kl  the  actual  .leposit  of  ice  npo.,  o.,.-  ,|ecks,  would   have  tried 
the  nerves  of  the  nio-it  experienced  ice  man." 

It  must  not  he  supposed  that  durinj,^  all  this  terrific  scene  no  ed^.i-ts 
we.-e  put  fo,-th  hy  the  men  to  a.ichor  the  h.-i^r  .,nd  ave.t  the  hazard  of  the 
perilous  ice-st.-ait.  Repeated  efforts  were  made  to  ..-apple  the  passi.,-,. 
ice-hlocks,  an<l  in  SL.ch  elFort^  four  of  the  crew  became  sepa.-ated  f.-om  the 
brijr  and  had  to  he  .-escued  in  .  ^oa-  afto  the  .jale  subsided.  Mr.  Ro.i- 
sall,  one  of  the  ice-.nastcs,  .v.  ...  h.  u,<r  crushe<l  by  a  pe.ilo..s  leap  to  a 
floating  f,-.agmen^,  and  like  iniiv^.idity  was  exhibite.l  ....  ail  hands. 


THACKlNii 


Tlic-  gallant  litlli'lu-ijrjiowc 


iiitiiM'.iiriiiniilatioiis  of  ice  :i|„,ii|    |,er  1 


viT,  was  not  yet  nut  ofd 


405 


},mIis  iK'^'iiii,  to  (lie  honor  of  il 

ill  wIkwc  Ice  she  had  laiidi-d.     As  hI 


•,  I'onii   OM  l<'thcnnr»hhy(hrrisiii.. 
\^^  i-rcw,  t..  force  her  s,,.u,re  over  the  hcr^ 


impelled   l)y  the   treineiid 


If  rose  slowly  on  its  riijr^rcd  surf 


ace. 


SI 


iispeiise  as  t(.llie  result  hecaine  op| 
ii'ldtii  and  severe  than  th 


">us   inoinen.uin  of  the  inovinf;  floe  hchind,  th. 


Hc'ssivi!.      Soinclimcs 


a  s 


I"  |itt(i|»ilalo  cifw  aiiit  all  iiilu  || 


«•  resl  w„„l,l  I,,,,,  h„,.  „„  ^^,  ,j,|     ,^^^^1 


hock 


inorr 


tlirealL-n 


,      ,  ,,...,  "■  "'•"■■"""K  '■li'«'«  "f  ice  a.Kl  water.     As 

,l„  ,lc,.c„  c,    ,.,  w,„,lwa,,l  .l„pc  a,„l  ,,uic,ly  ,«.k  he  „,,,,   „„,„    ,  ,„^. 

..,U.n  ,„hh,,h,  .h„  ....ci,c„K.,»  „r,hc  c„ ,„,,„,  ,,,  ,.,,„„  ^,,,^,^ 

llun  ,ulamal,„.i»i  Ihcy  wire.  l„„  ihanktnl  1„  s|x- ,k 

.cncly  .,.  cn,l  .ho  pcn,.l  ,„  ,■„,«;,.„  „,„,,,,„,„  „p„„  „^^.  ^,^,^_^^__^^^ 
Ccnh,,       A.  s,.„„  a,  p,„,i,,u,  „„„„,.,  ,„  ,„,„,,  ,„,,^  ,^,^,_,  ^^^,  _^    J^_ 
la.c  a  ,1     haraccl  hkc  mule,  „„  a  ca„al."  p,,.coc,lc,l  hy  ..  ,.,ck "  c„ 

.a.  ,l,c  vessel  .owanl  a  place  of  s„pp„,c,l  safe.y.       Arte,  p,.,.e„h,„.  i,. 
""  ";''■  ""■;,",""-■  ""'7'  ^'   !>"'■"  -^-    --■'■"'  wh-e  a.    leas,  .empo^.-y 

lo  I.K.k  ahout  Ihoni  an,l  plan  foi-  ihc  r„t,nc. 

They  ha,l   „ow  aUaincI  a  la.i.u.le  of  n'early  75O,  ,„|„,,  r,„,„^ „, 

»aa,,yo,    he,,.pre,le,esso.excep.  .an,. ,,  ..„„p  „,.  f„„  „„  „, 

.«l.™    "  Sp.  .he,.,e.,.     This  e,e,ne,u  of  success  a.  leas.,  was  theirs. 

I  -  1...M  oo,„,„a,.,ler  was  hanlly  sa,islie.l  ,„  p,„  „,  „,„,.,  „.,„„,„ 
Is.  a„a„„„«  a  more  uorthe,,,  p„i„.,  ,.,.,„„„„  ,^  „„,  ,,^,^ 
».™s  were   heeomi,,,  „.<„..„„  .h„  ,,rowi„«  severity  of  .he   weather 
•1  "I  -  wl>a.  they  ha.,  already  passc.1  th„,u,h,  was  he,i.,„i„,  to  tell 
-  ^N--,,  eaec.  upo,.   officers  an.,  crew.     A  g-nerous  re.ar,,  for  t, 
^d,„,sa„,|  „      ,o„s  of  his  officers  le„  Kane  .0  consul,  with  then,  „pon 
Ihe  ,„es,.„n  of  .„en-   fn.ure  acion.     All,  with  one  excep.ion,    were  of 

-less.     D  .  Kane,  however,  nrsci    npon  .hen,  .he  neccssi.y  of 
.  .n,apo,n.fr„„,  which  i.  wonl.l  he  eonvenien.    a.  leas.  .„  .HspLh 
^1"    -,part,es,an„  proposed  to  proceed  hy  warping,  un.M  snch  alee 
'"  ''■  »'"™'  "'•     T"  thisal,  agreed,  and  entered  heanily  i.,,1^^ 


I 


480 


THE  FORLORN  HOPE. 


work  of  conveying  the  vessel  to  a  desirable  harbor.  After  making  a 
few  miles  by  availing  themselves  of  wind  and  tide  and  lever,  a  bay  was 
reached.  Here  Dr.  Kane  determined  to  leave  the  vessel  until  he  siiould 
explore  the  northern  region  in  a  boat  and  determine  the  practicability  of 
further  advance  with  their  woll-tried  brig.  Fitting  out  a  boat  with  the 
suggestive  name  of  the  Forlorn  Hope,  the  commander,  with  seven 
trusty  and  able  men,  started  on  the  29th  on  their  tour  of  investigation. 


ARCTIC  AQUATICS. 


After  making  a 
lever,  a  ba}'  was 
until  he  should 
:  practicability  of 
:  a  boat  with  the 
ider,  with  seven 
investigation. 


CHAPTER   LVI. 


KA.K  .KAO.  .  BOAT  AKO  S.KOOK  KXPK.ZTXO.  _  A  C.KKN.AN. 
KIVEH-THE  KIGHTZETU  PAHAI.I.EI._«XHE  SAME  ,^./^^^^^^^" 
HEK     SXX..»_PHEPAaAX.O.S    .OK    WZ.."       r^r  ^"^^^"^^^ 

T:0X-„A.S,    the    HU.TEU-KETUHrr     A  '""'^- 

KJliURN     OI-       A      WARM     FRIK.VD 

A     PREUMINARV     SURVEV_il«,     „„„ 

'^^^'■ECTED     RETURN-     KANr 
SAVES    THE    PARTY.  KANE 

Passing  o„  through  the  narrow  strait  opening  in  front  „f  ,1,        .u 
little  part,  was  able  by  breaking  the  yo„„!  iee  w   ich  k    "  "'    '' 

f.rming,  to  n,„ke  about  seven  Jles  o,f  the  tir  rdav      Col         ,"'"':'' 
the  necessities  of  this  <loubtf„l    n,vi     ,•  ^"'''"^-     CoW  ami  wet  from 

IS  aoubtlul    navigation,  night  was  eagerly  welcomed 
T    e,.ty.o„r  hon..  absence  from  .he  ship  brought  t,.;  to  the    nT  ^ 
then     oating      The  ice-paek  had  closed  with  the  belt,  and  was  thu    o 
ones,  e  and  ,„  front  of  them,  while  on  the    other  side  was  the  ice 
R.r    s  ore       Advance    with    the  boat  was  impossible.      The  of, J 
-Xe    sledge  was  therefore  taken  out  and  set  up,  and   the  boa. Tl  W 
owed  away  m  a  convenient    gorge.     The  sledge  w.as  now  laden  wi 
r«v  necessaries,  aiid  the   march  again  proceeded.     Interes.in,  il 
were  take,,  of  the  typography  and  glacial  appearance  of  the  „.:=       e 

haste  ,„  make   ,,„„„,,,  „„,  ,,„  the      I  " 

c'cd    oil   foMfr      Tu  .     .     ,  .  Sledge   and  nro- 

-I    on  foot.     The    undesirable   feature   of  this   method  was   th.t   n->t 
enough  food  could  be  carried      Thciv--,         •,       r.  '' ^"''^   "-^* 

WIS  th;,H  fl  ,  'iv-ugc  weight  of  the  men's  burden 

W..S  thu  ty.hve  pounds,  including  a  quantity  of  pemmican  and  one  buffalo 


j.v' 


498 


A   GREENLAND  RIVER. 


robe  apiece,  and  even  this  was  found  to  weigh  tiie.n  down.  It  was 
found,  however,  that  greater  progress  could  be  made  in  this  way  than 
with  the  whole  outfit,  and  one  day  they  succeeded  in  making  twenty-foi.r 
miles, 

A  river  was  at  last  reached  which  emptied  into  a  large  bay,  and  was 
presumed  by  Kane  to  be  the  largest  river  of  North  Greenland. 

"Here,"  says  Kane,  "protected  from  the  Host  by  the  infiltration  ,.f 
the  melted  snows,  and  fostered  by  the  reverberations  of  solar  heat  from 
the  rocks,  we  met  a  flower-growtli,  which,  though  drearily  Arctic  in  its 


GLACIER  SEEN   BY   KANE. 

type,  was  rich  in  variety  and  coloring.  Amid  festuca  and  other  tufted 
grasses  twinkled  the  purple  lychnis  and  the  white  star  of  the  chick- 
weed,  and  not  without  its  pleasing  associations,  I  recognized  a  single 
hesperis,  the  Arctic  representative  of  the  wall-flowers  of  home." 

After  reaching  a  rocky  headland  which  overlooked  a  wide  expanse 
extendi.ig  far  beyond  the  Soth  parallel,  this  was  made  the  final  point  of 
reconnoissance,  and  the  party  proceeded  back  to  the  brig.  Kane  an- 
nounceci  to  tlie  waiting  men  that  he  had  discovered  no  spot  better  suited 
l^^r  winter   qtuaters   ll,a:,   the   bay  in  which  the   brig  was  now  anchored, 


AN  ARCTIC  OBSEIiVATORr.  ^ 

..Ki  gave  instruction,  t„  tow  her  between  two  ,™.,l  island.    Here,  then 
she  v,.„  anchored  „n„.i,t  the  ice;  destined  to  be  her  resting.  p,ac    f„     .' 
lung  „me  mdeed,  for  -  the  san.e  ice  surrounds  her  still  " 

The  little  party  in   Rensselaer  Harbor,  as  their  ritreat  was   called 
now  found  w,„.er  rapidi,  approaching.     The  old  ieo  was  soon  so    ™w 
ce,  en te    n,    the  bay  by  that   which    was  newly  for,ned,  that  it  w™  I 
.oa,  sledg,.,,  part.es  which  ccasted  out  around  the   brig  fronr    ti,.e 
■nc.     Much  was  to  be  done,  and  done  a.  once;  for  the  s  n  could    o 
..open  ed  on  ,n„ch  longer.     The  ..ountaln  range  to  the  south  would  o 
cnehnn  two  weeks  before   his  -guLar  .i.e  for  disappearal      tI 

......ugh  Channel  wi:^iu:trtXt::;:r^r 

^no calling'distanec  o     h  7  n     T  "''"'T  "  '""  °"  '"^ 

n  sic,l„cs.     ,  here  rcmamed,  moreover,  to  plan  and  estab 
I.     ,.™„,o„  depots  for  the  convenience  and  safety  of  eMorinl  p    . 
-  .1.  y  should  now  and  then  be  sent  into  the  interior.     The  food  to    e 
deposited    II  these  nl-ir-„.  ,„.,.    \-a  .  *  "c  loou  to  tie 

u ',  I,  f  "^  pcmmican,  and  .as  little  or  no  game 

i  been  se™  ,n  S,nit,.-,,  Sound,  it  was  necessary  to  freshen  their  sa, 
I   "— .wh,ch,n,  tlK.ir  isolated   condition  and   tendency  to  sc     b    1 

:::r,;T:' "°'  f '-  ""=•  "^--^^^^ » ^-'^  --  '-^^  h  ' : 

I  by     nngswere  brought  successively  to  receive  the  freshening 

r  "'"-  """'"■■"•"■>'  --  ''"ly  '=q"il>l«l  with  its  magnetometer  and  di^ 
instruments.     The  trinsi>  .,n,l  f  i  '-lumcier  and  clip 

l.ro|.er     The  ,1 ,  '"=  ""'■■  "'J'""-'''  '"  ""^  o^ervatory 

cal      ;erv  '  '"r  ""  "'"""  ""  '""  ■"^■"■'  -"  "-  -'-roloi 

I.CIOW     r    ;:    n      "'"'""'""'°"'  •^"'  -'-"  "-y  -licated  ,o»  or  50= 
-ro,  the  mere  approach  of  an  observer  would  cause  a  change 


500 


HA  VAGES   OF  BEARS. 


One  of  them  coiikl  be  read  to  the  tentli  of  a  degree.  So  the  prepan,- 
tions  for  the  winter's  observations  went  on,  as  the  sun  in  his  daily  cir- 
ouit  sank  lower  and  lower. 

In  the  meantime,  a  depot  party  had  been   sent  out,  with  several  hun- 
dred  pounds  of  pemmican    to  deposit  in   three  places.     This  party  de- 
parted on   the  3oth  of  September,  and  did  not  return  for   twenty-eight 
days.     During  their  absence  several   curious  and    nearly  dangerous  inci- 
dents occurred  to  the   litde  party  remaining  at  the  brig.     For  some  time 
the    hold  had   been   seriously  troubled   with    rats.     An   attempt  to  burn 
them  out   with  a  delectable   compound  of  brimstone,  arsenic  and  burnt 
leather  had  failed,  and  it  was  determined  to   asphyxiate  them  with  car- 
bonic  acid   gas.     A  quantity  of  charcoal  was    burned    below,  and    the 
hatches  securely  closed.    The  cook  with  unfortunate  temerity  stole  below 
to  attend  to  cuisine  duties,  and  was  hauled  forth  from  the  deadly  element 
more  dead  than  alive.     About  the  same  time.  Dr.  Kane,  suspecting  that 
something  below  was  on  fire,  went  down,  and   he,  too,  was  forciWy  ex- 
tricated from  death   by  suffocation.     The   fire   proved  to  be  on  the  deck, 
and  was  only  quenched  with  the  greatest  difficulty.     Several  days  after  a' 
dog  was  observed  to  have  symptoms  of  hydrophobia,  and  was  quickly 
dispatche.1  by  a  rifle.     This  circumstance  suggested  a  horrible  danger  not 
before  thought  of. 

On  the  iSth  of  October  tho  exploring  party  returned  and  gave  a  full 
report  of  their  proceedings.  They  had  with  great  pains,  and  often  with 
great  difficulty,  executed  the  commission  upon  which  they  had  been  sent. 
Their  chief  care  was  to  leave  the  provisions  in  suitable  places,  and  to 
secure  them  from  the  invasions  of  the  polar  bear,  which  is  very  pene- 
trating and  sagacious,  and  generall}-  destroys  what  stores  of  this  kind  he 
does  not  consume.  In  spite  of  their  care  in  this  regard,  they  found  on 
returning  along  their  track  that  one  of  their  caches  was  almost  com- 
pletely demolished.  They  had  been  wet  to  the  skin,  and  exposed  to  the 
greatest  peril  from  cracking  glaciers,  and  from  the  extreme  cold. 

The  sun  at  last  disappeared,  and  the  intense  cold  of  an  Arctic  winter 
came  on.  Some  of  the  problems  and  difficulties  presenting  themselves 
in  tills  frigid  solitude,  are  thus  shadowed  by  Kane:  "Fireside  astronomers 


N 


u  rM  litrw  M'*TR|4.ri'f!'lvJ  Tj"*!'-'' 


the  prepam- 
lis   daily  cir- 

several  hun- 
lis  party  dc- 
:wenty-eight 
igerous  inci- 
r  some  time 
mpt  to  burn 
:   and   burnt 
n  with  car- 
'W,  and    the 
stole  below 
dly  element 
Decting  that 
forcibly  ex- 
3n  the  deciv, 
days  after  a 
vas  quickly 
:  danger  not 

gave  a  full 
1  often  with 
d  been  sent, 
ces,  and  to 
very  pene- 
his  kind  he 
'  found  on 
most  coni- 
3sed  to  the 
Id. 

ctic  winter 
themselves 
stronomers 


601 


f  8  f   ■(  * 


■i; 


503 


tNTENUE  COLD. 


can  hardly  realize  the  difficulties  in  the  way  ..f  observations  at  sueh  low 
temperatures.  The  mere  hurnin-  of  the  hand  from  frost  is  obviated  by 
covcrin-  the  metal  with  eha.nois-skin,  but  the  breath  and  even  tl)". 
warmth  of  the  face  and  i,ody,  cover  the  sextant  arc  and  ^dasses  with  •. 
fine  hoar  frost.  Though  I  ha.l  n-,uch  clear  weather,  I  barely  succeeded 
by  magnifiers  in  reading  the  verniers.  It  is,  .noreover,  an  tmusual  feat 
to  measure  a  base-line  in  the  snow  at  fifty  degrees  below  freezing. 

"  The  great  difficulty  is  to  keep  up   a   cheery   tone   among   the   men 
Poor  Hans  has  been  sorely  homesick.      Three  days   ago   he   bundle.l   up 
h.s  clothes  and  took  his  ride  to  hid    us   all    goo.l-bye.      It   turns   out   that 
besides  his  mother  there  is  another  one  of  the   softer  sex   at    Fiskern.cs 
that  the  boy's  heart  is  .Ireaming  of     He  looked  as  wretched  as  any  lover 
of  a  milder  clime.     I  hope  I  have   treated    his    nostalgia  successfullv,  hv 
givmg  him  first  a  dose  of  salts,  and   secon.lly,  pn.m,>tion.      He   now   iia's 
all  the  dignity  of  henchman.      He  harnesses   my   dogs,   builds   my   traps 
and  walks  with  n.e  on  n.y   ice-tramps;  an.l,   except  hunting,  is   excused 
from  all  other  duty.      He  is  really  attached  to  T,u>,  and  as  happy  as   a  fat 
man  ought  to  be." 

The  reader  would  not  care  for  the  details  of  this  somewhat  monoto.ious 
night  and  winter.     The  most  striki.ig  feature  was   the   unexampled  cold 
which  was  experie.iced    about   tiie   ist  of  Februarv.     The    spirit    thrr- 
mometers  indicated  a  temperature     f  67M,elow  zero,  or  99°    below   the 
freezing  point.     "  Spirit  of  naphtha  froze  at-54°,  and  oil   of  sassafras  at 
—49°.     Theoil  ofwintergreen  was   in    a   flocculent   state   at— 56^^    mikI 
solid   at_63°    and-65\"     Every    expedient    was    tried    that    could  he 
thought  of  to  relieve  the   dreary   desolateness   of  the    scene.     Checkers, 
chess,  cards,  a.id  other  games  were  introduced,  and  served  for  a   time  to 
enable  the  crew   to    forget    their    unpleasant    surroundings.     An    Arctic 
newspaper  was  projected  an.l   successfully    managed,   some   of  the   best 
articles  being  from    the    forecastle.     The  vignette   of  this   novel  jotnnal 
was  a  picture  of  a  ship  fast  in  tiie  ice,  an.l  its  motto:  "/«  tcnebris  scrvarc 
fidemr 

But  the   longest   niglit  has  an  end.       The   sun   gave   promise  of  his 
coming  by  crimson  bands  shooting  up  from  the  horizon,  and   -rowin-  in 


liETUHN  OF  SLEDGEns. 

503 

l,,i.h.„»,  „n,l  ,„.„,,!.„,„  „Hh  cad,  «„ecc,,ivo  ,,.  -.      Fobn,,,,,.  I..„„„,« 
.1.™.  ..,„,„.,„,,  ^,  ,„,,„3  „f,,.,  ^„„,.^_  ,,,__,  ^_^^,^     ^^^^  .h.,„  day.  S 

».  ...       T'c.„„b,„o,„,eadcrl„,„„,„  prepare  f.,.„„  c«o„clc,l  .rip  „„ 
Jlo,..os  .„  .,K.  „„,..„        ,  ,„,,,      Of  „,  „„,  ,„,,  „   ^^,^^^„„„    ' 

.^.,|«.na„.  do,,,  „„„  ,i.  ,-.,nai„c.d;.lK.e,c.,sivoo,„., ,  .,,„  ,„„,,„„„ 

":'"    ""'  '""."f ''  ""  '^'--'^ » .ac.i"",  >vhic„,  without  ,lu.  ,„.„., 

-■"".„.,  „,.„    which  ,„o„    a,.e   „„,„   ,„  ,„,„,„„,„  ,„^,,.   ^„     2; 

T.KUy  „vo.o..„„e  .1,...       „„  „  ,„„  „„,^,  „„,  ,,„,,     ^_  .^^^^  ^  • 

.  .iu.  capabd,..,  of  .h„.  po„i„„„f  ,h,.   ,„,,„   ,„„,  „„,^,,    _     J 

II.-  o,„n,„,,  of  ,h..  s„„  wa,   „o.  attcndcl  a,   li,-,.  „;,„   ,„  i,„,,,„^.  ,  ■ 

.-P--„x.       Th,.o,„hc„.    March  a„d   ..Uo,.,he.hcn„o,nctc,.i„  C, 

-i"  ,  ."ak,,„.avd  abroad  da„ge,.o„,s.,.  the  h.e.perienccd   i,.    A  I 

~"""^';  ,  ""•  ■"■•  '^■"'^-  '■^■"  "^•"  '"  " «  ye.  acc„,„p,i*c..  hi,,  p„, 

,.-.  ^-1  bo  was  a„.,o„s  with  ti,a,  anxiety  whicl,  ever  cbaraeterize,  the 
'■-  »-■".-,  to  o«e„d  hi.,  ob»rva,io„„.     A  party  for  pre,i,„i„ary  .a 
"■■>.«,..,  so,„e  ddbcdty,  „r«a„i.ed  and  sent  out.       This  party  was  to  ^ 
:'i;i-l-n.„,aftera.i,„e  by  the   exploring  party  itself,  whL,  was    o 
-I".  .■  I>r.  K  .,.e,and  was  intended   .„   n.ake  in,port,.nt  additions  to  t 
alieadyncli        lilt,  of  tile  expeilition. 

The  pre,i„,i„ary  p,,,,  ,„„,  ,,,.^„  ^„,^^,_^  ^.,^^.^^_  preparation, 

' -'.-;"i;'- '■■ '"llow  it,  wlten  an   event  occurred  whch   .J 

•m  unexpecle,!  color  ,„  their  prelected  expedition 

."  ^^'  ";"'V;' "  •-*"■'"'■""->■  '■"'"■■»"  ''-y  at  the  skins  of  sonre  moc 

:;:'"'     '■  "-    >'-e  '.'■  ..."    Ia.np,  when,  toward  Ini.ht.  we  beard  to 

""*';'^^''-'»"'"7' '"■■  --    "-a..t  Sonta,,  „hl.e„  and  Peter  en 

.hen  nnespecte,!  appearance  on  Hoard.  They  were  .wollcn,  ha..,ard  a 
scarcely  able  to  .speak.  ot,'"u,  and 

''  Their  story  was  a  fearful  one.       Thcv  had  lefr  fK-.-,- 
th..  if,.  ,■;  I  •       .1    •  -  ^'^^"  companions  in 

Kc,  nsl.n<Mhe,r  own   hves   to  hrin,.   as   the    news.       bJ,,,   15.,.   ,, 

W  son,  a.MW,   were  al,   lyin,  ,._,,,,  ,,^^^^^^^ 

-  '^  -  -•■•       Wwhere  in  a.on.  the  hn..oe..  ^ 

-^^-     ^^  --  ^'nttn.,  heavily  aronnd  then,  when  they  parted.    Irish  To.. 


L. 


; ;  I     :i 


604 


RESCUE  OP  THE  PARTY 


had  staid  by  to  feed  and  care  for  the  rest,  but  the  chances  were  sorely 
ajrainst  them.  It  was  vain  to  question  them  further.  They  had  evi- 
dently traveled  a  -reat  distance,  for  they  were  sinkin,ir  with  fatij,aie  and 
hi.njrer,  and  could  hardly  be  rallied  enou-h  to  tell  the  direction  in  which 
they  had  come." 

Here,  asusu;.!,  Kane's  kindness,  promptness,  and  executive  ability  was 
interposed,  and  saved  the  party.  A  sledge  was  made  ready,  Ohlsen  placed 
upon  it  securely  wrapped  in  furs,  and  an  immediate  departure  made.  Tlic 
temperature  was  76°  de-recs  below  freezing.  For  sixteen  hours  they 
struggled  on  to  a  place  acknowledged  by  Ohlseu  to  be  .uifamiliar  to  him'. 
Kane  continues:  »  Rushing  ahead  of  the  party,  and  clambering  over 
some  rugged  ice-piles,  I  came  to  a  long  level  floe,  which  I  thought  might 
have  attracted  the  eyes  of  weary  men  in  circumstances  like  our  own.  It 
was  a  light  conjecture,  but  it  was  enough  to  turn  the  scale,  for  there  was 
nothing  else  to  balance  it. 

»  I  gave  orders  to  abandon  the  sledge  and  disperse  in  search  of  foot- 
marks.      We  raised  our  tent;  placed  our  pemmican  in  cache,  except  a 
small  allowance  for  each  man  to  carry  on   his  person,  and   poor  Ohlsen, 
now  just  able  to  keep  his  feet,  was  liberated  from  his   bag."       Halt    was 
impossible,  as,  with  the  thermometer  at   So'^  below   freezing  it   required 
brisk  exertion  to  keep  from  perishing.    The  men  were  ordered  to  spread 
out  so  as  to  multiply  the   chances  of  discovery,  but    kept  nervously  clos- 
ing up  as  if  in  fear  even  of  so  much   solitude.     Several  were   scizeii  vith 
severe  trembling  fits,  and  Dr.  Kane  fainted  twice  from  the  eflx^ct  of  the 
exposure.      Finally,  after  an  unbroken  march  of  twe.ity-one  hours  a  tent 
was  discovered  which  proved  to  be  that  of  their   unfortunate   comrades. 
The   welcome  which  greeted  the  rescuing  party    nearly  overcame   the 
stoutest  heart  of  them  all. 

The  tent,  the  sick,  and  all  that  could  be  carried,  was  loaded  on  to  the 
sledge,  and  preparations  made  to  depart  for  the  brig.  The  load,  when 
complete,  weighed  eleven  hundred  pounds. 

The  journ  jy  hoineward  was  made  amid  the  most  fearful  suffering 
that  can  be  d-cribcd.  The  "sleepy  comfort"  of  freezing  which  had  hith- 
erto been  treated  as  a  mere  sentiment  by  most  of  the  men,  was  now  real- 


DEATH  OF   THE  SUFFHRBIIS.  ^ 

i.=.l  in  good  earnest.     The  s,r„„,.„  „„„  ,„,„„  ,„  k„„^  '' 

.....  to  .k-cp      ..They  were  „o.  col.l  „„„,  <,„,y  ,„,  „„,  ,,,,„"/  ^1 

,no,. .  e  ,.csuU  of  .h,.e..,„l„„..  „  „,  „„„/„„„  ^^^^ 

,,.,  the  w  olc  ,Kof„L     The  Doc.or  a„„  a  si„„e  ,„„„  „,„.  „„  „,"„„  ™' 

"  I  canno.  .el,,"  ,ay,  Kan.,  .how  long  1.  ,„„k  „,  ,„  „,,,  „^.  ,,_,^ 
,...i.s  for  we  were  ,„  a   *.,„,.  »or.  „f  «.„„„,  „„,  ,„„  ,.,„^  , 

»;a,<e  by  ™po,,,„,  „„  each   „e„er  a  co„,i„„e„  ar,ie,„„,i„     of  ^  I 
Tl«.-,.  musl  have  been  incoherent  enonsh!    r  recnil  ,he„.  I 
.l.e  .nos.  wretehe.,  I  have  ever  ,o„e  .hro,,.*  '  "  "'  ""°"" 

The  brig  wan  at  last  rcache,!,  most  of  the  ,nen  bein,.  i„  a  h.lf  ,1  r  ■ 
oa..ate,„„dhavi„,a  co„r„.e,I  recollection  of  what  ha      ak:"' 
'"  »|.i.o  of  the  prompt  and  efficacious  treatment  by  Dr      1        he  r T' 

^-,  a.,d;.rf„r:t";.h"::.:;:;^^^^^^^ ::~ '°  --  -<- 


DOG-SHOB. 


f 


t'      ,T'i  • 


■4'    14^ 


m 


CHAPTER    LVTT. 

VISIT  FROM  ESQUIMAUX— NATIVK  DISIIONESTV_A  JOURNI.  .  TO  irirM. 
nOLDT  GLACIER  — TENNYSON'S  MONUMKNT  —  K ANe's  STKKN(;T1| 
PAILS— MORAL  POWKU  Ol  K ANK  — II A VKs'  KXPEUITION— MOUTC.V 
DISCOVERS    AN    ALLK(;KI)    I'OLAK    SICA. 

Within  a  week  after  the  return  of  the  untortunate  party  described  in 
our  hist  chapter,  the  brig  was  favore:!  by   a    visit  from   Esquimaux-ti,e 
first  yet  met  in  this  extreme  latitude.     Ahnost  before  tiie  ship's  company 
xvere  aware  of  it,  they  were   surro.mded  by  ,-,  swarthy  crowd   conveycil 
tiiither  on  peculiar    looking  sledges  drawn  by  handsome  dogs.     Picket- 
ing their  teams  by   means  of  their  lances,  they  were  ready  to  treat  will. 
the  commander.     Dr.    Kane  singled  out  a   burly  looking   fellow  a  1k,„1 
tidier  than  himself,  and  made  motions  fc^r  bim  to  come  forward.    At  tlr^i 
only  this  one  was  allowed  to  come  on  board,  but  at  last  lie  was  perniitnl 
to  signal   the  rest.     These   were   hospitably    received,  and  a   feast   was 
spread  before  them.     As  food,   however,  tiiey   preferred  gorging  th.in- 
selves  on  walrus- meat   rather  than   eating  the   good,  wheatcn  bread  aiui 
loaf  sugar  which  were  set  before  them  in  abundance.     Many   things  on 
board   the  ship   greatly  astonished  and  amused  them— among  them  thu 
coal,  which  presented   to   them   a  strange   consistency.     They  were  iiI- 
lowed  to  sleep  in  the  bold,  and  seemed  much  pleased  with  their  night's 
entertainment.     In  the  morning  a  treaty  was  made  between  the  two  p:ir- 
ties,  which  provided  tliat  the  Esquimaux  should   furnish  them  with  bhih- 
ber,   and  rent  them   their  dogs   and   sledges  for  jiroposed    expeditions. 
Kane  had  heard  too  much  of  the  versatility  of  the   Esquimaux  mind  to 
be  surprised  when  he  found  that  the  treaty  was  not  kept.     Not  only  did 
the  party  never  reiurn,  but  sevend  articles  of  value  about  the  ship  and  sioiv- 
house  were  found  to  l)e   missing.     Their  disappearance   could  only  l.c 
traced  to  the  greed  and  dishonesty  of  the  savages.     From  this  time,  how- 

506 


HUMBOLDT  til.AUEII.  ^ 

cvc,  ,lK.v  were.  visi,c,i  1,,  various  „ar,i.,  „r  „„.  „:„,„;,„„„,  „„,  ^^,,„„^ 
.l,c,  .,>ahl„lKHl  an„cal,k.  rdati,,,,,,  a„.l  wl„„„  i„  ,lK.»„lll.,i„i;,  a,„l  priv,- 
(.....»  o,  lalcr  ,lays  thcT  canK.  .„  rc-^anl  a,  /Vic,,,!,  a„.l  fdU.w, 
Apnl   wa,   now  „!,„„,   ,„  ,,,„,,  .,,„,   ,|,^.   ,.,„^.   ,.  ,_^.   ^^^^^^^^^^ 

Arc.  M,„,„K.r  f.„-  safe  .ravelin,,  n,„„   l,v  „™,l  ,„  ,„o   „c,,  ,„,».,„ 

Accor.l,„i;ly.  a  journey  to  the   .reat  .-lacivr  ol'  IIu,„|,„|,„  ,„  „,..   ,„„;,,• 
c,,.,  „.a,  panned  by  Kane,  an,l    the   ollieer.  an,l    ere„    were  soon    l„„y 

'   "'^'  .'"*''■  '''•"•"''  '"■  '"-  "'•'ivi.li .reparations.      Kane  l,in„elf 

was„ceup,e,l,nl,eeon,in«exper,  in  ,l,e   use  „r  ,l,c  .loK-wliip,  ,l,e   „„,„ 

'""""'■'  "" "■"■  '"  "'"■"^-  l'«.mo,ion.     lie   l,a,l  „„„.  ,  „„„  „„„„   ^ 

seven  ,  ,,s,  Cour  „ou,|„  ,„■  „u.  vis,.in,   Ks„uin,a„.    an,,    ,„e   re.oa ,., 

"","■  "    '"^  ■  "  ~'"f  •     ■'■"'-    '-  '■"»>■  "ainin,  ever, y  as  Ion: 

as  In-  s,ren«,l,  woul.l  pern.i,.     ,  ,e  .eauark,  ,l,al  ,u,e  n,n»e  l,e  al.le  .,,  e^: 
I  ">;  I'-     »..0"«.l,    an,l   e.eee,lin,  .lex.eri.y,  „r  els.  .ive  up  ,„e  i.lea  of 

'""'"':'  ■'"""■     "    '»  "^■^•■■-^"■■>'  -  '-  ^-  '"  1".   any  ,lo,  iu    u,e  ,ean,  in 

»..y  „U-e-ear  nose,  or  hoof.     The  eflieaey  n,'  a  suecesslul   hi.  is  a..es.e,l 

;     "'■"'■>■;■'■»;-•    '■'■"•'    ceelera,e,l  spee.l.     ..  The   Soeie.v  for 

l.even.u„.Cruel.y.oAnin,als."  says  Kane,  nl.l    have  pu.    me  In 

™s.,.,ly,,  .hey  ha,n,ee„  near  V .h;  ,  .hau.s  .o  a  n  Jiless      h 

"'■■  '"'"'""f '■•-:'•  '  ''"■^'  '"^■"  ''^'"""■^  ^ -■   '"--'v.-   ...lie,   i„   .he  ,J. 

""".',;;""'  '""  "^'"'  "«»'"•  '— .  «le,|.e,  an,l  I es,  all  unhn.ken  " 

I  l.e  parcy  ehose  April  .;  as  .he  oeeasion  o,'  s.ar.iu,.      Two  sledge, 

"'"■i:""'  "■■;";'"    "-.  a  variv,,   ..perienev  in  .he  ,Vi,id  .one  s e,;    ' 

""';'"""•"  ":™,  ^- —      ^ '-l-i,  ..y  .he  helpof  ,„e  Z.X:^ 

r     ":  T  ""  ""■  ' ^'  '''"■'"^'  ""■  I""-"-  a"'""-".  '"  I-  ahle 

:;7^^'     't: ''''''■''''''''"   ''"■™' '■™"" ' -V-'-at- 

: ; ,  ""';■;■"■:'■  '"™r"' "-'  "^-  ^™^""  -• -^ » >  ™'«--n.,v  „,.,„. 

u.n,   „    vnahle  hnn  .„  ,l,seover  u-hcher  (ireenland  was  eonuec'ed   wi.h 
Noni,  An,vriea,and  ,hus  was,  n,  ,eo,raphieal    parlanee,  a    .-.-ea     .e 

justify  the  name  of  island. 

Various  po|„.s  alonj-  ,he  eoas,  u-ere  snoeessivelv  reaehcl  an.l  na„,e,l 

an.U.roa.  eare  .aUen  .o  projee.  ,he  e i,ura,i „u  eareft ,.  !     ,' 

'»aps.     A  „ou<ler.m  eolumu  of  grceu  s.one,  s,andi„«  soH.an.  in  a  jrfc- 


'1! 


*'   |, 


Ml 


i  '•   i:'''-''"'*"-.  (. 

j.ffi 

.!»,. 

HHl 

■1 

■: 

H, 


'M 


I 


-  IQ 


;  I 


mm^ 


'I 


Ill,¥ll 


M 


A' A  ATE' S  STJiBAUrn/  FA/LS. 


tur.Hc,,u.  n.mk,  was  callc<I  "  Tounysou'H  M...unncnt."  At  Icntjth  n 
s.;,'ht  was  ^.ai.u.l  .,(•  the  (Jivat  CJIacicr.  IIco  was  i.,  l,c  seen  the  an.' 
lo^M...  or  Hu-  rivor  systc.ns  „r  Anu-ric-a  a.ul  Asia.  The  snc.ws  of  (ireen 
land's  alm..st  perpetual  winter  .loscon.l  in...  this  in.mense  hasin  with  .ll 
the  leisurely  .li^jnity  of  Nature,  an.l  .eekin^^  every  li..r,l  an.l  reecss  in  then 
majestic  course,  (Ul  then,  with  n.inor  s.rean.s,  which,  croppi„.  out  in... 
the  sea,  furnish  the  iceherfjs,  the  tern.r  of  n..rthern  navi^.a.ors.  Tlu. 
hulk  of  th.s  hu^^e  stream  iL.ws  on,  pourinj,.  out  i.s  ^^  frozen  t.nrent,"  ;., 
last  into  unexplored  Arctic  waters. 

It  was  a  source  of  the  ^rreatest  annoya.ice  t..  the  party,  now  far  Iron, 
the  hn.^s  to  fiu.l  that   the  stores  rn  rar/w,  ha.l  ail    i.een    .lestn.yed  hy  tlu- 
pol.-.r  hear;  throuj^h  ....  fault,  howev.-r,  of  the  othcers  to  whon,  ha.l  I.een 
n.trusted    the  service  of  .lepos.tin-  the.n   the   fall    hefore.      Suhstanti.l 
cauns  ha<l  heen  erected  over  the   provisions,   consistinj;  of  stones  recp.ir. 
n.j,Mhe  streufrth   .>f  three    men  t..  put   them    in   place.      The    hears,  with 
then- nnmense  stren.^rth    ha.l    pushe.l    the  stones  aside,  and    shiv.re.l   the 
harrels  containinj,^  the  pemmicau  an.l  alcohol    into  atoms.     Thus  faili„. 
to    replenish    their    exhausted    stores,    their    proj^ress    was    consi.lerahlj 
emharrassed. 

The  delicate  health  of  1),-.  Kane   has  been   referred   to,   in    previous 
pM^-es.     Overcome  with  the  -rcat  .-equirements  of  the  occasion,  he  sank 
just  as  he  was  f.kin-   observations   upon   the   ice  river  described   ab.ne. 
0.dy  the  te.Kler  nursin-  of  live  of  his  best  men  availed   to  save   his  life 
tdl  the  brijr  coul.l  be  reached.     The  narrative  of  Dr.  Hay-s,   who  .dec! 
as  recorder  duriuf.  Kane's  stulden   an.l  sevce   illness,  says   that   he  was 
hrouj,Hit  on  b.,anl  between  his  n,en,  apparently  in  a  dyinj,.  condition     His 
symptoms  were  dropsical  elFusion,   ni.irht-sweats   and   delirium,   ;uul   Dr. 
Hayes'  .lia-nosis  supposed  him  to  be  sufFerin-    from   scurvy  and  typhoid 
fever  cond)ined.     For  several  days  he  rtuctuated  between  life  and  '.loath; 
hut  finally  rallied  enou-ii   t..  plan  once    more    the    schedule    of  con.in^^ 
operations. 

Here,  a-ain,  is  observed  the  principle  referred  to  i.i  the  hio<rraphv  of 
Dr.  Kane-the  inlluencc  exercised  over  disease  by  a  determined  state'  ..f 
the  mind.     Two  of  Kane's  men,  physically  abler  and    stronger  than  he, 


™«i«*«ii.-4.,-,,:,ii":iiia  TJV--,"; 


Mt 


HATES'  UXI'EDITION.  ^ 

oOB 

»n,l  wi,h  ,,„p„™,  „„  „„„,  „,.„  ,„,  ^,  „^^^_  ^_^^  

'" ;■  "^  ""■   -'  --  " n..Ncal  ,..,„„..„,   „„.  , ,         J-'^ 

-ivni  them.      Hut  the  irciiiiis   of  k',,,,.  i  l«wsiniy   he 

spim  „f  „i,,  „ar.y.     „  ,„,„  „„  „,„„,,^^,  . ,  "  -  ■""-« 

t'oiial  cl.scascs.     His  own  case  had   Id   him   ...   I 

l-n,ls    ucclci    .,i,„,„y   ,  ji,j  „,  ^    ,  2     '  T""^ 

:      7.  -■™'""  "^  -^'-  voyage  app.a.   i„  a,.o.,.       J    p,t  ' t  "^u" 
Ciliated  inaccurately  the  trend  nrn,»  .        ,      .  ''^ptt-i,   had   cal- 

Ti..  «„  .,„„„  „;  Ka.;i::;i:: -^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  ■"■  «-'■•«  --.. 

«"  ....lene,.,.  ,..„,,  „,<^,  „„^„„;  ,„  JJ:  -  "        ;^-.'~ 

»---,ry   ,„  cfo.«   S,„itl,',   Strai,   ,.,   .he   wes.cn,  ,i,l  '  ^''\"""''"" 

»ccnra,ely  the  Cape  Sabine  of  Cap,.   I„„cfll  ""'"' 

«.unai,.„  of  ,he  c„a„  ,0  .he  „or.h  a,  la.  i .  ow    ,  ""'"""     "  '""• 

'- — ......  u,..  H.:  rt;:::;:^  r.h:':::  7 

"•t\,oneof  the  sturdiest   travelers    wn«  ,>^^ 
'^''"-     "was  decided  fnfr       ,      ,  ''  "^''^   ^''°'*^'»   ^o  accompanv 

decided  to  travel  almost  exclusivelv    «-;h    fi        •  , 

-".-^.w.e.ec.„,,..o.Ha,e..ae™aj'^e;;;::;':r„::^ 


■I 


*'  ( 


iK-i'm  .  ,):a_ 


Hit 


510 


KENNEDY  CHANNEL. 


places    which  could  not  have  been  traversed  at  all  without  their  valuable 
assistance. 

The  little  party  set  out  on  the  30th  of  May,  aiul  proceeded  directly 
across  the  strait  (the  ice  bcin-  solid)  to  Cape  Sabine.  ExamMiatio.i  (as- 
closed  the  fact  that  a  channel  still  to  the  north  of  Smith's  Strait  conveyed 
its  waters  to  some  point  beyond,  and  that  the  broadening  of  this  passage 
was  not,  as  had  been  supposed,  the  final  receptacle  of  the  waters  from 
the  south.  This  chainiel,  when  more  fully  explored,  was  named  Ken- 
n.'dy  Channel. 

The  journey  abounded 
in    incident   and    thrilling 
experiences.     G  o  d  fr  ey, 
the    driver,    became    ex- 
hausted, and   was  oliliged 
to   lay    up.      The    harness 
of    the    (1  o  g  s    1)  c  c  a  ni  e 
I'roken  or  hopelessly  en- 
tangled,  and    Dr.    Haves 
was  compelled   to  under- 
take  part   of   his    journey    . 
on  foot.     Upon  his  return 
he   found   that    the   dogs, 
unfed    as  they   were.,  had 

eaten    all  of  the    harness  wm.  mouton. 

within  their  reach,  i  le  iiiinsell"  was  stricken  witii  snow  blindness,  and 
unable  to  ^.rocecd.  When  at  last  they  were  once  more  able  to  travel,;! 
slice  from  Godfrey's  pantaloons  repaired  the  broken  harness,  and  thev 
returninl  to  the  shij)  worn  out  and  sick.  They  had  traveled  two  hundrc(' 
and  seventy  miles,  and  had  made  many  valuable  discoveries. 

One  of  the  most  important  journeys  of  this  season  was  undertaken  hv 
Mr.  M<Mton,  often  mentioned  in  Kane's  narrative  as  a  most  faithful  and 
trusty  man  and  able  voyager.  His  companion  on  this  occasion  \v;is 
Hans,  the  Esquimaux,  wh(ise  services  proved  indispensable.  They  left 
the  brig  on  the  \v\\  of  Jiine   and   proceeded  at  once  to  McGary's  Mand, 


loiit  their  vnluahle 


MOJiTOJV'S  ALLEGED   OPEN  SEA 

all 

«vl-v,  i.  will  be  ,.c„,ombero„.  „„«  consen.c.e.,  cho  principal  „,,/„  ,„„„ 
p,o ,  ,,.  ,.„..  ,c,.e  Mo,.,„„  ,,epa,.«e.,  f,-,,,,,  ,,.•.  M„„.„.,  M,-.  M,o,.,; 
,""■'"  "■'"■  '':''  •■'-"P-!->  Wn.  thus  «,„  a,„,  j„i„.,  ,,,  „,„„  J 

;::" '"'"^""  ;'■■  '"^^  '5"'-  ^^-  '-■  '-•'  '.avei^ul,,, :,  : 

,l..™c...  ov.,.  „  ,„  d  area,  .he  iee  in.Uca.in,  ,,,  .„e  en.ek.  a  U.ickne" 
-c„tytw„,ee,he  wa»  .an.c,,   ,„  i„  „.,„„,„,  „^^,„^      ,     ^^  ' 

r'T"- ";"'"";"— ' -'".=.--»wa,.,„:ta,    r 

l)nrst  upon  him.     It  now   to?-  th,.  (?,-.f   *•  '"-voiici, 

1                                    ioi  thch.st   t.mc  occurred  to  hi.n  that  a   Ion- 

<i-k    !.uul    seen  to  the  north,   heyon.l   a  penetrating,  c.pe  w. 

Clin.hinoan   eminence   which    c,,ve  hi.n      rn  '''"''''■ 

L'xteiuled  ocean.  open, 

"  '>  --.  l-ve  hec,  a„  i,„p,„,„  .,„,„,  ,,  „^.  ^^,„,,  ^_^  ^ 

;." ;-  "■  "'^ ";. " , *• ' ■  '"-•  -™-  The...  ,■,■„,„  a  he,-..,/,  ;^ 

loel,  omiMHiuhM-  a   h.,ri»>a  „f  ahrnM   i;,rlv  ,nih.<   I,-  ^ 

in.n.,he    „,el<s  a,    h,.  ,-, ""."*''. -I    -surf  breaking  h, 


M."..^-  Ihe    r,>ck,  at    hi,  feet    „av,.,l    r     r      "■'"""-   '" 

n.l:,a,   1„    ,1,0    a,.,.thea,t   .l„i,„,le,l     awav    t..    ,J  K,  '     ,  ''' 

ImiLkd  llnallv  u-ith  the  ah-       M,,,-,  n        ,  '''"'■■    l<"<'bs,    whieh 

"'■^■^■i-^' .'...«.....  I. ot b  e-;:  e ::""^- ^- "-' - 

Th„.  having  reache,!  an  elevati,,,,  „rSo"  ,„'_.,  lali„„, ,  ,     . 

-'«■  -ivo.,  ,.i.h  „-a,.„„h  ,  ...ati,   I;'  ;■  '"'T      '■"■"^■"•^"■"- 

.-^'•'L'tiKiL  In   Ills  comrades 

-.=-;::;;::r:r::;::::::.;:;;- 

serious    Miis.rivi„,rs        c    ,m    •,    i        ,  .-^  ^^•<> -m   occasion  of 

-therwi„;,..t^;,,  ;  "-y    —lestlned    to   spend 

f^nl.e.o..dshi    wJ         ':'"^'r^^'!^     '^^^''^'-'''''>--^^-'H^^^^^^^^ 


'i-^  g<)<)<l  ship  whicli 


nui 


^-  months  hefore  had  found  h 


PlX'i 

ere  an  icy  prison. 


•■»'--''*«»-^-'"'-'**tt 


'^wmmamtiu^m^,^ 


6!2 


A  DIFFICULT  PROBLEM. 


All  around  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  a  frozen  waste.  It  was  true 
that  the  latest  time  for  the  ice  to  break  had  not  yet  appeared;  but  they 
had  to  remember  how  far  north  they  were,  and  how  unfavorable  a  season 
for  melting  ice  the  present  one  was  proving  itself  to  be.  Besides,  the  ice 
had  collected  in  great  hummocks  about  the  spot  where  they  had  warped 
their  way  in,  making  it  apparently  imposdble  to  retreat.  The  specula- 
tions and  inquiries  of  the  rest  indicated  that  they  also  were  beginning  to 
have  anxious  thoughts  about  how  and  where  they  should  spend  the  com- 
ing  year.  It  began  to  seem  as  if  winter  would  be  upon  them  again  he- 
fore  the  sun  could  thaw  a  path  for  their  egress.  It  was  with  a  heavy 
heart  that  the  courageous  commander  set  about  solving  the  problem  of 
their  liberation. 


OLD   OKIM   i,KANE'S  FAVOKITE.) 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 

°::'"  "^^-^''  -™-  ™«  ■■— .OM_.  ,„eo„o  .^o™ 

-DEPARTURE    OP    „AVES    AND    PARTY  _  A    BAKn. 
AfT^x,-^  ^^niY  A    DANGEROUS    EXPERI- 

MENT—ESQUIMAUX     FRIENDSHIP  A      o  -'^^ERI- 

HAVES'    PART>     RETURNS  ^^^^^^VE      CONTRACT  _ 

rXGS         KAIUT      ^^^™'-^^    nESCRIPTION    OP    THEIR    WANDER- 
INGS _  KALUTUNAH  -  KANE's    WONDERPUI.     BUOVANCV-a    DIA 
KOLICAL    PLOT-ITS    DEFEAT.  ANCY-A    DIA- 

Long  experience  had    made    Di-    k-....  '        •    , 

•    ,      ,  ^anes  wisdom    very    extensiVn 

amounting,  mdeed,  almost  to   instinct        Th  extensive, 

.•eceivc.l  his  hest  thought      The  ''"""'   """"    ^^'■^^"'-'>' 

,S-.    Mil-      .  ''" '•"^'"'■'"'"'-''^■'^"f  that  awful  night-winter  of 

S.3-4  cd  hmi  to  shnni.  from  exposing  himself  and  his  cret  to  an^L 
^   --    oo  well  provided  then  with  food  and  necessaries,  they  w  iT   ow 
almost  dest  tute        Mr.„r         i  i    i  •      ,.  '        -^  vveie  now 

estitu  e.       How  could    h,s  dispirited,  diseased   little  band  endure 

change  of  residence  for  the  winter       Half  th.  ^'"  "' 

1  •.  v>iuLt.i.      rtalt  the  men  were  on  the  sirt  liwt- 

..  I.»,  Wen  „.  .he  .„,,„,;  h„.  .,.  fo,..„„e,„f  „,.„1„.  .,„„„e    ^ 

».™  .e»„,  Of  ,.ep,e„ish,„,  „,  .o„s,  „.  p„.,M,  L  in  „:!;:, 

""ui.  pain,  and  thus  brine  them  siirrnr      a**.  ••   . 

,n,.nf.  (•  ,  succoi.    After  examining  all  the  aicr,, 

513 


ff 


ilf..'. 


.    _  »      -£.!*. 


514 


ii  '  ■  i^ 


ATTEMPTED   JOURNET   TO  BEECH El^  ISLAND. 


Preliminary  to  so  hazardous  and  doubtful  an  undertaking,  a  meetin- 
of  the  officers  was  called,  and  the  possibilities  and  impossibilities  of  the 
plan  were  carefully  considered,  and  the  ice  charts  for  the  proposed  route 
were  shown.  Concurrence  and  co-operation  were  not  urged  upon  the 
ofhcers;  they  were  left  to  a  voluntary  choice  as  to  their  action  in  the 
matter.  All,  however,  seemed  satisfied  and  relieved  when  the  profect 
was  divulged  to  them.  Every  man  on  board  volunteered,  but  o„l. 
five  active  men  were  chosen  to  participate  in  the  fortunes  of  the 
journey. 

The  equipment,  which  had  been   preparing   for  some  time,  though 
without  the  object  being  understood,  was  now  completed.    A  boat  twenty 
three  feet   long,  and  six  and  a  half  wide  in   the  middle,  was   fitted  ^vith 
snils,  and  remodeled  as  well  as  the  carpenter's  limited    resources  would 
permit.     A   quantity  of  food   was   placed  on  board,  and  a  party  consist 
ing  of  all  except  the  sick,  was  detailed  to  "sledge"  the  boat  and  draw  it 
to  open  water.     This  proved  a  most  arduous  task.     The  ice  was  trouble- 
some,  being  loose  and    rough;  and  the  repeated   straining  of  the  slcd-.e 
caused  it  to  break  down,  and  this  led  to  a  tiresome  journey  of  twoscoa> 
mdes  in  quest   of  another.      Through   untiring   perseverance   the  open 
water  was  at  last  reached,  and  the  boat  launched  on  its  bosom. 

Journeying  southward  through  Smith's  Strait,  a  piece  of  good  fortune 
befell  the  voyagers.  Upon  a  small  island  near  the  eastern  coast,  it  w.s 
found  that  large  numbers  of  ducks  of  various  kinds  were  nesting.  Some 
of  these  were  feeding  upon  the  animal  life  of  the  sea,  while  they  iu  their 
turn  were  being  picked  off  by  the  dozen  by  members  of  a  stronger  va- 
ricty.  Our  navigators,  i„  predatory  sympathy,  fed  voraciously  "on  ail, 
and  promptly  laid  by  a  store  for  future  use. 

Observations  upon  the  coast  confirmed  the  inferences  already  an- 
nouncecl,  viz:  That  the  projections  of  Capt.  Inglefield  upon  tiic'  niap 
of  the  admiralty  had  been  faulty  and  inaccurate.  Dr.  Kane  would  have 
hesitated  in  making  such  an  announcement  had  not  the  observatory  from 
which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  checking  his  instruments  and  results  been 
constructed  with  carefid  reference  to  astronomical  observations,  and  its 
tion  d( 


]X 


sit.on  determined  to  a   nicety.      Capt.   Inglefield    had   made 


tl 


le  c<)..ot 


'BUSlife 


^l   UTORM  ON  THE  BAT. 


SIS 

trend  some  20°  degrees  too  much   to   the   north   thn.     •   •  , 

-d  inlets  discovered  too  high  .  L.titnde   h  .    ^'""^   ''"   '^'^^^ 

"'^'1  'i '-ttitude,  by  some  miles. 
At  last  the  time  came  for  the   n-irf,.  f^  1, 

,        J  .V  ^    '^^^    ^°  ^^^^   westward   across  thf. 

cnannel,  and  they  soon  passed  out  of  the  Str-tit'^  .r  .     .•       • 
.ca      Out  of  sip-lit  of  1  \^    ■  protection  into  the  open 

uut  ot  sight  of  land,  in  a  mere   cockleshell  of  n  K^  .        .       • 
freshening  wind  bodino-  ..,  .^  ,  •  ^''''"  "^  '^  ^^^^  and  with  a 

.         c,  boding  an  approaching  gale,  their  feelings  may  be  bet 
ter  imagined  than  described       R-^ffi.,  u    1   .  "^  ^' 

.-•..,0,  ,,„.  his  ship,  wert  ,      *  T"^'   *"'"'"'  ^'°  ^^- 

.he.imo>.„,Ji„;hH   ou    f     '"  '"■  ""'"  '■"■■  •'-^^-'-■^ 

Which  our  heroes  ventured.     The  sale  arose   -.n,! 

..eu....wo  hours  .he,  .ere  aH.e,,  .o  a,K,   Tro  .,1  ^Z:^ 

ai:,.  rr:~r'''''°'''^-^^'^"^^-'''"" -'»"'■  ^"- 

l-.,>e„sw„nrpI„T„    :„         T"   '"       '  "'"■"''"""'   ^°"'   -"'" 
n,:;. ,he  stort  '^"P°"'^^  P"'-*"-     Anchored  .o  .his,  .he, 

;-  -  -  -  =-,  arouT;  .h!r;:::t;\::.rn— :: 

Iiorizon  III  everv  n■ll•^  c.c  if       •     i  "^    ""cuion,  and    the 

'  Lvti\  paitof  Its  circle  was  girt   with   if      T^n        i 

-^■'^  1-pe.      ^t  hst  the  .  "''     ''''•'    '"'   "^^^'■■^  '^-^    "° 

"•'  •""'  '""=''  »">»  -ulhern  poin.  on  the  east  side  of  Baffln^s 

itnessin 


'ity  of  hauling  the  bo; 


'""'^^  "f  it  all,  one  of  the  number  fell  sick 


't  on  the  ice  to  escape  a  closing  lead.     I 


n  the 


it 

'I 


Irom  exposure  and  lack  of 


516 


AN  ATTEMPT  FOR  FREEDOM. 


sleep.  Perseverance  ami  pluck,  however,  at  last  overcame  the  many 
obstacles,  and  they  found  themselves  close  to  the  coast  of  Greenland 
within  ten  miles  of  Cape  Barrow.  Coasting  for  some  distance  amoM<r 
the  islands  along  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Strait,  i.nd  meeting  with  no 
important  adventure  nor  hopeful  sign,  they  decided  to  return  to  the  brig 
and  report  their  adventures  and  failure. 

One  last  desperate  attempt  to  liberate  the  ship  was   a-  ■  olved  on. 

The  brig  had  been  now  nearly  a  year  confined  by  the  ice,  uuring  which 
time  she  had  not  changed  her  position  an  inch.  It  was  hoped  that  by  a 
judicious  use  of  blasting-powder,  a  lead  might  be  sufficiently  opened  to 
admit  of  her  safe  passage  out  into  the  open  water.  The  hope  was  a 
feeble  one,  for  the  ice  to  be  encountered  was  of  massive  thickness,  meas- 
uring sometimes  nine  feet  above  the  water  level— indicating  a  whole 
thickness  of  sixty-three  feet. 

At  first  some  progress  was  efltcted.     One  canister  of  powder,  con- 
taining  five  pounds,  was  sufficient  to  n     ove  two  hundred  square  yards 
of  ice.     As  fast  as  the  way  was  opened  the  shjp  was  warped  along  a  few 
yards  at  a  time.     Finally  she  was  towed  into  a  small  bight,  where  she 
would  be  in  safety  until  more  extensive  measures  should  be  taken  for  her 
release.     It  was  observed  in  the  meantime  with  the  greatest  concern  that 
new  ice  began  already  to  form.     The  birds  began    to  fiy   to  the   south. 
The  progress  through  the  deep  floes  was  insignificant   at  best,  and  the 
faces  ofall  lengthened  as  the   prospects  of  release  dwindled   away  and 
finally   seemed    altogether   to    vanish.     After   one   final    and   thorough 
examination  Dr.  Kane  decided  to  move  the  ship  no  further.     Hope  of 
complete  liberation  must  be  abandoned,  and  to  remove  the  ship  from  her 
present  secure  position  might  expose  her  to  unnecessary  danger  and  per- 
haps destruction. 

The  climax  of  the  expedition  being  now  reached,  it  was  decided,  as  a 
prudent  step,  to  make  a  full  record  of  procedures  in  a  concise  form  and 
deposit  it  where  it  could  not  fail  to  be  discovered  by  searchers  in  that 
vicinity,  if,  as  was  possible,  the  party  should  all  perish  before  they  could 
make  or  find  a  means  of  escape.  The  experience  on  Beechey  Island  five 
years  before  impelled   him  to  be  particularly   careful   about  this  oltice. 


(tfTi«p.?f!f;;;i,-;jifMftl 


SBPARATrON. 

517 

On  a  large  rock,  then,  facing  the  opening  from  the  west    w.         •       ,  • 
bold,  black  letters, '' The  Advance  "    A  h^  T  !  ^""''^  '" 

^-  -  it  was  p,acea  a  bott.e  care^l^  sea^.^:ir  il:  ^l  ^^^ 
.i..i...  a  brier  record  of  the  experience  and  discov^  :^  1^ ^^ 
from  the  t,me  U  was  beset  until  the  date  of  the  record.  ^''P^^"'^" 

Kane  now  reflected  that  it  wr..,M   u 
.»  K,.;.  .,.  whole  pa,-.^   o   l:  1  ;:r''  °"'  """""'  '"'"""''"• 
W,,..  j,„,„„e„,.     A.  ro,  hi.,  hT  ^   h    ;    "  "'"'"'  """■  "'^'^"^  »■'" 

by  hu  v..>.  „„u  he  p.s„,„«i  ;:':rh  t::  :;r" "'",  *°  "''■" 

result  need  no,  be  feared,  i„  spi.e  „f  „„  :  f  ™'"'"  "'"  "" 

"^  He  a,wa,.  .ao,  .he  ^.Ji:j;Ll  tZ^T:.  ""■  "  "' 
his  men,  and  he  decide,!  tn •.        .  "-ehngs  and  opinions  of 

.l»uld  :„  or  s,„,  ■      '"""""'  """  ^"^"  °"=  """h"  "»y 

Calling  them  together,  he  laid  before  them  the  ,i,„.„i„        ,  ■  ■ 
.0  remain  with  the  ship,  hut  giving  ..,  „„d  l^Z^^' :^:::' ."" 

-  -  Claim  „po„  Or.  7:^:^  tTi— :t;r'r""""^  r  '"- 

The  roll  wa,  .died,  and  each  was  allowj      o  Tl  T"  """  '""• 

result  was  that  Dr  H«v,.=      -.u     ■   ,  '  °''  '"™'«^'f-     The 

cape  to  the  sot^.h  '    '        '  "^'"  •"'"'•  "-'^-'  '°  "'-"P'  -  - 

"  I  divided  to  them   "  ctvc  n,-    i,' 

M.a„d  even  '^^^^.  :z:;  ^zc^:!;:;:::—' 

-ward;  bn.  wear,  months  ^e.^ h^  b^J' JT ^  ^'"^ ''"^"^- 
They  carried   with   H.  •  ''''^   ^''^   ""^st    '>f?«'". 

*ondtlerberiven        ,  "   T"™   '"™""^'  "' "  ^^''-r's  welcome 

"iais  had  pr!;!         emtr    '""  ".^'"""^^  "'■'  '-^"--^  "-  Hard 
i     P'l"^^' them  to  share  again  our  fortunes." 
Theufnends  having  departed,  the   remainder  of  our  little  h     , 
about  mak  ng  their  winfor  l,-.  ,  ^   °'*"<^  ^et 

-verc  season      lIT "         V       "■  '''°  '"  "^"''"^  '°^  "^  ™'"'"g 

'•son.     i^aige  quantities  of  moss  were   c.athpm.1       ^  u         , 

»'«'»'«  .0  he  used  in  bankin.  ,„,  the  bri.  mJ-  '        . '"™'»'"  '" 

quiinanx  "igloe  "    Th.         ,  '^  ^  °'  ^  "  '■'">'  '""^  an  Es- 

gloe.      The  need  of  fre.h  meat  began  to  be  real  and  press- 


*ili 


ml 


518 


PERILS  OF  THE  HUNT. 


Jng.  The  sick,  who  now  comprised  most  of  their  number,  could  not  l.o 
sustained  upon  a  scurvy-producing  diet  of  pork  and  beef.  This  need  IcH 
to  an  adventure  which  was  well-nigh  fatal  to  all  concerned  in  it.  I), 
Kane  and  Hans,  the  Esquimaux,  set  out  one  day  to  look  for  seals.  It 
was  their  intention  to  ren^^.in  out  four  or  five  days,  tentin-  in  the  ope,, 
air.  for  the  thermometer  still  showed  some  degrees  above  zero. 

At  first  they  were  surprised  to  find  how  far  they  had  to  jr,,  to  re-.ch 
the  open  water.  The  swiftly  advancing  winter  had  made  a  solid  ice- 
plain  of  the  spot  where  they  had  hoped  to  fin.l  seals  playing  in  great  num- 
bers.    At  last  the  edge  of  the  water  was  reached,  and  several  of  the 


WATCHING  FOR   A  SEAL. 

polar  beauties  were  discovered  gamboling  about  in  their  native  element. 
To  their  great  consternation,  Kane   and   Hans  suddcnlv    became  aware 
that  they  had  driven    upon  a  belt  of  unsafe  ice  which  threatened  to  jrivc 
way  at  any  moment,  and  precipitate  them    into  the  freezing  flood.     Any 
stop  was  fatal.     Fear  a.id   vigor.nis  application  of  the    xvdiip   guN-e  ibc 
dogs  their  greatest  rapidity,  and  they  sped  like  an  arrow  over  the  yicl.l- 
ing  mass.     But  such  an  effort  could  not  last.     One  of  the  runners  i,n,kc 
in,and  then  dogs,  sledge,  and  men,  were  successively  precipitated  into 
the  congealing  mass  about  them.     Fortunately   for  the  Esquimaux,  he 
had  brought    his   kayak,  and   in    it  was  prepared  for    such    an    cuer- 


S19 

,cno,,  ..u.  Kane,  afto,-  ™,tl„g  U,o  dogs  loose,  f„„„„  hi^^clf  .s,ru„.U„., 
,„.howa.a,„„,,  g.„„i,„  ,,,,,,,  „,,„  ^,^^,„  ,_^^  ^^^^^^       ^^    -=      . 

";'" "7'-",'  °   "— >"-.lil<e..,g„„„    M„,.avi was  p.,,  „; 

' ■;  ':""■■  "-»'■<'-■     "Ae  every  fresh  e„,shi„g-i„  „f  the   iee    „; 

would  cjaciihife 'God!'   and    whr-n  T  ..  .  ' 

c..n„ne„ce<,  his  ,„.,.,;       ^'"^"  "-■—-"  ™r  I«*"i..«  ho   ,e. 

I.  was  „„Iy   afte,.  a  series  of  ,l,e  „,„st  ..es,.en«e  e«-„,.,s,  eha.  Kane  a. 
1-  saccecied  ,„  es.„  ,MsW„g  ai,„se,f  a,ai„  „p„„  .He  solid  iee.     Here  I 
w;«  "     c„„„e  ••  :,,  Che  E«<,ai„,aa.  t„  a.,  e.te,.,  whieh  eaused  hi™  to  d 
a.i.s  all  leai-  of  evl  results  from  his  duckiirf      Th.  1 
,1        .•  iiucKiiig.     1  he  dogs  were  saved,  but 

llie  entire  eqiijpmeiit   of  sle.t.rn    f«„^  .       .  ' 

„,„,,,,  '  ''=°'  """•  «""^'  ""J  robes,  was  lost   in  the 

I.  .my  interest  the  rea.ler  to  note  the  manner  in  whieh  our  party  of 
explorers  was  aga.n    bro„,|,t  i„   eontaet    with   the   Esquin.aux    a        t 
""*  ';  ""'"''•"™'  ^"••''"  »f  --'«  which,  through  el,non  hi 
s„m,r,ngs  seen,ed  to  hind   natives  and  sea.nen  .ogether  in  en.,      ! 
...1.1  „.       t   ,s  eunous  to   observe  the  different  eharaeteristie,  whieh 
J^«eren,  explorers  have  attributed  to  this  peeuliar  people.     FranUli: 

...  .,1s.  as    egard,  other  raees  than  th..ir  own,  al,„„st  wholly  wnu 
.       .a„,  on  the  o.her  hand,  as  we  shall  duly  relate,  found  the,,  It 

D.,r,ng  Kane's  absenee,  in  his  fn.ile  attempt  to  reaeh  Beeehev  Island 
I-  ™na,n,„g  n,en  had  had  ,■„,  i„tere„„rse  with  thoseof  the  , 

natives  who  we,e  inclined  to  he  f,-      ,■         r  ."■■.ghbonng 

..ccasiontl  by  thei   l^^r    1     °     ^'-     '-Pi"-' »f  «»  unpleasantness 

i...e,eo„,,e  a,^  t  o    ,^!       °    ^"^'  "''°"    "'  "="'"'  '"'°""'^''   "- 

.1.0  o„.v  danger    fbeir       '"    "  '',  '"""'""^'  ""''"""^-       "»  '^  "-' 
>     •.  .„t,  of  the  e,ew  was  ■„  the^absence  of  fresh  meat.     If  an  alii 

,..h.-|>uplcx,„gpr„hlen,  of  anti.sco,hutic  food  ,„igl..  be  easily 


I  -  ,  t;",-iT>:;, 


620 


A   PRIMITIVE   TREATY 


ii 


solved.  A  little  detcniiined  action  on  the  part  of  the  whites  brought  the 
two  pa'rties  to  an  nnderstandinjr.  Certain  articles  having  been  stolen  and 
carried  o.T,  Kane  dispatched  two  active  men  in  pursuit,  with  orders  to 
bring  the  culprits  back,  and  to  compel  them  to  restore  the  stolen  goods. 
This  was  promptly  done,  and  resulted  in  a  compact  satisfactory  to  all  con- 
cerned.  Stolen  goods  were  returned  from  all  quarters,  and  a  treaty  enterc.i 
into  with  every  tribe  within  the  social  radius. 


1    |/^^^ 


CATCHING   IIIKDS. 


The  provisions  of  this  novel  and  primitive  treaty  were  as  follows: 
"On  the  part  of  tiie  Innuit  or  Esquimaux :  'We  promise  that  we  will  bri  .g 
you  fresh  meat.  We  promise  that  we  will  sell  or  lend  you  dogs.  We 
will  keep  you  company  wherever  you  want  us,  and  show  you  where  to 
find  the  game.' 

"On  the   part  of   the  white  men,  the  stipulations  were  of  this  ample 
equivalent:      'We  promise  that  we  will  not  vi'o.t  you  with  death  <>r  sor- 


ARCTIC  DIET. 


c(«iy,  nor.lo  yon  any  hurt  or  mischief  wh 


(III  Diir 


hunts 


You  shall  he  made  wel 


itever 
Icome 


y. '11  presents  of  needles,  pins,  two   kinds  (f  k 


liai'i 


wood 


,  some  fat,  an  awl,  antl  some 
>f  these  and  evcrvthlnrr  «i=„  .. 


691 

We  will  shoot  for  you 
lioard  ship.      We  will 
"lives,  a   hoop,  three   hits  of 


JJIVC 


rit 


^=  .siuiis  h' 


seN/ia;r  thread;  and  we  will  trade 
with  you  ot  these 

oClhi'  first  quality.""        To   the  crPiWi  r>r  K^fi  ^-       i      .  ~ "'"' 

1         ^  ^"  ^''^  '^'^edit  of  bolJi  parties  be  it  said  that  in  all 

the  intercourse  of  that  winter  of  rSci    -   fl^;.  .       *. 

winter  ot  1^54-^,  this  treaty  was  never  broken 

U  IS  curious  to  notice  the  extraordinary  change  in  appetites  and  Iv. h- 
■ts  which  a  iew  months'  s.^ourn  in  so  rigorous  a  temperature  had  eflbcted. 
1 IK-  disgustu^g  blubber  and  raw  walrus  meat  of  the  natives   had   .^rown 
..>  !.c  a  luxury.       Thus   do  the  feelings  adjust  themselves  to  the  plwsical 
■vqunements  of  the  different  .ones.       .  The  liver  of  a  walrus  eaten  with 
^luvs  ot  his  fat,  of  a  verity,  is  a  <lelidous   morsel!       Fire  would    ruin    the 
a.rt,  pithy  expression   of  vitality  which  belongs  to  the  uncooked  pieces. 
Charles  Lamb  s  roast  pig  was  nothing  t-,  it.      I  ponder   that  raw  beef  is 
no.  o:.ten  more  at  home.      Deprived  of  extraneous  fiber,  it  is  neither  indi- 
.cstiblc  nor  difKcult  to  masticate.       With  acids  and   condiments  it  makes 
a  salad  which  an  educated  palate  cannot  help  relishing;  and  as  a  heat-cre- 
atiug  and  anti-scorbutic  food,  it  has  no  rival." 

The  reader  woul.l  be  wearied  by  the  detad  of  events  which  occurred 
<Iunng  the  last  months  of  .854.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  amid  increasin-. 
pnvations,  an.l  with  disease  threatening  to  hopelesslv  weaken  tlie  litti: 
band,  the  close  of  the  year  drew  near. 

On  th.  7th  of  Decembe,    the    weary  watchers   at   the   brig  were  sur 
Pnsed  by  the  appearance  of  several    sledge-loads   of  Esquimaux,  brin<.- 
.n.  among  them  Honsall  and  Petersen,  two  of  the  party  who  had    .oi^e 
;n.t  with    Dr.  Hayes    during  the    last    days    of    the    previous   sum;^-. 
ri.ey  reported    the  remainder  of  the   party  two    hundred    miles  away 
t.en.  resources  wastecl,  health  broken,  and  themselves  divided  in  counsel 
-<1  hesitating  as  to  their  future  .curse.     Kane's  first  thought,  of  course' 
--0I  relieving  their  necessity.   But  he  had  to  meet  the  question,  "Who 
-Id  go  to  their  relief?"     Not  a   man  except   Mr.  McGarv,  Hans,  and 
i-nscf,  was   able  to   stir.     His  only  hope  lay  in   trusting  what  provi- 

Shun;   U.^  .1.1   .       ,1         .,  . 


0  COU 


Id 


-pare  to  the  Esquimaux,  and  dependi 


provi 


ng  u 


pon  tl 


lem  to  con- 


wmii 


•  .MM 


M 


m 


HETl/Ji.V  OP  WANDEIiBIiS. 


vey  the  desired  assistance.  He  would  williii<rly  have  gone  himself  had 
it  heen  practicable  to  leave  his  hospital.  As  it  was,  he  had  many  doubts 
and  misgivings  as  to  whether  the  natives,  luuler  temptation,  could  bo 
trusted  with  the  precious  freight  which  they  were  now  carrying. 

These  reflections  were  ended  on  the  12th  by  the  return  of  the  wan- 
derers. They  were  sufTering  terribly  from  cold,  and  were  nearly  fam- 
ished. "  Poor  fellows,"  says  Kane,  "I  coul.I  only  grasp  them  by  the 
hand  and  give  them  a  brother's  wclco.no." 

Their  story  was  an  almost  Cvintinuous  record  of  sufTering   and  thrill, 
ing    adventure.       Their    plan     had    been   to    reach    Upernavik   on  tin- 
Greenland  coast,  and  from  there  to  send   assistance  to  the  residue  at  the 
brig.     They  had   hoped  to  reach  open  water  at  no  great  distance,  but  in 
this  they  were  disappointed;  besides,  the  ice  was  so  rough  and  broken  in 
one  place  that  it  took   them    three  days  to   make  six   miles,  dragging,  as 
they  were  compelled  to  do,  their  boat   and   provisions   over  its  "rugged 
surface.     Some   of  them    were   naturally  ready  to  return   almost   hefi„e 
they  were  fairly  under  way.      Winter  was   coming  on,  starviition   stuml 
them  in  the  face,  and  their  energies  were  fast  being  broken.     After  thcv 
had  labored  on  for  several  weeks  it  became  evident   that  th  t  must  liiid 
some  place  of  shelter.      A  hut  was  improvised  from  boulders  and  an  old 
sail,  with  such  other  articles  as  could   serve   any   purpose.     As   Franklin 
had  done,  they  attempted  to  lengthe.i  out  their  scanty  provisions  by  the 
use  of  the  tripe  dc  roc/ic,  or  rock  liciicn;  but  it  acted  as  a  laxative,  and 
producing  still  greater  debility,  added  to  their  embarrassment.    Some  Es- 
quimanx  came  to  their  wretched  hovel,  and  brought  them  a  limited  sup- 
ply of  fresh  meat,  but  would  not   accede   to  any  request  to  sell  or  lend 
their  teams.     A  plot  on   the   part  of  the   natives   to   destroy  the  entire 
party  having  been  defeated,  Dr.  Hayes  again  tried  to  treat  with  then,  i„ 
reference  to  their  teams.     He  says: 

-1  now  repeated  to  Kalutunah,  their  chieftain,  a  request  which  had  been 
made  on  previous  occasions,  namely,  that  the  people  should  take  us  upon 
their  sledges  and  carry  us  northward.  His  answer  was  the  same  that  it 
had  been  hitherto.  It  was  then  proposed  to  him  and  his  companions  tha^ 
wo  should   hire  their   teams   from  them;  but   this   they  also  declined  to 


)nc  himself  liad 

ad  many  doubts 

tation,  could   Ik- 

unyiug. 

urn  of  the  wan- 

ere  nearly  fam- 

ip  them    by  thi.' 

m\<r  and  thrill- 
ernavik  on  the 
e  residue  at  the 
distance,  but  in 
1  and  broken  in 
28,  dragjjinjr,  as 
ver  its  ruj,'|nrc(I 

almost  iiefoic 
arvitiion  stared 
:n.     After  they 

th  T  must  iiiKJ 
ders  and  an  old 
As  Franklin 
)visions  by  the 
a  laxative,  aiul 
ent.    Some  Es- 

a  limited  sup- 
o  sell  or  loud 
roy  the  entire 

with  thcin  in 

v'hich  had  been 
i  take  us  upon 
le  same  that  it 
impanions  tha^ 
so  declined  to 


KALUTUNAH. 


6S8 


524 


UArES'  sTonr. 


comply  with.  No  offers  which  wc  could  male,  seemed  to  have  the 
s  .,H.test  effect  upon  them,  .nd  it  was  plain  that  nothing  would  induce 
hem  to  comply  with  our  request,  nor  even  give  any  reason  for  their  re- 
fusal. In  fact,  they  thoroughly  understood  our  situation,  and  we  now 
.  entertamed  no  doubt  that  they  had  made  up  their  minds  with  a  unanim- 
ity, wh.ch  at  an  earlier  period  seemed  improbable,  to  abandon  us  to  our 
fate,  and  to  profit  by  it. 

"The  question  to  be  decided  became  an  easy  one.  Here  were  six  cv- 
.hzed  men  who  had  no  resort  for  tne  preservation  of  their  lives,  their 
use  ulness,  and  the  happiness  of  their  families,  except  in  the  aid  of 
sle.'ges  and  tean.s  which  the  savages  obstinately  refused  to  sell  or  hire 
The  expectation  of  seizing  our  remaining  effects,  after  we  should  have 
starved  or  frozen  to  death,  was  the  only  motive  of  their  refusal  The 
sav-ages  were  within  easy  reach  of  their  friends,  and  could  suffer  little  1  y 
a  short  delay  of  their  return.  For  their  property,  compensation  could  he 
made  after  our  arrival  at  the  brig," 

A  plan  ,0  secure  the  scrvij,  of  .hj  ,<,am.,  was  at  once  organised 
ami  step,  taken  to    ca,.y  i.  into  execution.     The  natives  were  .Li,e,J 
.oge.l,er,  and  sl,ow„  the   utnv,s.  kindness  in  otde,-  to  tcnove  the  ,„spi. 
cons  .eeently  entertained  of  the    whites.     Pictures  wete  given  then,  as 
presents  for  their  children,  and   a  great  feast  was  prcnised.     While  this 
was  preparing   Dr.  Hayes  ,na„aged  ,n,observe.l  to  entpty  the  contents  of 
asmall  v,al  of  laudanu,n  i„to  their  favorite  soup,  hoping  that  it  would  a,. 
s,st  n,  „ak,ng  then,  sleep,  thus  facilitating  the  escape  with  the  dogs  and 
sledges.     Everything  was  covertly  put  in  readiness,  and  after  the  dinner 
had   been  eaten,   signs  of  drowsiness    among  tIre  Esquiraau.v  were  anx- 
lously  looked  for. 

"Our  guests  were  in  a  few  ,n„,ne„ts  asleep,  but  I  ,lid  „,„  know  how 
much  of  then-  drowsiness  was  due  to  fatigue  (for  they  had  been  huntin.) 
and  how  much  to  the  opiun,;  nor  were  we  by  any  means  assured  .„:, 
then-  sleep  was  sound,  for  they  exhibited  signs  of  restlessness  which 
greatly  d.sturbed  ns.  Every  n.oment  ha<l  therefore  to  be  conduCcl  with 
the  utmost  caution." 

At  last  evervthing  was  in  reidinp^«   -.n^J  ^u 

»  reaumtss,  and  the  party  started  out.    Some 


""••'™»"^«f  MOT  (Bjfe'Bgj^glji^ 


ted  out.     Some 


BUOTANCr  OF  KANE 
...  835 

(I.stinbance  had   been   made  in  starting    and   fh. 

-pn-sed  to  see,  before   they  ,ot  o       Jf  s!h       h    "^^7°^' ^^^^^^^^ 

clandestinely   left    behind    co.ne  I  k        '         "  "'""    ''''''  ^ad 

.X  oen.nci,  come  toward    them   with  full  sneed       Th« 

were  obh-^cd  at  once  to   take  some  definite  action      Th       T\    .         ^' 
rifles  at  the  approaching  sava.es      Thes.  ,"  ^      "'''^   ''^'''" 

-Of  submission,  a^.^,:::~^:- 

them.     They  took  the    wN^i  .  ^  '^'*'  ^'^^^^I  of 

Dccnbcr.  '  '  ""^  "'"'  "^'^  --«>  -  .he    ,..h   of 

Words  cannot  describe  ehe  horrible  experiences  o(  the  r       ■    , 
that  Arctic  winter.     Sicl<ness  had  prostrL T  ,  "'  "' 

.■es„l,s    of  this    were    intensified   ^TZ^IT  ■'^" '""   "^ 
seemed  impossible  to  shake  offi     It  was  ,11   h  '"""'  "'"''  '' 

.0  bear  np  nnder  the  pressnre,  and  sZi':     :::';"*'■  ""'l'  "" 
n  settled  melancholy  see.ned  ,o  have  seized      Tl'^      ,       """'  '~'""" 

;;;.  ™»"a.ed  to  appear,  his  ionrnatr  .s  sl'^  ^1   -.rin:  "f 

his  heart  within  him."     He    hul  oft„     .  .  smkmgs  of 

-  p">—.  -,  ant";  ;:rb::i:;t:r  t"^  °' 

watchman  nearly  half  of  the  time      TI         •  "  P^'"''^''  '"^ 

"■«  -inin,  of^ae  son,  iL^i: ":::: ::  --  -r 

»a«  .he  third  ti„e  that  he  had  witnessed  the \^,  „   ^  T"',- 
w,  ,  the  light  of  the  departing  sun,  and  had  been  c  mpe  .d  To,    T" 
""":r:'-  '«--  "-i"..^  ^ong  and  tedions  w  nltig     ,  ^   "r 
"-  .he  .h,r,l  time  that  he  had  been  first  and  ablest  o  '  11  h 
.0  hail  the  return  of  the  day.gcl.  '  ""'P"">' 

In  the  midst  of  all  trials,  Kane  was  resolved  ,„ 

"»..  weakened  c'zr  rj::  1  x::  r:r  ^  r " 

tioii  need  be  feared  in  fh;=   I  '""*'">'  °''  ^^^er- 

»...'  of  the  „::  :  177  ;r^;  "•"":=  «-  "--  ^<«^.  occurred. 

-"  .be  cireumstancelr;i  .1        CCl-^t  ".-;-- -■" 

One  William  Godfrey   .  sailor    h  H    •.  T  '"'  '  bmgraphy. 

v^wiicy,  a  sauor,  had,  it  scpms    hpf-n   .-..^«-     i     i 
-me  throughout  the   voyage      He  and         i  P-'^-^-iarly   trouble 

oy^gt.     He  and  a  shipmate,  John   Blake,  were 


536 


A  PLOT. 


bad  fellows,  of  whom  Kane  declares  that  he  was  curious  to  know  what 
nnght  have  been  their  past  life.  Certain  foreboding  wliisperings  had  led 
Kane  to  suspect  a  plot,  and  put  him  at  once  on  his  guard.  One  day  -. 
sailor  reported  having  overlicard  a  conversation  between  the  two  dis 
affected  seamen  to  the  effect  that  they  would  leave  the  ship  as  soon  as 
possible.  Being  able-bodied  men,  and  nearly  well,  they  could  not  be 
spared  from  service,  and  their  desertion  would  also  probably  have  a  pre- 
judicial influence  on  the  neighboring  Esquimaux. 

When  the   two   came  to   leave  the   ship,   they    were  promptly   con. 
fronted,  apprehended,  and  put  in  irons;  and  Godfrey,  the  instigator  and 
leader  m  the  step,  was  severely  punished.     At  first  he  confessed  all,  and 
made  ftur  promises  for  the  future;  but   being  released,  he  went  on  deck 
ostensibly  to  work,  and  deserted   again    within    an   hour.     It   happened 
that  Hans,  the  Esquimaux,  had  gone   out    with    the   sledge   a   few  days 
before,  and    was  supposed    to  he    at    the    Esquimaux   settlements  son.e 
seventy  miles  away.     The  plan  of  Godfrey  was  supposed  to  include  the 
seizure  of  the  dogs  and  sledge,  thus  depriving  the   famine-visited   p.rtv 
at  the  brig  of  the  last  precarious   means  of  subsistence.     Kane   at  once 
saw  the  necessity  of  suppressing  such  a  proceeding  at  the  first  start.     He 
accordingly  dressed  as  an  Esquimaux,  appeared    mysteriously  in  the  vil- 
lage,  and  before  Godfrey  could  recognize  iiim,  had  him  in  irons. 

The  winter  of  1S54-5  wore  away,   and  the  advancing  sun   brought 
improved  symptoms  to  the  sick,  an<i  a  measure  of  hopefulness  to  all.  The 
situation  even  yet  was  dreadful.       All    had   long  since  concluded  that  the 
brig  never  could  be  liberated,  and  escape  in  that  way  was  out  of  theques- 
tion.       The  men  were  still   so  reduced  in  strength  tlnit  when   a  deer  was 
killed,  it  was  a   matter  of  serious  diflicnlty  to   transport  the  body  to  the 
ship.     A  dearth  of  fresh  meat  was  still  at  times  a  difficulty  hard  to  over- 
come.      The  Esquimaux  themselves  were  in  a  starving  condition,  so  th;,. 
aid  from  that  source  was  not  to  be  hoped  for.       One  of  tlic  stoutest  otll- 
cers  on  board,  on  looking  at  himself  in  the  glass  for  the    fust  time  since 
his  ilhiess,  burst  into  tears  to  (ind  how  reduced  an<l  wretched  in  appear- 
ance he  had  become.    There  was  sad  truth  in      ane's  smnming  up  of  ,he 
matter,  "  Without  a  speedy  change  the  f.to  of  t!ie  party  was  inevitahie." 


■ff 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

KANE  DETERMINES  TO  ABANDON  THE  BRIG  _  REMOVAL  OK  BOATS 
AND  SLEDGES -TO  THE  '  WATEr's  EDGE  -  PARTING  KROM 
KRIENDS-HANS  PROVES  SUSCEPTIBLE-EMBARKING_A  FEAST- 
A  SEAL  KILLED -THE  ANNUAL  OIL  BOAT_ARRIVAL  AT  UPER- 
NAVIK— HARTSTENE'S    SEARCH— KANE's    LAST    DAYS. 

The  party  had  now  been  in  the  ice  about  two  years  and  the  day  of  the 
bng's  release  seemed  as  far  away  as  ever.    A  careful  reference  to  the  re- 
ports  of  Dr.  Kane  and  his  offices  reveals  some  in^portant  facts  relative  to 
the  necessity  of  their  abandoning  the  Advance.  Dr.  Kane  had  requested  his 
ice-nasters  to  examine  the  ice  surrounding  the  brig  and  sin.tting  her  from 
the  open  sea,  in  order  to  determine  its   condition  compared  with  that  of 
the  previous  season,  and  the  probability  of  its  allowing  the  Advance  to 
elTcct  an  exit  this  year  of  ,855.       The  above  mentioned  officers  reported 
that  the  ice  was  thicker  and  stronger  than  it  was  the  year  before,  and  ex- 
tended for  nailes  further  out,  and  that  a  breaking  up  under  these  circum 
stances,  which  would  allow  the  brig  to  escape,  was  not   to  be  looked  for 
as  the  result  of  a  single  summer. 

It  was  further  found  that  all  the  fuel  had  been  taken  from  the  sub- 
stance of  the  Advance  which  could  be  taken  and  still  leave  her  sea-wor- 
thy  .n  case  of  subsequent  release;  and  that  not  above  half  a  month's  fuel 
could  be  gathered  from  the  whole  store.  Moreover,  their  stock  of  pro- 
v.s.ons  had  become  so  reduced  that  not  over  thirty-six  days'  food 
mn=uned.  These  discouraging  facts  were  certainly  sufficient  t;  justify 
Kane  u,  u.aking  inn^ediate  preparations  to  leave  his  vessel  and  depa.t 
'">■  the  south  m  whatever  way  was  deeme<l  practicable. 

After  due  consultation  it  was  decided  to  put  the  boats,  supplies  and 
s.ck  men  upon  sledges,  and  transport  them  to  what  was  considered  the 
opon  sea,  and   then  proceed  southward  until  some  fortune  should  driv. 

537 


^Rl 


11 1 


lih; 


538 


TAKING  LEAVE  OF  THE  BRIG. 


IS 


he,„  upon  friends,  or  until  they  shoukl  .each  Upernavik,  trusting  ,o 
1  rovKicnce  to  supply  them  with  food  when  it  should  give  out  This 
agreed  upon,  the  officers  and  crew  proceeded  to  take  final  and  form.l 
leave  of  the  hrig.  A  portion  of  Scripture  was  read,  and  a  few  words 
spoken   by  Dr.  Kane,  reviewing   their  past  experience,  and  speaking  of 


HANS,  WIFE  AND   RELATIVES. 

hope  for  the  future.  They  marched  around  the  hrig,  commenting  on 
wer  appearance,  and  rehearsing  the  time  and  place  when  certain  sca.s  on 
her  sunace  were  given.  The  (igure-head,  a  representation  of  a  little  .nrl 
wtth  painted  cheeks,  was  taken  from  the  bow.  Dr.  Kane  was  at  first 
doubtful  about   adding   this   to  the   ahvady  heaw  bunion,  but   the  ^,^,^^ 


^uK.s)a^i.,Bl{li»R'B;;ji^^t'KB''iif>l't^'|af^ 


I/A^S,    THE    UNFAITHFUL 

539 

ro,.„„ed  .ha.  i.  could  be  burned  for  fuel  if  ,bey  eould  „o.  carry  i.-  .,  ,. 
was  pu.  „,»u  .he  sledge  .o  be  transported  .„  .he  wa.er's  ed^e 

Then  began  a  long  series  of  hard  days'  work   for   „h?,.h   ,K 
.lcbili.a.ed  by  sulTering  an,l   „„„,„l    ,    .  I  """  ""="• 

«"."  -^  necessaries  Ir.:  .air  11^::. '^  "r"""-     ""^ 

»  "-'■■'  "i--ce  a.  a  .i,.e  .ill  .he  land  t^^^^"  "^^  '"'"T'^ 
Ihis  w.,  accomplished,  a  shift  was  ,nade  for  ^         ",'     """ 

across  .he  Hoe  toward  .he  wished  for   w,.er      tI         ,     7 ''         """^ 
ac„„npanied  .hem  to  .he  wa.er's  cd  ''""'^  '™"*  ""'' 

.-  .--ves.  :„  .he,„  ir:d  :rr  TeTo!  .t:  r.  i  "■;• 
;r:::::::r^----f~rir 

-.^  were   sincere.     T^  l^r  rj  r:rr:"'' '':" 
".>"... hen,  gifts  of  fresh  birds,  and  expressing  in  .h  /r"" 

s.ra,„,  .heir  regre.  a.  .heir  co.ning  bereavcne,:.  "       """' 

"  My  hear,  warms,"  says  Kane  «  to  ih,.„. 
l.»l>py  beings,  so  long  our  LighboA  IfnT'      '''  '""'"'"=•  ^« 
Theirs  i,  no  aft-ec.a.ion  of  r^   e.      f'h    1  1       '  '"  "'"""^"^  ""'■  '™"*- 

-  -  ..„sy  in  good  oftices  I  .he  ^i^  .r^  ;::cnr''"™  "~t' 

two  women  and   .he  old  blind  patriarch,  Kres^r  M  b        7  "Z        ' 
llcmont.      •     •      *      w„  .     I    r       ,        '^resuk,  left  behmd  a.  the  set- 

>loepin  the  Red    Eric     a  b  7  '  ""  °"  '"'»    --l'-l««le;  they 

-' hns  rich  in  :z:::::^:::r-r; '"-  ""■ "-- 

with  their  treasured  sho.-M-      .  -'''*^P' ^"^'^'   '"^'^   companionship- 

year,  later.  "  '"   ^"""^■"'°-  -*  "^^-.^e  explorer  of  s„n,e 

A'W  leaving  .heir  friends  and  embarking  on  .he  sea,  .he  floa.i„g  ice 


I 


630 


A   RARE  FEAST. 


of  the  sound  came  upon  them  in  dangerous  quantities  for  many  days. 
Overcoming  these  difficulties,  after  a  time  tliey  caught  sight  of  a  flock  of 
eider-duclis,  and  soon  became  aware  that  they  were  at  tli(>  breeding  place 
of  these  aquatics.  A  recess  Avas  found  among  the  ice-covered  rocks 
along  the  shore,  and  into  it  tlie  crew  jniUcd  tlieir  little  fleet,  and  set  apart 
several  days  for  the  replenishing  of  their  stock  of  eatables. 

M  We  remained  almost  three  days  at  our  crystal  retreat,  gathering 


OFF  TO  THE  OPEN  SEA. 

eggs  at  the  rate  of  1200  per  day.  Outside  the  storm  raged  without  inter- 
mission, and  our  egg  liunters  found  it  difficult  to  keep  their  feet;  but  a 
verier  set  of  gourmands  than  were  gathered  within,  never  reveled  in 
genial  diet." 

When  at  length  they  started  again  on  their  way  new  obstacle-  were 
met  with.  In  passing  into  tiie  less  dense  atmosphere,  they  found  diffi- 
culty in  breathing,  and   their  feet   swelled  so  that  it  became   necessary-  to 


r-^ujiHMaagrWtiWi^ 


^    WELCOME  SOUND 

081 

cut  open  their  canvas   hoof?       A  f.     ui 

'-■'^"1  .he,n,a,u,dld  ^1  ,t T         T  "f -so.nia  „Uo  a.- 

mucn   to  deprive  them  of  rp<!«^      t-k^- 
™|.oti,c.»  1,™,  ,„„„e  fearful  i„™..,d,,  <.,  eheir  larder  T  UK  '■"""°'" 

™.  .  .nan  patch  „f  ice-a»  l,  eho  c„.„.  of  17,  ^f  "•"  f""""' 
i".l.>  a*.„.  Signal  ,va,  n,ad.  for  one  of  the  b  ,  f^j  "".  ■'"'"■ 
trnnWins  with  anxiety  vve  nren.red  t             ■    ,  •■"""■"'  •'""' 

.sen,  ,vi,h  the  large  En  di,h  ri ,  ■'""  ""  "P™  '""■■  P"'- 
were  dra.„  over'.he  o'a  fa       :Z     T ""'  '"  "^  "^^ "  ^-^'"^" 

.o..e:::;::::::-:::----;p-.3then^ 
' '"  -  -.  I  can':::  rteid"™"^'  r""  ^'"  '"'• 

expression  npon    the  ,.enV  thin   faees  ^'th  I        "'  ""P"™" 

li^s  depended  on  hi.  eap.are."  '        ""  ""    ■"°''-     '^'^<^' 

The  seal  was  killed,  anti  was  torn  i„  pieces  anrl  d,.„„        ,    , 
In  the  half.fa,ni.hed  .ne...     Every  par,  of Th,  '  '■" 

Ihc  entrails  fonnd  their  w.v  into,,  """      """'  '"™'-     ^ven 

.neat  e„,„„ incivH    e    IC      tT  '"'  """'°"'  ""  ''^'"™'""'^  '"^"■ 

n-ily  enjoyed.  '  ""  "  '''"  """  '"'^»=  f^^'  --  — 

A  few  days  afterward,  as  tl,ey  were  lahorin,.  across  the  heavv  se. 
'»""l«"-  sound  eame  to  them   over  the  water      T,  t    ^        ' 

1.1,1  I-'. p. 1  ■  "le  watei.     It   was  not  the  "  H.il' 

l"'l-    of  the  natives,  nor  the  screeching  of  a  „ull      It  had  , 

--..^e.he.ita.e.^ 

,y  "c^un,  as  it  were,  their  herniitaf^o.     No^  -^•i-'- 
{faincd  of  Am,.,-;,,    i    ^  •  '^  "  •^■^"-'^  "^--ws  could   he 

t  Au,c„ea,  but  ,t  was  ascertaine.1  that  Lieut.   Hartstene  had  re- 


I 


lliiilii 


km 


^^^ 


i-' 


it. 


hv 


%lii 


533 


RESULTS  OF  KANE'S    VOfAGE, 


cently  passed  up  the  bay  in  search  of  the  party  supposed  from  their  long 
absence  to  be  lost  or  perishing.  And  Sir  John  Franklin,  what  of  him? 
How  their  ov/n  little  specialty  came  up  into  mind,  as  they  thought  of 
their  failure!  Traces  of  him  or  remains  of  the  party,  had  been  found  a 
thousand  miles  to  the  south  of  their  searching-ground. 

Still  they  rowed  on,  and  the  next  day  came  to  Upernavik,  the  upper- 
most  town  of  Greenland.  Here  they  were  showered  with  kindness  by 
the  inhabitants,  who  regarded  them  as  having  been  almost  miraculously 
saved.  They  were  so  weather-hardened  and  used  to  exposure,  that  they 
could  hardly  endure  to  stay  within  walls,  so  suffocating  was  this  novel 
experience.  A  few  more  days  found  them  at  Godhaven,  where  they 
met  the  rescuing  party. 

«  Presently  we  were  alongside.  An  officer  whom  I  shall  ever  re- 
member as  a  friend,  Capt.  Hartstene,  hailed  a  little  man  in  a  ragged 
flannel  shirt,  'Is  that  Dr.  Kane?'  and  with  the  'Yes!'  that  followed,  the 
rigging  was  manned  by  our  countrymen,  and  cheers  welcomed  us  back 
to  the  social  world  of  love  which  they  represented."  It  was  well  into 
September,  1855,  before  they  were  finally  on  their  way  to  their  homes 
which  had  missed  them  so  long. 

It  is  proper  in  closing  to   mention  briefly  the  scientific  results  of  this 
remarkable  voyage.     Kane  had  not  found  Franklin,  nor  had  he  explored 
the  fairy  land  and  water  which  surround  the  Pole.     But  his  bravery  and 
perseverance   had   added  immensely    to  the  limited  knowledge  of  the 
north  of  Greenland.     Over  a  thousand  miles  of  the  coast   had  been  ac- 
curately  surveyed  and   projected,  and  many  of  the    glacial  wonders  of 
this  frigid  region  had  been  mvestigated  and  explained.     The  brave  com- 
mander  had  not  only  been  cxcee<lingly  zealous  himself,  but  had  planned 
and  sent  out  numerous   expeditions  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  par- 
ticular  phases  of  the  polar  life.     Each  man  seemed  to  catch  the  earnest, 
enthusiastic  spirit  of  his  chief,  and   the  carefully  compiled  reports  of  all 
these  expeditions  have  proved  invaluable.     The  observations  on  the  me- 
teorology   of  the  country,    were   perfectly    taken  and    classified.      The 
mathematical  operations    used  in  making  geographical  locations,  were 
conducted  with  the  utmost  care  and  skill:  m.aking  the  result?  authentic  on 


JCANh-S  EAffLT  DEATH. 

Ooo 

all  points  deal,  wi.h      The  flora  of  .he  nor.h  was  ..eated  in  „  „,„,.  ., 
-«-^.  and  „u,„ero„,  specie,  .ere  a„al,.ed  a„d  r "  ted 
.  h,c„  had  h,  her.o  been  unobserved,  or  received  „o  attention.    Al     lesj 

things  were  done  under  dr^llnlc^o.,^  i-  ^u  inese 

fcw..,nld  have  had  l^Z^^TTT''^'^'^'^'""'^''^'^ 
vestlgatlon.  "'  "  ''™'""  '"  -"'''■='  -i-'tifie  in. 

As  valuable  as  Kane  made  hin,se,f  to  .he  seiemiflc  world,  and  as  dear 
»  he  beca,„e  .o  .he  hearts  of  .he  people,  he  wa,  the  flrs.  of   h^t  band 
returned  adven.urers  to  pass  awa,.     His  frail  f„r„  could  no        durr  he 
shocks  .Tiposed  upon  it  by  three  northern       •  .  ^ 

I      •  u    1  J         ,  northern  wuiters.     Broken    in  healfh 

».ere  he  die!  .he  same^'ar  ^2:^:^:^:'  '"  ^■'■^^• 


■■f!f:i 


u' 


:i: 


CHAPTER    LX. 


MCLINTOCK  I.V  COMMANO  OK  xu.  .OX-HXS  CHOICE  OK  OKKICKUS- 
CAUG.it  IX  THE  PACK  OK  UAKKm's  BAY  -  A  WINTER  ix  .UK 
ICE-ARRIVE  ON  KI.VG  WILLI A.m's  ISLAND  _  „obSON  DISCOVKKs 
A  RECORD_A  MOURNFUL  INFERENCE  -  TWO  SKELETONS-  v 
CURIOUS  MEDLEV -TESTIMONY  OK  THE  ESQUIMAUX  WOMAnI 
IMPORTANCE   OF    m'cLINTOCK's    mVESTIGATIONS. 

We  are  now  about  to  descibe  an  expedition   which,  while  perl.ps 
not  equahng  some  others  i„  the  thrilling  character  of  its  details,  never 
theless  achieved  the  long   wished-for   result   of  bringing   back    cen.i,; 
knowledge  of  the  arcunistances  under  which  Sir  John  Franklin  nu.  his 
cJeath, 

At  the  .i^e  of  the  Incption  of  this  enterprise,  the  interest  in  s„ch 
undertakings  on  the  part  of  lea.lin,.  nations,  a,„l  the  saerifiee  ci'  ,i,b 
and  money  ,n  tl,eir  pursnit,  had  beeo.ne  matters  of  history.  Trace,  „f 
he  dl-starred  voyagers  had  been  discovered,  but  no  definite  record  „f 
.he  probable  late  of  tire  expedition  had,  as  yet,  rewarded  the  effort,  „f 
explorers,, 

The  devotion  of  Lady  Franklin,  which  had  al.oadv   received  aa,,* 
.lustrat,o„  ,„  the  large  amounts  of  ,noney  expended  by  her  in  par,,,,. 
o    knowledge  concerning  her  lost  consort,  w.a,,  also  instrumental  '„  the 
..ngout    ,,„d  dispatching  of  this   vessel;  an.l   on  the    ,Sth  of  April. 
.8.7,  »hed.dCapt.  Leopold  M'Clintock    (before  mentione,!  a,  a  brave 
and  efflcen.  officer)  the  honor  to  olTe,    hi,„  ,he  leadership  of  the  pro. 
posed  exped  tion.     As  might  be  expected,  it  was  accepted.     As  a  po!.  „f 
honor  and  d.fflculty,  it  would  quite  naturally  possess  sufficient  cl,ar,„, 
for  a  „ava    officer  who  h.ad  already  served  in  several  such  expeditions. 
M  Chntock  was  a  gallant  officer,  whose  heart   was  in  the  cause,  and 
whose  prevtou,  ex,«rience  lud  made  hin,   perfectly  conversant  will,  all 

534 


OFFlCEi<6  CI/OSE^.  ^ 

thcMlclails  of  Arctic  sailing.     It  seemed,  and  indeed,  the  event   proved 
that  no  more  fortunate  choice  could  have  been  made.     The  screw-yaclu' 
Fox,  of  177  tons  burthen,  was  purchased  and  fitted  out  for  him,  and   full 
pcnn.ss.on  cbtained  for  him  from   the  au.niralty  to  complete   the   search 
ill  iiis  own  way. 

Not  only  did  M'Clintock  receive  ai.l  and  support  from  Lady   Frank. 

iM.,  hut  the  Royal  Society  contributed  money   for  the  purchase  of  suit- 

.•..•ulc   n>struments,   and    the    London    Board    of  Trade    donated    several 

articles.     In  fact,  Capt.  M'Clintock  found  that  he   had    only   to   ask  for 

what  Ik  wanted,  to  receive  it  if  it  wis  in  «tr,f,.      IT^  ..       •     i     l 

u  was  \n  stoic.     He  recjuired,   however, 

only  such  things  as  were  absolutely  necessary. 

He  was  peculiarly   fortunate   also   in   the   choice  of  his  officers  and 
crew.     Among  them  were  Lieut.  Ilobson,  an  officer  of  much  experience- 
Capt.  Allen  Young,  of  the  merchant  marine,  who  not  only  threw  his 
services  into  the  cause,  but  subscribed  .£500  in  furtherance  of  it;  and  Dr 
Davul  Walker,  an  accomplished  surgeon,  and  scientific   man;_all   these 
were  volunteers  whose  services  were  secured.     "  Many   worthy  old  ship- 
mates,"  says  M'Clintock,  "  my  companions  in  previous   Arctic    voyac.es 
most  readily  volunteered  their  services,  an.l  were  as   gratefully  acceptt-d 
tor  .t  was  my  anxious  wish  to   gather   around    me   well-tried'men,    who 
were  aware  of  the  .luties  expected  <.f  them,  and  accustomed  to  naval  dis- 
cphne.     Hence  out  of  the  twenty-live  souls  composing   our  small    com- 
pany, seventeen  had  previously  served  m  the  Arctic  search."     J  ust  before 
starting,    Carl    Petersen,    mentioned    in    connection    with    Dr     Kane's 
memorable  expedition,  joined  the   vessel  as   interpreter.     The  ship   w.s 
a'nply  provisioned  for  twenty-eight   mo,»ths,  and    the   supplies   inclu..^-. 
the  customary  stock  of  preserved  vegetables,  lime-juice,   and   pickles  for 
ay  consun.ption.     The  adn.iralt     caused   6683   pounds   of  pemmican 
to  bo  prepared,  and  the  Board  of  Ordnance   furnished  the  arms,  powder 
-i  ^iH't,  and  giant-powder  for  ice  blasting.     M'Clintock,   being  anxious 
to  ret.nn  for  his  vessel  the  privileges   she   formerly   enjoyed   as   a   yacht, 
was  enrolled  a  member  of  several  of  the  leading  clubs. 

Upon  June  3,  185;,  the  Fox  left  the  harbor,  Tnd,  with  lavorin^  winds 
the  c.M.ts  of  Greenland  and  Cape  Farewell 


ape  1'  areweil  were  sighted  on  th 


e  1 3th  of 


686 


CALOIIT  /JV   THE  MIDDLE   PACK. 


July.     It  may  be  well  to  state  what,  perhaps,  is   ,w,t  clearly  understocl 
that  Ba.Hn's  Bay  freezes  over  every  winter.     Durinjj  the  following  su^ ,' 
mer  the  ice  breaks  up,  a.ul  fmds  its  way  downwanl  throujjh  Davis' Str-iit 
frequently  obstructin-  the  passa-e  from  east  to  west.     The   North  Pas' 
sage  is  accomplished  by  sailing  around  the  western  end  of  the  pack  -h  it 
comes  down;  the  South  Passage  by  pursuing  a  similar  course  with  re 
gard  to  the  southern  end;  and  the  Middle  Passage  is  effected  oy  pushin.^ 
through  the  ice.     It  was  M'Clintock's  misfortune,  after   trying  all  these 
courses,  to  become  fastened  in   the  pack,  and  thus  he  was  delayed  for 
several  months. 

The  disappointment  of  a  crew  eager  for  results,  and   still  obli^^ed  to 
spend  several   months  in  fruitless  drifting,  may  be  better  conceived  tl,an 
portrayed.     The  thought  was  unbearable  that  they  must  spend  the  win 
ter  m  the  ice,  and  then,  even  if  they  escaped   being  crushed,  perhaps  be 
obhged  to  return  to  a  waiting  nation  without  tidings  of  the   missin..  and 
looked  for.    During  all  the  343  days,  however,  that  they  were  ice-bo„„d 
the  best  of  discipline  was  preserved,  and  the  brave  commander  himself 
stdl  remamcd  sanguine  of  success.     Many  times   the   destruction  of  the 
Fox  seemed  inevitable.     A  sea  of  heavy  ice  crowded  continuously  about 
her,  threatening  to  crush  in    her  sid^s,  or  by  sweeping  over  the  deck  to 
smk   her,  or  destroy   members  of  the   hapless  crew.     "Every  floe,"  as 
Dr.  Kane  explains  it,  "took   upon   itself  the  fimcMons  of  ocean ;'' ami 
thus  the  perils  of  an  Arctic  sea  were  made  doubly  terrible  by  the  'waste 
of  ice. 

Whenever  it  was  possible  to  employ  or  amuse  the  men  amon-^  tlicse 
dreary  scenes,  M'Clintock  was  desirous  that  it  shoull  be  done.  An 
evening  school  for  the  men  was  arranged  by  Dr.  Walker,  and  carried  on 
with  genuine  success.  Later  on,  lectures  an.l  readings  were  organized, 
and  subjects  of  scientific  interest  discussed,  such  as  the  trade  winds,  at' 
mospheric  phenomena,  and  the  uses  of  the  various  instruments.  On 
November  5,  being  still  in  the  pack,  the  >ne.i  proposed  to  celebrate  the 
preservation  of  their  ancestors  from  the  well-known  gunpowder  plot. 
An  o^gy  of  Guy  Fawkes  was  prepared,  and  burnt  on  the  ice.  "Their 
blackened  faces,  extravagant  costumes,  glaring  torches   and 


savage 


:^!ls 


C/W/a^NG  ox  THE  COAST. 


8j7 

»n,l  .1,0  .rn,  or  co„,u,ne,l,  .ha,  .hey  crop,   hac-k  „oai,,     „    ,„,   „„„„, 
n..h,  hu.  .he  .e„  were  „p  for  fun,  ,o  ,-avo  ,he  Doc.,,,-  a  hn.i.lay.r'""" 
ri,e  Fox  had  ..acho.l  Melville  Bay  when  ,he  l,eca,„e  locked  h,  ,he 
ac  ,a,.   d,,„„,,l,e  ei,h,  „,„„.h,  .ha.  she  was  a„    ,ee.|,„„„d  p^one,' 
.hcLacI  d„„ed  ,„„,hward  ove,-  ,«>o  ,nilos.     When  a.  las.   rclea  e  JZ 
will,  the  i-en,al  Inee^es  of  Souther,,  Oreenlan.l   i,  w,     l    • ,    , 
.0  llolsteiuheri,  to  re,,  ^e.  refresh        ,  '"''  "  ""'^  '''^'^"1"'  '"  »"'^'"> 

,*.ii.ios of .1,: Da„:: "t :::;:: "  ""'r'"' '"''" "•' '"-• 

.heir  ph .hropie   .nisslon        :  C.,  ir^V:  'T  '""^'   '*"°" 

<i         ,  r,  ^J'  ''   ^^'  '^58,  when  they  found 

ll.e,nselves  safely  anchored  a.   Hols.einber,,  and  on    May  8  .hey  on 
.n„re  spread.  e,r»all,  for  .he  north.     The  p,„  now  was  .0  ifeep  a 
close  a,  p„ss,hle  .0  .he  Greenlan.i  shore  as  far  up  „s  Melville  n,y,  a.ul 
was  hoped, ha,  ..would  he  possible  .0  cu.  aeross  .he  nor.h  end  oh 
..ck  and  ,a,n  .he  Mri.ish  side  of  namn.  Bay  wi.ho..,  „uch  lo      f    le 
Oa  several  oceas.o..s  i,  seeded  as  if  ,hey  were  fa,e.l  ,0  experience Tht 
.n,slor..,ncsof.he  preceding  summer      Esc„„  .,  P'^'K'nce  .he 

ik„      .o!    ,.•         .  "".incr.     escape,  however,  w..s  made  from 

vvhi!::::;:';?..^::^  "T  °"'."""  ^°""^'  '--"-^  -y 

,'*'""' """^'^<"""i=»P«ially  concerning  rhewrcck. 
n.  o  sh.ps,  and  ,l,c  ,ime,  place,  and  cause  of  ,he  dea,h  of  a  .y  who  had 
ee„  known  to  perish.  Thus  the  whole  dis,ance  from  MefviU  B^ 
tooagh  La„cas,er  Sound  and  .he  shoaU  and  in.e.,  of  .he  Brit  h^l' 
wa>  .one  over  .as  far  down  as  King  William',  Island.  A.  nearlv  ve  v 
.».«  rumors  were  furnished  concerning  cer.ain  ill.fa.ed  ship  , Z 
Z  al,H       ^r  ''"'""'•  ""'  *=  ^^^"^  -"-^^  'o  ''-vaeion  and  deal 

»   .  on  of  some  other  problems  inreresting  in  their  time  a.,d  piL  ,h 
W..S  ,00  much  u„cer,ai„ty  and  vagueness  in  ,hem  ,0  be  relied  u„„     1  r  „ 
form  the  b.asis  of  any  hypothesis  of  discovers  '      ' 


Hi 


We  that  Sir  John  had 


forme 


navigators  pointed  to  the  fa 


Ct      -T« 


met  his  death  on  thi.s  island,  and 


proba- 
it  was  hoped  to 


m 


im 


y 


63d 


ON^  KING    WlLLfAM'S  ISLAND. 


find  some  rcconi  ,„•  trace  that  should  settle  the  matter  beyond  the  dis- 
pute of  cynical  Mieorists.  How  successful  they  were  will  appear  in  the 
following  pages.  It  was  the  m.^-nhig  (,f  the  24th  of  May,  when  the  little 
party  crossed  over  to  King  William's  Islan<l.  Nearly  two  years  had 
elapsed  since  the  expedition  left  England,  and  as  yet  not  one  fact  liad 
been  gained  in  the  accomplishm  «nt  of  their  object.  What  but  the  sincer- 
est  devotion  to  a  cherished  purpose  could  have  induced  these  men  to 
sacrifice  so  much  time  in  the  very  prime  of  their  manhood,  and  spend  it  in 
danger,  and  difficulty,  and  sufferings .? 

The  information  gained  from  natives  on  tliis  island,  although  partak- 
ing  in  some  degree  of  the  vague  character  of  that  obtained  from  other 
sources,  nevertheless  sufficiently  confirmed  their  previous  suspicions.  Be- 
sides, certain  trinkets  and  small  articles  in  their  possession  were  identilied 
as  having  at  some  time  belonged  to  members  of  Franklin's  crew.  Thus 
it  was  concluded  that  here  or  in  this  vicinity,  would  be  found  a  positive 
answer  to  the  troubled  query. 

On  arrival  at  King  W^iliiam's    Island    the  party  was  subdivided  for 
purposes  of  sledge-travel.  Capt.  M'Clintock  and  Mr.  Petersen,  his  inter- 
preter, headed  one  party,  and  Lieut.  Ilobson  the  other.       Each  division 
was  well  equipped  with  clothing  and  other  essentials  to  their  comfort  and 
safety.      Capt.  M'Clintock  does  not  seem  to  have  had  as  good  success  in 
discovering  indications  as  Hobson,  not  havin  ■•  met  natives  who  could  give 
him  any  intelligent  information;  and  we  find  him  in  a  few  weeks  o;i  the 
trackoftliatofficer,  partly  for  the  purpose  of  giving   him   aid   in  case  of 
need,  and  partly  to  confirm  anything  of  importance  that   Mr.   II.  ,ni-ht 
have  come  upon.     At  various  points  olijects  were  now  discovered,  show- 
ing the  track  of  the  retreating  party. 

Near  Cape  Herschel,  on  the  south  of  the  island,  Capt.  M'Clintock  at 
last  found  a  cairn  built  by  Lieut.  Hobson.  No  wreck  had  been  f.nnd 
and  no  natives  interviewed,  but  he  had  discovered  a  record  so  long  ami 
earnestly  sought  for  of  the  Franklin  expedition.  Before  giving  tlie  details 
of  this  record  it  may  be  well  to  explain  tha.  documents  of  this  characler 
are  made  on  blanks  furnished  for  the  purpose  by  tlie  British  Govern- 
ment— of  the  kind  suitabk 


cnid  suitable  for  inclosinir  in  bottl 


es  and  droppniL'  111 


ito  the 


A  RECORD. 


m 


,0.  in  ca.e  of  wrecked  or  »i„k;,„  vessel,,.     On  tl,e,,„  UanUs  i,  p.,nte..  in 
s,x  .1,/reren.  ,a„.„ages,  .,,0  request  tl,„,  .he  finder  sirall  forward  .he  ,  ™ 

to  the  admiralty.      The  rec.ml   h.-r.  r        i  r  ^'^'^  tnc  same 

.,,      ,    \.  '""'   '^'-"^  ^"^'»J  w^''^  "f  the  kind  described:  It 

was  wntte,,  by  Lieut.  Gore,  aad  read  as  follows: 

90     .)  ,  west.     Having  wintered    in    iSaG  i    .,f   n„,  i  t  i       ,  '         ^         ^ 

,Q»        ,u   1        .      ,  ii4'W   -It  IJeecliev   Island,  m   latitude  7^1"    ,7' 

28  north,  longuude  91°  39'  15"  west,  afler  having  ascended  Wellin-non  cL  > 
to.  77"  and  returned  by  the  west  side  of  Corn wallis  iLnd  '  ""'' 

"Sir  Jno.  Franklin  commanding  the  expedition 

"All  well. 

"  Party  consisting  of  two  olHcers  and   six   men  leff  th«    i- 
May,  1847.  ^^  ''"P"  °"    Monday,   24th 

"Gr.  Gore,  Lieut. 
"Ch.v.s.  DkVokux,  Mate." 

There  is  manifestly  .,„  .,,,„.  i„  .,,,  ,„^.„,,  „,^^„_  .,^,^^^^ 
s,>™t  a.  Beechey  Island    n,„st    have  heen    ,845-6,   .,r  the   record    itself 
.nates  a  pen,,  of  stating  that,  ,8+7    (i.e.  ,s,6-;,   was  spent  in   the   ice. 
Th,s  ,s  plan,,  and  the  party's  success  is  in-iefly  su.nnted  up  in  the  remain. 

or  o    .he  ..cord.     Cer., hale,,  bron,,,.  intelligence  h ,  ,845  that  the 

.»-..sh,ps„f  rranhlin  ente,-ed  ^Vc,hn,t„n  Channel  „y  Lancaste     Sou  I 
»"•  -iod  up  ,30  ,„iles.     As  is  shown  l.y  the    .-econ,  Franklin   .tnr,  ed 
»«  Invani,  pr„l,a,„y  „„.  .aH,,,  ...  ...k  the  Oeet  in  the   unknown    wa.  1 

»    ,r     on,  the  coast  of  .V,„erica.     These  ..esul.s,  howeve,-,  the  exploring 
Ve,n„  on  Channel  an.l  the  addition  to  the   charts  of  ad.nir  Itv   I, 
.hola„donh„ths,desnn„.l,ere,a.,ledasren,arkahle  for   the   work   of 
».^le  season.     It  is  .hought  that  F.anklin  had   demonstrated    without 
™nee..,stcnee  of  ..Northwest    Passage,  although   he   was   dcsth, 
"<-u  ,0  ,„ake  l„s  d,scovei-y  of  p,-aclical  importance 

I-.hoahoveree„,,lhad    heen   all,  or    if  tne    ,-e,nainder  ha.l  heen   as 
^-"«n,to,,c  as  that  ah-eady  give,,,    how  g,.atifying  must  have   l.cen 

;:  r''";""7 ■ -■"■.-oa,.chers.      m,t   s!  „,.onnd   the  „,argin 

.1.    .0,  .,1,  whose  con.ten„   have   heen  partkally  given  abo, 


iiiscril 


"■'d  the  (bllovvi 


^\'c^   were 


nj?  word.s  in  another  hand; 


840 


MOURNFUL  INFERElVCES. 


iplHi 


Hfi' 


"April  25,  1S4S. 
"H.  M.  S.  Terror  and  Erebus  were  deserted  on  the  22d  April,  five  leagues  N.  N' 
W.  of  this,  having  been  beset  since  12th  of  September,  1846.  The  officers  and  crews 
consisting  of  105  souls  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Crozier,  landed  here  in  latitude 
69°  37'  42-  N.,  longitude  98°  41'  W.  Sir  Jno.  Franklin  died  on  the  nth  of  June, 
1S47,  and  the  total  loss  by  deaths  in  the  expedition  has  been  to  this  date  9  officers  and 
15  men. 

(Signed.)  (Signed.) 

"F.R.  M.  Crozier,  "Jas.  Fitzjames, 

"Capt.  and  Sr.  Officer.  «  Capt.  Erebus. 

"And  stiirt  (on)  to-morrow,  26th,  for  Back's  Fish  River." 

How  moiunful  it  was  to  receive  thus  tiie  complete  assurance  of  a  fact 
whose  foreshadowinor  had  long-  been  over  them!  A  sadder  tale  was  never 
told  in  few  words.  There  is  something  deeply  touching  in  their 
extreme  simplicity,  and  they  show  in  the  strongest  manntr  that  both  the 
leaders  of  this  retreating  party  were  actuated  by  the  loftiest  sense  <,f 
duty,  and  met  with  calmness  antl  decision  the  fearful  alternative  of  a  last 
bold  struggle  for  life  rather  than  perish  without  effort  on  board  their 
ships.  We  well  know  that  the  Erebus  and  Terror  were  not  provisioned 
for  more  tiian  tiiree  years,  or  up  to  July,  1848. 

M'Clintock  afterward  went  to  the  western  extremity  of  King  VVil- 
liam's  Island.  Here  he  found  that  Hobson  had  been  before  him  and  had 
discovered  a  large  boat  with  various  other  articles,  such  as  clothing  and 
the  paraphernalia  of  the  Arctic  toilet. 

"But,"  .says  M'ClintocU,  "all  these  were  after  observations;  there 
was  that  in  the  boat  which  transfixed  us  with  awe.  It  was  portions  of 
two  human  skeletons.  One  was  that  of  a  slight  young  person ;  the  other 
of  a  large,  strongly-made,  middle-aged  man.  Itie  former  was  fouiui  a. 
die  bow  of  the  boat,  but  in  too  much  disturbed  a  state  to  enable  Hobson 
to  determine  whether  the  sufferer  had  died  there;  large  and  powerful 
animals,  probably  wolves,  had  destroyed  much  of  this  skeleton,  which 
may  have  been  that  of  an  officer.  Near  it  we  found  the  fragment  ..f  a 
pair  of  worked  slippers.  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"  Hesidcs   these  slippers,  there  were  a  pair  of  small,  strong,  shooting 
halt-hoots.     The  other  skeleton  was  in  a  somewhat  more  perfect  state, 


RELICS  OF  THE  LOST.  .„ 

OH 

a.ul  was  enveloped  with  clothes  and  furs;  it  lay  across  the  boat  under  the 
after  thwart.     Close  beside  it  were   found  five  watches,  and  there  were 
t.vo  double-barreled  guns-one  barrel  in  each  loaded  and  cocked,  stand- 
.ng  .nuxzle  upward  against  the  boat   side.     It   may  be   imagined  with 
what  .leep  interest  these  sad  relics  were  scrutinized,  and   how  anxiously 
every  fragn.ent  of  clothing  was  turned  over  in  search  of  pockets  and 
pocket-books,  journals,  or  even  names.     Five  or  six  books  were  found 
allot  them  scriptural  or  devotional    works,  except  the   Vicar  of  Wake' 
l.cl.l.     One  little  book,  ^Christian    Melodies,'  bore  an  inscription  on  the 
title  page,  from  the  donor  to   G.  G.  (Graham  Gore.^)     A  small   Bible 
cntamed  numerous  marginal  notes  and  whole  passages  underlined.     Be- 
suks  those  works,  the  covers  of  a  New  Testament  and  Prayer  Book  were 
fouiul. 

"Amongst  an  amazing  quantity  of  clothing  there  M^ere  seven  or  eight 
pans  ot    boots  of   various   kinds-cloth    winter  boots,   sea-boots,  heavy 
aakle-hoots,  and  strong  shoes.     I   noticed  that  there  were  silk  handker- 
ch.ets-black,  white,  and  figured;  towels,  soap,  sponge,  tooth-brush,  and 
I.a.r-combs;  Macintosh  gun  cover  marked  outside    with  paint,  A  ,2    .nd 
l.ned   with  black  cloth.     Besides  these  articles,  we  found   twine,  nails 
saws,  files,  bristles,  wax-ends,  sailmakers'  palms,  powder,  bullets,  shot' 
cartridges,  wads,  leather  cartridge-case,  knives-clasp  and  dinner  ones- 
needles  and  thread,  slow  match,  several  bayonet  scabbards  cut  down  into 
k.ufe  sheaths,  two  rolls  of  sheet  lead,  and  in  short,  a  quantity  of  articles 
of  one  description  and  another  truly  astonishing  in  variety,  and    such 
as   for  the  most  part,  modern  sledge-travelers   would  consider  a  n.ere 
accumnlation  of  dead-weight,  but  slightly  useful,  and  very  likelv  to  break 
down  the  strength  of  the  sledge  crews. 

"The  only  provisions  we  could  find  were  tea  and  chocolate;  of  the 
onncr  very  little  remained,  but  there  were  nearly  forty  pounds  of  the 
latter.  These  articles  alone  could  never  support  life  in  such  a  climate 
and  wo  found  neither  biscuit  nor  meat  of  any  kin<l.  A  portion  of  to- 
bacco, and  an  empty  pemmican-tin,  capable  of  containing  twenty-two 
pounds  weight,  were  found.     The  tin  was  marked  with  an    B 


if 


probably  belonged  to  the  Erebus.     Notie  of  the 


It  had 
fuel  originally  brou'Wit 


STATUE  OF  KHANKLIN, 


Oi'i 


AAT  OLD   WOMAN'S   TESTTMONr. 


548 

IH.,n  .ho  shi„»  ,.c™ai„c.i  i.,  „..,h„„e  .h^  boat,  b„.  there  was  ,„.  lack  „„. 

"  ^""«-'-■  »-  y.n.  o"  theheachCo.  at  hand,  and  „a„  .he  par.v 

!«■.....  nce.1  „f  fael,  they  wo„l,l  have  „,e.l  the  side,,  and  bo.to™  „',■  u,e 

Hcside.  the  things  n,en.i„ned  above,  there  were  di,eovered  several 
,.,c.ces  of  plate  evulently  havin,  belo„,e<l  to  .be  officer,'  ,ness.      Tbes 
.mlancholy  rebe,  were  plaeed  in  tbe  hospital  a.  (ireenwich,  where  the 
may  be  seen   to-day.     No  vestige  of  a  wrecl<  was  found    „„l  i, 
.n.lv  to  M;CH„toe.  and  his  eo,npa„l„„s  tha.  the  sbi  r.;:;':       I: 

:  ■ " ,'  T    ™"r "" """  •"•"""^' ""-"»■■  »'-'««■  w»  H  "• 

.lon„ed,n„r  any  fnr.her  news  f„,n,d,  i.  seente,.  blcely  that  a  jonr,    y 
-■    "■"  nttempte.!  to  the  ,noutb  of  .he  Great   I-isb    R^ver.       Tbe       , 

;^«  r"*'"'-';"--"--^"  this  las. ,  ,,,.,„,,.,  ,„,^,„^„;  ; 

-..hehveso,  .he,rorews,ra.ber   than  ,o   re.nain  in  tbe  ships;  wi 

' "'■■  ";    ":  ■'"T''  "''"■""•""■'  ™"  "''-■  '^'="  "f  ■"-•»  "'  01  tan 

...v.woald  have  been  no  ,nore  nor  less  than  snielde.  So  .be  ,„„,,.:: 

>"y  »cn,ed  .„jns.ify  the  tes.nnony  of  .1.  „,„  „s,pn™a„.  woo,  „' 
"l<"  l™  deposed:  .The  wbi.e  n,en  n.arebed  alon,  .oward  .he  ,-  ,' 
""•■■  ."-..I  foil  dead  as  .hey  n.arehed."       Pal,,  ,,o„,   ,ae.<  of  ,         ^ 

l..ved  oonnnander  , on,  since  ,o„e,  the  las,  hooe  dyin a,    le 

-';  ■»  "K-nred  b.  ,be  ..ieUadn,  e, 1,  „.,,  had  ,s  rn:de    „     a         n' 

"■™^  '-•  in  .he  land  „,..„.  .heir  bes.  work  was  done.  "         

Ol   i'iX-a.   importance  were  Ihc  discoveries  of  M'ClintocI-       tl  ,  ■ 

7;-'  '"  -^''f  "•■•  -  --  -'"" ■  ..S5„  be  was  reec-  :        ;  ,  ^'i:  i' 

;: "•'■"  """;"■■"-»'  -"^-a'-'ations.       „e  had   bee,,  absen    f  r"  I^  : 

..  .vea,-s,  d.,r„„  w„cb  tbne  abnos.  no.idin,s  bad  co.e  of  bin,  .o  , 
'h"  '-■  had  no.  ,nc.  .he  des.iny  „f  „,„,,  „,,„,„  ,^,  '':'" 

..-nlnie'if  M'ci'i„r'':'.'''-'°'' ". '™'" '"  "«'"■" '"  '"^  s-=-'""™'  -- 

'      ""'  '"^""-  ''■"'»'l"lS'--gHl„cd,  bu,  never  publisbe.l,  by  Frank- 


5M 


CEOGRAPHICAL   DISCOVERIES   OF  M'CUNTOCK. 


lin,  he  himself  achieved  success  i.i  many  ways.  He  proved  that  Strait 
Hoilot,  whicli  had  hitherto  l,ecn  regarded  as  an  impassahle,  frozen  chan- 
nel,  or  perhaps  ignored  as  a  channel  at  all,  is  a  navigahle  strait,  the  south 
shore  of  which  is  thus  seen  to  1,c  the  northernmost  land  of  the  continent 
of  North  America.  He  also  laid  down  the  hitherto  unknown  coast  line 
of  Boothia  southward  from  Bellot  Strait  t.>  the  Magnetic  Pole,  delineated 
the  whole  of  King  William's  Island,  and  opened  a  new  and  capacious 
though  ice-choked  channel,  suspected  before  but  not  proved  to  exist,  ex-' 
tending  from  Victoria  Strait,  in  a  northwest  direction  to  Melville  or  p'arry 
Sound. 

The  latter  discovery  rcvvarded  the  individual  exertions  of  Capt.  Allen 
Young,  but  very  properly,  at  Lady  Franklin's  request,  bears  the  name 
ot  the  leader  of  the  «  Fox  "  Expedition,  who  had  himself  assigned  to  it  tlie 
name  of  Franklin's  widow. 

Neither  was  the  expedition  unfruitful  of  scientific  results,  for  while  the 
popular  mind  is  delighted  with  the  graphic  descriptions  of  the  native  Es- 
quimaux  and  animal  life,  so  copiously  given  in  his  interesting  book,  the 
specialist  in  science  may  be  grateful  to  find  in  Capt.  M'Clintock's  val- 
uable appendices  many  and  imporlant  additions  to  the  zoology,  botany, 
meteorology,  and  particularly  the  details  of  the  terrestrial  magnetism  of 
the  regions  examined. 

The  natural  modesty  of  M'Clintock  has  prevented  his  doing  justice 
to  himself  in  his  own  journal.  His  conduct  an<l  prowess  were  "such  as 
could  be  estimated  only  by  those  whose  fortune  it  was  to  serve  under 
him,  and  who  have  been  glad  to  testify  to  his  great  qualities  in  times  of 
need  and  of  extreme  peril.  The  example  of  such  men  must  indeed  be 
invaluable  in  a  country  where  it  is  desired  to  develop  in  the  hearts 
and  minds  of  the  people  those  qualities  of  independence  and  devotion  to 
a  noble  purpose,  which  tend  to  make  the  nation  invincible. 


CHAPTER    LXr. 


MAM.'S  KXKS-r  VOVAGB-A  GHXKHOUS  OPKEK  -  MK.  OKXNNK.l's 
AGKNCV-KUDI.AGO_SEA  SICKNKSS-,CKBEUGS-A  SAX.-OKATH 
OK    KUDLAGO — AT    HOI  <JTi<-rvTijE-t.,, 

HOLSThlNRERG— TO    NORTHUM  IIERLAND    INLET 
—  RUNAWAYS  —  THE     BI  ACk-     pa.ti- 

Bl.ACK     EACLI      -A     TRANSFORMATION  — A 
NEW    USE    OF    THE    TONGUE. 

Few  men  have  entered  upon  a  great  undertaking  with   less  encour- 
agement and  means  than  did   Charles   Francis    Uall.     An  American  of 
humble  birth,  without  friends  of  influence   or  monev  of  his   own    with 
whu  h  to  Ht  out  an  expedition  to  the  Polar  Seas,  he  nevertheless  accom- 
pLshcd  nn.ch  more  than  most  of  those  who  had  far  superior  resources 
He  was  a  characteristic  American.     What  if  his  father  had  been  a  black- 
Mn>tb?     What  if  the  smile  of  fortune  had  not  fallen   upon  him^     Wh.t 
thou.d,  only  an   obscure  journalist  in  the  Western    town  of  Cincinnati 
.f  convcfon,  courage  and  enthusiasm  called  him  to  the  dangerous  work 
ot  Arctic  exploration? 

Franklin  had  been  lost;  the  British  Government  had  spent  $10,000- 
000  fo,-  him ;  Dr.  Kane  and  others  had  wasted  their  lives  in  the  cause  with- 
out complete  success.     Franklin  and  his  crew  still  lingered  somewhere 
m  the  ice-bound  coasts  of  King  William's  Land,  no  man  knew  where. 
Hall  s  heart  went  out  in  sympathy  for  the  lost  ones,  and  for  years  he  was 
mediating  upon  the  probabilities  of  their  discovery  and   recovery  before 
he  -larcd  to  mention  it.     Finally,  in  ,859,  the  "call,"  as  he  terms  it,  be- 
came so  .mperative  that  his  plan  was  divulged  to  a  few  intimate  friends 
m  Cmannati,  and  afterward  to  men  of  more  notoriety.     Mavor  Bishop, 
Gov.  Dennison,  Miles   Greenwood,  Senator   Chase,  and  othex's,  espoused 
h.s  cause  at  once,  and  gave  letters  of  value   to  'aid  him  in   securing,  an 
outfit      But  whence  was  such  nn  outfit  to  come?     Mr.  Hall  at  first  con- 
eluded  to  apply  to  the  English  Government  for  a  ship   which  had  been 
^^  545 


■f" 


546 


A  GENEROUS  OFFER. 


hi- 


used  ill  exploration  before,  and  was  at  the  time  on  the  docks  awaitincr 
repairs.  For  some  reason,  however,  application  was  never  made  for 
this  vessel.  In  fact,  it  was  but  a  short  time  after  makin<r  known  his  in- 
tentions that  the  generous-hearted  firm  of  Williams  &  Havens,  New 
London,  Conn.,  sent  the  would-be  explorer  the  following  letter,  thereby 
making  all  other  efforts  to  secure  a  ship  unnecessary: 

"Charles  Francis  Hall: 

"Dear  Sir  :— As  a  testimonial  of  our  personal  regard,  and  the  interest  we  feel  in 
the  proposed  expedition,  we  will  convey  it  and  its  required  outfit,  boats,  sledges,  pro- 
visions, instruments,  etc.,  free  of  charge,  in  the  barque  George  Henry,  to  Northum- 
berland Inlet,  and  whenever  desired  we  will  give  the  same  free  passage  home  in  our 
ships.'' 

This  offer  was  at  once  accepted.  The  George  Henry  had  been  tried 
ill  Arctic  waters  and  proved  faithful,  and  it  now  only  remained  to  have 
a  smaller  boat  built  to  accompany  the  larger  vessel.  It  was  not  long  be- 
fore the  contract  for  building  the  new  craft  was  awarded  to  Mr,  G.  VV. 
Rogers  of  New  London.  This  ship-builder  had  fitted  out  Kane  and 
DeHaven.  Hence,  with  some  personal  supervision  by  Mr.  Hall,  and 
much  valuable  advice  by  Henry  Grinnell,  of  New  York,  the  old  Rescue 
was  refitted  as  an  attending  schooner. 

By  this  time  men  in  various  parts  of  the  country  became  interested  in 
the  new  movement,  and  letters  of  encouragement  were  pouring  in  to  the 
adventurous  journalist,  while  more  substantial  tokens  of  interest  and  re- 
gard were  received  from  several  sources.  Still  Mr.  Hall's  purse  was  low, 
and  his  needs  great.  He  presented  his  cause  to  private  individuals;  he 
went  before  geographical  and  scientific  societies,  at;  .  wherever  a  dollar 
could  be  secured,  there  this  determined  man  of  the  future  was  to  be 
found. 

As  has  been  intimated,  the  success  of  this  voyage  was  due  more  to 
the  generous-hearted  and  courageous  explorer,  Henry  Grinnell,  than  to 
any  other  one  person.  Mr.  Grinnell  assisted  with  money,  with  cheering 
words,  with  wholesome  advice,  and  with  his  superior  influence.  Mr. 
Hall's  blunt  manner,  determined  look  and  thorough  knowledge  con- 
vinced the  merchant  that  no  man  was  better  fittc  \  to  undertake  this  dan- 


the  docks  awaiting 
vas  never  made  for 
laking  known  his  in- 
ms  &  Havens,  New 
swing  letter,  thereby 


id  the  interest  we  feel  in 
utfit,  boats,  sledges,  pro- 
ge  Henry,  to  Northuin- 
;e  passage  home  in  our 

lenry  had  been  tried 
dy  remained  to  have 
It  was  not  long  be- 
arded to  Mr,  G.  VV. 
fitted  out  Kane  and 
1  by  Mr.  Hall,  and 
'ork,  the  old  Rescue 

became  interested  m 
sre  pouring  in  to  the 
5  of  interest  and  re- 
Call's  purse  was  low, 
/ate  individuals;  he 
.  wherever  a  dollar 
e  future  was  to  be 

^e  was  due  more  to 
y  Grinnell,  than  to 
oney,  with  cheering 
ior  influence.  Mr. 
;h  knowledge  con- 
undertake  this  dan- 


LEAVES  NEW  LONDON 

C47 

gerous  expedition,  nor  did  adverse  opinions   limit.,1 

siblo,  and    finally  from  scein.r  th .   J  ^  '*"'  P""' 

v-s «...,  I.  ..e  Cor  ::;z  -  """^ '"  """^•'-- 


CHARLES  FRANCIS  HALT, 

"i».>™ :?;:,":  "■""  "^r  '^™""-  co„„.,r„.  .„,.,„,,  „^,„„: 

■"  '''"""^'  '^^-*'  '™-  -'  country,  „h„.„  h.  ™igh. 


548 


SEA  SICKIVESS. 


never  see  again,  ::ut  filled  with  the  great  purpose  which  had  driven  him 
from  his  Ohio  fireside,  and  out  iq.,u  liu:  unknown  sea  of  discovery. 
Aroun.i  hi.n  were  gathered  the  Gcort^.'  1  {«nry's  crew,  with  Capt.  Biul" 
dingtoM,  a.,  old  Arctic  sea  captain,  at  their  head,  and  many  stout  hearts 
among  their  number. 

The  Rescue  was  to  keep  in  sight  of  the  other  vessel,  if  possible,  and 
lend  assistance  when  such  might  be  required.  There  were  twenty-.une 
individuals  on  the  two  ships,  besides  Mr.  Hall  and  an  Esquimaux  by  die 
name-  of  Kudlago.  The  means  had  not  been  suificient  to  suppb  the 
expedition  with  many  articles  needed,  but  everything  that  was  absolutely 
necessary  had  been  secured.  This  included  instruments  for  scientific 
investigations,  provisions  for  crew,  presents  of  beads,  shirts,  and  trinkels 
for  natives,  ;uul  a  large  sledge. 

The  winils  were  favorable  on  the  first  day   out,  and    the   two   vessels 
skipped   over   the   blue    Atlantic   as    though  in  Iiigh  glee  at   being  o„ce 
more   upon    the    broad    ocean,  with  such  an  ,  xtensive  field  for  sport  l.e- 
fore  them.      Most  of  tlie  crew  had  been  on  northern  trips,  and  all   were 
sailors  of  experience.     Mr.    Hall,  however,  was  taking   his  first    voyage 
upon  tlic  ocean,  and  hence   began   soon   to    realize   the   bitter  experience 
of  a  much  shaken-up  physique.      Tiiis  sea-sickness  continued  for'  seveni 
days,  during   ^vIlich   time   the   bnn-e   navigator  concerned    hiniseir  „u,rc 
about  the  temperatm-e  and  peaceful  condition  of  his  own  organism,  iIimm 
about  the   Polar  seas.      Few   thin-s   transpired,   indeed,    to   excite  the  al- 
tention  during  the  lirst  few  days.     A   school    of  whales   blowing  ualer 
higli   into  the  air  was   met  with,  but  tlie  crew  not  caring  to  tarry  on  the 
way,  no  harpoon  was  thrown  at  the  marine  monsters. 

About  the  13th  of  June  a  terrible  squall  struck  the  George  Heiny, 
dashing  the  spray  in  wildest  fury,  and  almost  submerging  her  at  times, 
but  ]>ravely  did  the  r.oble  ship  plow  through  the  deepest  trough,  climb 
the  mountain  waves,  an.l  come  out  ..f  the  wild  warring  element,  tinin- 
jured  and  undismaved. 

Although  well  shaken,  all    on    board   enjoye.l   the   excitement,  ami, 

-when   again   they   were   skimming   along  over  a  beautiful   clear  sea,  no 

merrier  crowd  of  mariners  could  be  found.     On  June   21    Mr.    Ihili  re- 


'■?  'U 


'CEBEIlGS-iroliTHEaiv    /.K„TS. 


C:,,,l,  U„,M,„K,„,„  a„,l    „„  „|,|    „„.  ,      „,„  „  ,  '"""B'- 

*vm,ntik   tiufje    spectra    fifrurc  aro^..  ffr..-r.  fi       u 

;   ; ^'■""':""*  """  -■'  '-"  "i— I  I.V  man,  ab...,  „„  .„,!    ' 

1...C    a  „.,..vecry„„n..,lfo,-,„  shining  1„  ,ho  ,„„„„„,„„    .„„,    "^ 
maiestica   y,  but    iioi^elesslv     ,!«.,  u  ,  '  '"ovinjf 

Alter  this  it  Ijecame  im  Ir..    ,-.••  ■ 

cL.ime  no  !c„,^ci  a   rare  occurrence  to  meet  with  M. 
mc^nster  messengers  from  above.     They  v    -re  s.       ■       n 

V,l,  n„d  „ight  after  „igh,  „,,|„j  „^,  ,,  „  ^.„  "'"•  "'''>    »'"•'■  Jxy 

^  IM  such  a  phenomenon,    lie   at   l.-ncrU,   u 

»l>"-l     ca,.e.     lewa,  „„,.„„  A ^  „„„       '  ^       ",'"    '"  '*'°' 

1*>   or  a„„„,p„e,.,c  firew,,,.,.  -„„.,,,  JT  7  T    T  '"■="™"'  ''- 

' '--i  '.«  P~ba„iH,„  b„.  X  Jtl  "     T"'"  '"■  .'"^-^^ 

Slory.    Old  Sol,  :„„,  ,„,,.,,„         °;"  "'''•""'  """'  •■"  "«    "f  golden 

'-  -  -  ^  ia.  .„:::::,::::': rt:  -^r .r "'  "--• 

had  forsaken.  ''"'   ""^  ^''"^^  ^^hom    l,e 

On  the  morning  ofjune  27,  the  .r,.     r      ^    __-,. 

'•■""^''liatoly  all  hands  were  on  .lecl-   e-.       .    ^  "•' '  '  ^         '  '''"'  '''''"■^• 

on  deck,  eagerly  gazmg  in   ,       ducclion  of 


550 


DEATH  OF  KUDLAGO. 


the  lighted  craft.     The  American  colorn   were   ru„    ,.p   .,„    the   Geor-.o 
Henry,  ami  were  SCO,,  acknovvlclired  by  the   appn.achh.jr   vessel,  whici, 
earned  the  Danish  flaj,.      My  the  aid  of  a  powerful   j^lass   Mr.   Hall  dis 
covered  the  nanie  of  the  visitor  to  he  Marianne.     He  at  once  rememU.cci 
this  to  have  l,een  the  name  of  the  vessel  which  conveyed   Dr.  Kane  md 
crew  from  Greenland  to  New  York  after  their  memorable  v.,yajre  sovor-.l 
years  before.     Denmark  annually  sends  a  vessel  to  Greenland" to  c.rry 
provisions  an.l  necessary  articles  to  her  subjects  npon    that  lonely   island 
The  Marianne  had  been  on  such  an   errand   at    this   time,  and   was  just 
retu'ninj,'  to  her  native  port. 

The  sight  of  a  friendly  sail,  the  sound  of  a  human  voice,  thou-h 
heard  from  the  throat  of  a  trinnpet  niiles  away,  was  a  relief  to  the  A>x. 
ticbound  crew  which  only  those  in  similar  circumstances  could  possibly 
appreciate. 

From    this  day    until   the   time    when    the    George    Henry   dropped 
anchor  off  Holsteinborg,  Grecnlan.I,  little  occurred  worthy  of  note.    One- 
circumstance,  however,  of  great    importance  to  the  navigators,  must  not 
be  omitted,  viz.,  the  death  of  Kudlago,  the  Escp.imanx.     He   had  con- 
tracted  a  severe  cold  when  a  few  days  out  from  New  London,  and  never 
recovered.     All  the  crew  felt  greatly  attached  to  this  queer-looking,  lu,t 
kind-hearted  specimen  of  the    orenus    homo,  and  when  his  spirit  t^ok  its 
flight  a  general  feeling  of  sadness  pervaded  the  entire  company.     Proper 
services  were  held  ove.  his  r.mains-Mr.  11.11  conducting  the   rcli..ious 
exercises-and    then  the  mortal   part   of  Kudlago    was   lowered   to  the 
water's  edge,  and  suidc  into  the  bosom  of  the  deep. 

Fogs  an.l  ill  winds  kept  the  two  vessels  away  from  their  destination 
on  the  Greenland  coast  until  July  7,  ,S6,  when  they  cast  anchor  in 
the  beautiful  harbor  of  Holsteinborg.  Forty  days  and  forty  nights  h.d 
they  been  oat  upon  a  perilous  sea,  where  constant  watching  and  the 
utmost  care  had  to  be  exercised  to  avoid  being  wrecked  upon  iccher-s, 
or  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  furies  of  a  northern  storm,  and  the  sight  "of 
hnid  was  hailed  with  great  delight. 

When  the  crews  of  the  Rescue  and  George  Henry  had  planted  their 
feet  once  more  upon  dry  land,  surrounded   with  wandering   Esquimaux, 


OSl 

"":*-.  -    a   filing   or   .ha„kf„l„c,s   a„„    »:,.M,e.io.,    ,«,J  "^ 
.c«».o„  ,.,  .,cl.  hoar,      M„.  .„„„  ,  „„„„,„,  ,„,„,  „„„  ^^.„  ,         « 
...  o..e  .,(  the  ,„o,l  ,la.,gc.ou.,  sea,  of  ,he   „|olx.-      1)„,  ,h       ,     7 
«a,l.iy  .h..ou,h.     The,  l.held  wi.h  .hei.  0"^  "e     1    7  t  ,  T 

....     ..,>o„  the  shore,,  of  ,ha.  eoa.ury  u„|<„ow„   .0   ehe  eiviliid  Ih 

u.,..Uhe  .o„.h  ce,„„r„  an.,  ah„„.  „„„e.e,opea  »h,ee  .ha.  .1™ 

..0,0..  .he  u„i.«,  s.a.er::;:L:rvMro:  r""" " 
- .;- ;"  o.. .i,e  n..  .w.  a„. ovo,,.h.„,rr: : :::: 

:"  *"""■•;'•  '""="■'•  --  ^"  "«  houses  i„  .his  f„,.o,r  .own  o        o 

":"!""'■•     °7^"""  '^'"-Sh""  '^ 1-0  .■oranu.nberof.l   : 

ceivmg  a  regular  salary  from  tho   D-iniJ,  r  ' 

------:co,enha::::f:— ^^^^ 

amial  of  our  explorers,  and   the  .Governor  w,  ■  ,    •  •  ■ 

pecofhavi,,,   his  fa.nilywi,hhi.;   w  o,.r     '°'™''r"''"  P™' 

t™..m..t  of  .he  visitors  whioh  oould  be  d.viseci      I„r  " 

"■^'  ^«'->.  andna.i.es,  hi.ories  of  for.n^  t  J:  rrri^-'''-.^ 
rcpaiiiug  .he  Goorne  Henrv  wore  „':.»       ■        ,  ''^"'""ce  .n 

•MM'al,  found  .hi.  .hor: ';  C  r  ,  T" ''^ '''^«="'"' «--- 
-;o.h  .hero  _  t.o  hundred":!;  ^ll^  Xlir  r  ""• 
-1    ."..   school  toaohers  wee    amo„.    .L    inhab,, '.s  ,  ' 

""«ai..s  .levelop,nc„.    in    mords    „„I  ,  I  "'"'•'"''■■    "'"'    "    ^'^ 

i  moral!,    and    education    was    fmnxl         w 

i:  :::::.::;rr.  r""^^^^^^ 

.narvelous  "   '  '"  '""'  "'"'  ^"■■"-•'  ""''  "-■■  I-oficienoy  was 

la,.or  wore  oons.dered  1,,  .he  na.ivos  .ho  highos.  fo™.  .if 


jSU^^'^:.  .^.  M«^__ 


552 


CONTINUOUS  DAT. 


lif' 

,  r 


9ii 


a.nuse.nent.      Nor  were  they  much  less  appreciated  by  our  rough  and 
ready  sailor  boys,  who,  with  their  fair   Esquimaux  partners,  « tripped 
the  light  fantastic  toe  "  after  the  most  approved  style.      Most  of  these  en- 
tertainments were  given  on  shore,  but  before  departing  preparations  were 
made  on  shipboard    for  a  grand  ball.       Accordingly,  when  the  day  set 
for  the  party  had  arrived,  the  kayaks  of  the  natives   began  to  shoot  out 
from  the  shore,  and  long  before  the  appointed  time,  nearly  every  family 
of  Holsteinborg  was  represented   on   the  George  Henry.       The  sailors 
took  to  the  sport  with  eagerness,  and  even  the  long-bearded  Hall  himself, 
although  he  had  never  before  engaged  in  such  amusement,  was  induced 
to  swell  the  number  of  dancers.       Thus  the  hours  sped  away.       Before 
leaving  the  ship,  however,  the   company  from  shore  joined  in  singing 
several  Danish  church  hymns— a  practice  which  might  not  result  in^evil 
among  more  civilized  dancers. 

But  the  time  had  come  for  leaving  this  delightful  shore.  Many 
friendships  had  been  formed  and  many  eyes  were  moistened  at  tlic  tliou-ht 
of  separation.  The  stern  duties  of  exploration,  however,  demanded  tluMr 
onward  march,  and  on  July  24th,  amid  a  large  number  of  natives  and 
Europeans,  after  many  hand-shakings  and  exchanges  of  presents,  the 
noble  thirty  repaired  to  their  ships,  and  were  soon  stemming  the  tide  up 
Baffin's  Bay. 

The  tiavelers  turned  their  course  toward  Northumberland  Inlet.  The 
first  day  forcibly  reminded  them  of  the  dangers  to  which  they  were  sub- 
jected, as  the  sky  became  overcast  and  quite  a   gale  blew  for  awhile,  but 
the  worst  of  its  fury  passed  over.      Icebergs  of  every  description  were 
floating  about,  many  of  which  were  of  the   most  fantastic  and  beautiful 
design.     The  third  day  witnessed  a  heavy  snowstorm.     However,  when 
the  clouds  permitted  the  sun's  rays  to  reach  the  earth,  the  effect  was  fre- 
quently  the  most  delightful  and  startling.      It  will   be  remembered  that 
the  explorers  were  now  in   that  portion  of  oui-  globe  where  there  is  per- 
petual day  for  a  large  portion  of  the  year,  during  which  time  the  sun 
never  disappears  below  the  horizon.     Mr.  Hall  graphically  describes  the 
day  that  noted  old  Sol's  non-inclination  to  go  out  of  sight,  when  the  en- 
tire crew  stood  upon  the  dock  at  midnight  and  watched  him  descend  to 


-ij*> .«.«,___ 


not  result  in  evil 


REFRACTION.  ^^^^ 

t  ;,  ^'':/'=^""'"-  '^"'  "f  -fl-io"  a„<l  ,efrac.i„„  were 
,n„s,  ea„.A„,  venfled  and  „,„3,ra,ed.  „.  ou,- works  on  physics  we 
-..ly  .  e„,.,es  a„  demonstrate  wha.  ,„igh.  eo,„e  .o  pass  umler  certain 
c,rc,n.sta„ces,  l.ttlo  reali.in,,  however,  that  these  circumstances  really 
e»,,  and  that  the  results  are  heheld  by  people  on  some  point 
„,  our  sphere  The  crews  of  the  Rescue  and  George  Henry  actually 
beheld  moun.a,ns  apparently  high  up  i„  ,he  sky,  which  were  from 
scv=n,y.five    to  one  hundred    mile,  away.       The   sun's   rays    were   so 

refracted  as  to  pick    up 
these    mountains,  which 
would     otherwise    have 
been  invisible  at  such  a 
f,'reat    distance,    because 
of   the  rotundity  of  the 
earth,    and    plant    them 
high  above  the  horizon, 
where   the    awe-stricken 
sight-seers     could     gaze 
upon     their     monstrous 
forms  at  the  -  leisure. 

Nor  was  this  the  only 

phenomenon.      By    the 

S''*'"^   J:>ws  of  refraction 

CAPT.   SIDNEY   O.   BUDDINGTON.  m„      ,^^^  ^      r- 

tne   moon   at  first  «  o-lif 
3ea.=    .1  Wken  and  distorted,  islands  clothed  with  verdu:  :^ 

;  ,  7''   """*'   '"'"^'''  '""^  ""^■^  P^™-'<'»   "-ding 

"1."     .1.0  apex,  and  even  the  vast  sea  itself,  had  apparently  shitted  it! 

po....o„  „.  the  clouds,  while  the   most  gorgeous   colors   bLec         t 

re  assemblage  of  earthly  visitors,  like  an  oriental  fairv-land  p    ,  ^d 
out  u.  Its  most  extravagant  array.  ' 

One  morning  the  crew  of  the  George  Henry  were  surprised  to  hear 
tm,  .(.stance,  wncn  the  followmg  conversation  took  place; 


-««'»».«.«,___ 


>^^ 


iiL:jiiijfa-f--^imm^:^.i^mi^M 


564 


T//E  /eC/JVAIVAI'S. 


"  Who  are  you?"    cried  Capt.  Biuldington. 

"  Crew  from  the  Ansell  Gibbs,  of  New  Bedford,"  was  the  reply. 
"  Where  from,  and  bound  to  what  port,"  cried  the  Captain. 
"  From  the  north  and  bound  to  the  south,"  came  the  answer. 
"  You  arc-  runaways,  are  you  not?"  thundered  Capt.  B. 
"  Yes,  v^e  are,"  was  the  answer. 
"Why  did  you  leave  your  ship?  " 
"  Bad  treatment  on  board  and  nothinj?  to  eat." 

"  Do  you  know  how  far  it  is  to  the  United  States?"  asked  the  captain. 
"About  1500  miles,  we  have  reckoned,"  said  the  spokesman. 
"Are  you  all  old  sailors?"  was  asked. 

"  No;  only  two  of  us  have  ever  Ijeen  to  sea  before,"  was  the  reply. 
In  vain  did  Capt.  Buddington  and  Mr.  Hall  expostulate  with  them 
about  their  hazardous  undertaking.  They  wt^rc  hound  to  continue  their 
voyage.  Storms  and  icebergs  might  frighten  o<|-^s,  but  these  American 
boys  were  fearfully  homesick,  and  notwithstanding  the  prospects  of  star- 
vation, of  freezing,  of  being  swallowed  by  some  sea  monster,  they  again 
took  their  departure,  and  were  soon  lost  to  view. 

It  is  not  possible  to  follow  these  reckless   seamen  in  their  little  boat, 
through  the  many  dreary  days   and    horrible  experiences  of  their  course. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  only  three  out  of  the  seven  ever  reached  their  native 
land.     One  of  these,  Tho«,  Sullivan,  gave  an  account  of  their  misfortunes 
and    desperate    straits.      Driven    hither    and    thither,   without    food    and 
proper  clothing,  the   remaining  three    \vere    finally    picked  up  by  Es- 
quimaux,  and   went   back    home.     While   wrecked    upon    an    unknown 
island  one  of  their   number  died,  when  the   rest  cut   the  flesh  from  his 
bones  and   ate  it.     Nor   was  this   the   most  horrible  circumstance.     An 
attempt  was  made   to  murder  another  of  the   crew.     A   terrible  fight 
ensued,  in  which  one  of   the  would-be  murderers    was    killed.     Their 
story  formed  a  fitting  termination  to  such  a  scene  of  insubordination  and 
bad  discipline. 

The  long-s(night  bay  was  soon  approached,  and  preparations  made  to 
land.  As  soon  as  the  George  Henry  was  sighted  from  the  harbor,  five 
whalers  were  sent  out  from  the  Black  Eagle,  which  was  lyirg  at  anchor 


I  » 


A   TRANSFORMATION 

hcMC  and  soon  ou.-  explorers  were  bein,  towed  in  .y  these  smaller  boats. 
The  Rescue  bad  landed  previously,  and  now  sent  one  of  ber  wb.lin. 
boats  to  assist  ni  brinjring  in  tbe  George  Henry. 

Tbe  merry  laugbter,  bearty  band-sbaking.  and  boisterous  shouts  from 
the  sa.lors  as  they  met  each  other  in  this  far-off  land,  evinced  the  genu 
ino  joy  of  such  a  n.eeting.  Capt.  Allen,  of  the  Black  Eagle,  with  two 
ot  1.S  .nates,  soon  rowed  out  to  tbe  incoming  vessel,  and  right  cordiailv 
were-  our  heroes  welcomed  to  tbe  harbor  of  Grinnell  Bay.  About 
tvvxlve  o'clock  on  the  8tb  day  of  August,  tbe  George  Henry  cast  anchor 
safely  in  the  harbor. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  whaling  vessels  make  trips  to  this  far 
off  sea,  although  brave  and  skillful  must  be  the  navigator  who  is  willing. 
to  nsk  bis  life  in  such  an  undertaking.  The  Black  Eagle  was  out  fo"r 
this  purpose.  Its  crew  was  not  large,  but  fearless  of  anything  connected 
wtth  a  ^afaring  life.  Then  the  sports  of  these  passages  were  more  nu- 
merc>^  than  would  be  expected.  Acquaintances  were  always  formed 
vv,th  E«j«im.ux,  which  proved  a  source  of  vast  enjoyment  to  the  wild 
and  recklesj«  crew«  of  a  whaling  vessel. 

Upon  tbe  occasion  .^  the  George   Henry's  arrival,  scores    of  good- 
natured  natives,  ..ve«  ^  wom.-n,  came  ahoa.d,  manifesting  tbe  most  in- 
tense uiterest  in   tlwr  ^  comors;  but  never  touching  aught  which  be- 
longed to  tbe  vessel.     Tl>.   Esquimaux,  according   to   Hall,   are  scrr.pu- 
lously  honest-not  so  scrupulously  clean.     A  little  circunrstance  occurred 
at  tins  tune,  which  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  lack  of  this  latter  quality 
Kudlago's  little  girl,  bearing  of  ber  father's  death,  came  aboard  to  in- 
quue  concerning    it.     Kudlago   bad  thought   a    great  deal  of  his   little 
ciau,.htcr,  and  bad   filled  a   chest  with  various   bright  c^4orcd  articles  -.s 
presents  to  ber  and   bis   wife.     Accordingly,  when  the  little  ,>nc  came 
aboard,  Mr.  Hall  and  Capt.  B.  concluded  tbe-y  .vould  dress  i>er  in  Amer- 
ican costume.     But  the  task  of  transforming  this  .laughter  ,4  the  forest 
."volved    almost  as  much  labor  as  d<K.s  an  ordinary  transformation  of 
toilet  among  American  gitis  farther  south.     //..  kair  had  never  been 
COM-,  marvelous  entanglement  and  mixture  of  moss,  ^«1,  and  rein- 
(.leer  Jiair  ;iil  rn;itt«rl  t^/»«fU,.r  i.,;*h  .       -        . 

""         "- 5'-f"'=r  vvith  ct/rr.pounds  of  unknown  nature.    Nor 


lb  I 


iW 


5)6 


A   NEW  USE   OF  THE   TONGUE. 


was  her  head  the  only  portion  which  neeiied  attention.  Layer  after 
layer  of  nonhern  mother  earth  had  accumulated  upon  her  face  and 
hands,  which  required  much  soap  to  remove.  Rut  when,  after  due 
scrubbing  and  combino-,  the  orioinal  was  arrived  at,  no  more  beautiful 
child  could  have  been  found  between  the  35th  and  49th  degrees  of  north 
latitude.  Hercheeks  were  as  red  as  roses,  her  lips  of  the  most  exquisite  out- 
line, and  her  eyes  of  "heaven's  own  hue."  Nor  had  the  outer  coverini,^ 
of  dirt  apparently  injured  her  health.  She  was  as  robust  and  full  of  lifc 
as  the  buxom  maiden  on  the  plains  of  Illinois,  or  the  mountains  of  the 
East.     Kimmiloo  was  the  name  of  this  romantic  maiden. 

When  Kimmiloo  came  out  of  the  cabin  all  gaudily  attired  in  a  red 
dress,  brass  rings,  fancifully  arranged  frills  and  furbelows,  her  Esqui. 
maux  relations  and  friends  laughed,  shouted,  and  jumped  about,  greatly 
delighted  with  the  change  of  costume.  A  very  interesting  account  is 
given  of  a  blind  Esquimaux  called  Blind  George  by  the  sailors,  and 
Pan-lou-yer  by  the  natives.  He  claimed  to  be  an  -xpert  with  the  needle, 
and  indeed,  so  proved  himself.  Mr.  Hall  gave  him  a  garment  to  Uieml 
and  watclied  his  manoeuvers.  George  took  the  needle  and  put  the  nui 
containing  the  eye  between  his  teeth.  He  then  put  the  thread  upon  tl-.c 
tip  of  his  tongue.  With  his  tongue  lie  brought  the  end  of  the  thread  in 
contact  with  the  needle  until  directly  it  struck  the  eye,  and  the  needle 
was  threaded!    Verily,  this  is  a  use  of  the  tongue  never  known  before. 

These  Esquimaux  showed  great  eagerness  to  become  acquainted  witli 
American  maimers  and  language.  And  what  is  strange,  yet  nearly 
always  the  case,  words  of  profanity  and  obscenity  were  invariablv  lirst 
learned.  When  one  of  them  could,  not  pick  up  a  little  ball  of  mercury  that 
was  dancing  around,  he  said  it  had  the  devil  in  it.  P<;rhaps  this  is  to  he 
accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  these  words  were  heard  more  than  any  others 
among  the  sailors,  but  it  seems  a  coincidence  worthy  of  note  that  the 
same  is  tHue  in  the  case  of  every  foreigner  in  first  acquiring  the   En-Hsh 


tongue. 


CHAPTER    LXII 


CHAPPELL     INLET -A      GRIEK-STHICKEX      DAUGHTER         A      n. 

VIIIArp        A     t.,.,  AUUHTER  —  A      DESERTED 

Vi:,,.AGK_A    DKUCACV-WHECK    OP    THE    HESCUK  -  T„K    GKOKG 
.....    S.VEO-C.P..    P.„KEH-.OOKOO.„0_,V  OK.EUOUS  0.1 

co™..,o..-„oB0Eo  =v  noos-,,.,.,  ,«,,  „,  „,^  „^^;;;  ^' 

WITH    INNUITS.  ^oiuiiNCE 

On  the  17th  the  sliip  entered  Nu--um-mi  nk.  n 

o„  .0  .he  „a.,ves,  and  .o  visi.in,  s„.„e  of  the  isl„„u»  which  abounded" 
0  h,,.    U.av„„  .„i.  bay  the  cap.ai.,  shaped  hi.  cou.e  f„,  p.^^ 

;oppe.,„  a  beautiful  little  inlet  whieh  wa,  na^d  after  Rieha^H 
Chappell,  of  Ne.  Loudon,  Coun.  Ou  ,oin.  ashore  it  was  f^  t  "t' 
.hoy  were  separated  from  the  water,  just  left  by  a  strip  of  land  le     T 

:::,:"  t:-  r "''"  -"-  - '-- '"-'  '^^  -- "-"  X" 

tt;ii      1-        •  -  ^  "^"'^ ''  "<'«'e  of  rocks  named    Morp->n'« 

11.11,  a  line  v.ew  ol  the  beautiful  strait  was  enioved      P.  •        T 

-- the  celebrated  Strait   of  Frobisher    -null  i   •  "^  '''''' 

^^.■.-.;..-.vo  hundred  andli^t,.t4r^^^^^^^ 

Aithougii  forty  miles  distant,   ih-   i  uid  on   ,u         '      ■ 
stnit.  U-,     1      ,  "t,   '  1^   Mad  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 

• ".-.V,  i.  was  found  t!  n  I  ::,::;:;''";t""'  '"■"■■"'" 

'>'*v  sir.p,  ana  a  wcpc  1  ifoi-  ;#  i     .,      ,  ,. 

^  '^J-'""  '^■^"""'^^  i'^'«i  the  water  was  a 

557 


*.     ! 


tf- 


A   GRIEF-STRICKEN   DAUGHTER. 

bay,  and  not  a  strait.     Many  specimens  of  fossils  were  found  on  the  nar- 
row  strip,  from  which  selections  were  made  and  taken  on  board. 

The  next  morning  the  Rescue  was  again  on  her  way  toward  the 
George  Henry,  having  a  narrow  escape  from  some  rocks  on  the  way  out 
of  the  bay.  During  the  afternoon  family  boats  of  the  natives,  filled  with 
women  and  men,  approached,  an.l  v.cre  taken  on  deck.  Among  the 
vs.tors  was  Kudlago's  eldest  daughter,  .  beautiful  young  woman,  named 
Kok-er-zhun.  She  learned  of  her  father's  death  for  the  first  time  upon 
gouig  on  board,  and  was  grief-stricken. 

On    Friday,    Aug.    24th,   a   native    chxMv    for    Mr.   Hall   a   chart  of 
Northumberland  Inlet,  Bear  Sound,  and  adjacent  lands,  and  .ic^nified  -, 
wdhngness  to  accompany  Uie  expedition    next  year.     On  the  followin-. 
day  natives  who  had   visited   the   land    gave    assurance    that    FrobishcT 
Stra.t  is  an  inlet  or  bay,  each  one  declaring  that  there  was  no  other  water 
communication  to  Fox's    Channel  except  through   Hudson's   Strait      b, 
examining  with  the  natives  the  charts   of  that    time,   many   inaccuracies 
were  found,  and  it  was  discovered  that  the  Esquimaux  possessed  a   won 
derful  knowledge  of  their  country;  in  fact,  ahy  of  them  can  delineate  to 
the  minutest  detail,  any  portion  of  the  country  once  visited  bv  tiicrn,  and 
their  memory  is  remarkably  good;  so  that  from  the  information  impaUed 
by  them  Hall  arrived  at  the  conclusion    that  no  passage   existed   in   the 
direction  of  Frobishcr  Strait. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  a  trip    was   made   to   a  large   island,  on 
which  was  found  a  deserted  Esquimaux  settlement  of  fifty  huts.     At  the 
time  the  settlement  vva^  visited  the  Esquimaux   ha.'  abandoned   the   plan 
of  building  huts,  and  lived   entirely    in    snow  houses.     A..otiier  curiosity 
notice<l  here  was  a  dog-sledge,  use  I  by  the  natives  in  their  winter  exc.r- 
sions.      It  was  ten  feet  in   length,   the   runners  of  one   and   a   half  inch 
plank,  and  shod  with  the  jaw  bone  of  the  wiiale.      The  widtii  was  thirty 
inches,  an.l  the  cross  bars  fastened  by  stri.igs  of  whalebone.     The  Esqui- 
maux  are  very  fond  of  tlic  ski.i  „f  the  Greenland  whale,  which  they  eat 
raw,  as  they  do  also  the  meat  of  the  whale,  an.l  which  travelers   ir."  that 
regiotr  consider  a  good  practice -at  least   for  the   better  preservation  of 
their  health.     The  whale  meat  is  described  as  being  «  white  and  delicious 


I'-Rji-'rr-KTirr^w;" 


WRECK   OF  THE  RESCUE. 

008 

.  .ho  ...a,.  of  a  Thanksgiving  turkey."     The  Esquimau.    ,.ie,„e  i. 

1,  getun.  vast  p,eces  ,„.„  .heir  dis.e„,le,l  n,„.„h,,  „„d  .hen,  boa  c„„s.ric 
,o,..„ke  firs.  h,h„ca.e  .he„„  and  so  ,„a,  W  .he,„  .,ni.e  wMe.     ol" 
,,l,  >,f  .Sep.e,„ber  a  large  piece  of  „ha.  was  supposed   .o  be  iron  ore 
„o,gh,„g  n,„e.een  pounds,  w„s  found  „„  Lookou.  Island,  and  was  after-' 
wnnl  proved  .o  l»  a  relic  of  Frobisher's  Expecli.iou 

During  .he  ,„on.h  of  Sep.en,ber,  up  .o  .he   la..er  par.,  nothin.  „f 
.„.ere,s.  occurred  .o  .he  expedi.ion.     The  .i™e  was  passed  priucipally  i„ 
.ak,ngshor..r.ps  fro™  .he  sirip  in  various  direcions,  in   .he  course     f 
wh,ch    hose  engaged   in   .he™    „u    several    occasions    ,ne.  wi.h   ,ninor 
accdeu  s  and  ™,shaps.     Qui.e  a  „un,ber  of  na.ives  visi.ed  Mr.  Hall,  an> 
<ian„g*e,rs.a,he  gau.ed    fron.  .he™   ,„uch   valuable  infor^a.-o^  f:' 

On    .he    ^6.h     ligh.   wind,  con.meneed    .o    blow    from    .he    uorrh 
eas.,s,eadil,  increasing  inforeeuu.il  .be  following  .lay,  when  .hey    si 
«.m«      he   proporbous  of  a    gale,  being  accompanied  bv  snow       ^.  8 
^cl„ck  „,  .he  eveuiug  all  .be  anchor,  were  le.  go.       An  hour  ,  ,e:     , 
Rescue  c„,nnu.nccd  dragging  her  anchors,  an.l  soon  af.er  .he  Georgia 
coanuanded   by  Cap..  Tyson,  was  iu    .he  ,an,e  predicamen..       Th    ! 
,00,,  ,„cre,ased  .o  a  hnrricane,  an.l  by  midnigh.  .he  .wo  ships  name-l  wt 

h    lan.l  a,,d  go,  nno  co,npara.ively  ,n,.>o.h  wa.e,,  ai.hongh  shew! 
.».  g,oun,led.       The  crew,  e.pec.ing  she  wouKI   g„  „  pieces  Zl 
-  ^;".    -en.  on  .he  islan.l.     The  Rescue  was  less  Por-nn        t'.d  r,' 
helple,,,,  coward  .he  rocks,  where  she  lan.led  on   her  broa  sides      T^e 
-,«  ....„  boa.  upon  which    Mr.  Hal,    depe„de,l  so  n.uch,  was  a Uo  .o  „ 
™„  her  n,oor,„gs,  a,„l  dashed  .„  pieces.       When  ,„orniu:  daw    I 

>c„clsm,re  seen  poun,lingagai„s.  the  breakers    and    ,    w     """"'' 
„ioJia.ely  sen.  them      Cm.   T„  '"^='"'"S   •'"''  assis.ance  was  im- 

y     n.  them.     C.,pt.  Tyson  an.l  h,s  crew  were  removed  in  safetv 
'"  Ihf  George  Henry.    The  s.orm  conlinue.l  with  unab ate,!  furv  .b         u 
««.  .1-.  day,  h,u  ,he  following  morning  .be  gale    b    e  1     "^  ' 

ashore.     The  Rescu- w.    r„      ,.    u  ^-"^  "'"•"-'I' •'"<',' Party  went 

.0  ,„  piece,       l^ro  '    I  "  "*"  ""'-■'''  "■"■  '"''  '"  ''  '="  "> 

l>,cccs.      1  he  Georgiana  was  foumi  lo  l«  perfectiv  ti^h.  -„  I 

paratively  uuiniured,  and  her  crew     -  ■  ,   ''"     -*^  "»''' ™' '■•™- 

■         '  '"="■•«"'"   "Ok  possession  of  her,  .owed 


r<; 


1  \ 

.fiKvviiws^Hir.li'/T'SspB'fni] 


S60 


TOOKOOLITO. 


% 


her  off  the  rouks,  au,l  once  more  anchored  her  in  deep  water.  The 
escape  of  tlie  Geor-e  Henry  was  ahnost  miraculous,  but  she  did  not  long 
survive  her  partner  in  adversity.  She  was  wrecked  July  i6,  1863,011 
one  of  the  lower  Savage  Islands  in  Hudson's  Strait,  about  one  hund'rcd 
miles  further  south  than  Rescue  Harbor.  The  Georgia.ia  made  ^^ood 
her  defects,  and  on  October  ist  set  sail  for  Northumberland  Inlet  to 
winter. 

During  the  months  of  October  and  November  the  time  passed  ratlier 
monotonously,  and  during  that  time  Mr.    Hall  devoted   most  of  his  time 
to  observations  of  tlie  display  of  aurora,   which  were  beautiful  beyond 
description.     On  the  13th  of  October  the  expeditio.i  was  startled  by  an  un- 
expected  arrival.     A  steamer  and  a  sailing  vessel  came  up  from  the  sea, 
and  anchored  on  the  opposite  side  of  Field  Bay.       The  discovery  wij 
soon  made  tliat  the  strangers  were  the  famous  Capt.  Parker,  of  tlu-  T-ue 
Love,  and  his  son,  commanding  the  steamship  Lady  Celia.       They  had 
made  the  trip  from  Cornelius  Grinnell's  Bay  in  less  than  a  day.      A  visit 
to  the  strangers  was  immediately  planned  and  executed.     When  seen  by 
Mr.  Hall,  Capt.  Parker  was  sixty-nine  years  old,  and  had  been  navigat- 
ing  the  Arctic  regions  forty-five  years.     His  ship  at  that  time  was  a  Inin- 
dred  years  old,  w..s  built   in    Philadclpliia,    Pa.,  and    had    taken   part  i„ 
many  of  the  searching  expeditions.    Capt.  Parker  examined  the  plans  of 
the  expedition,  in  which  he  took  a  deep  interest,   and    promised  an  addi- 
tional    boat,  which    was   much   needed   in   the  transportation  of  supplies, 
but  which  i)n,mise,  unfortunately,  was   never   f.dfilled,  as  the  ships  were' 
driven  to  sea  In'  a  gale  a  few  days  later,  and  did  not  retur.i. 

Mr.  Hall  relates  that  on  November  2  he  was  surprised  by  a  visit  of 
all  Esquimaux  lady,  dressed  in  European  habiliments  and  speakhig  fluently 
the  English  language.  She  was  Tookoolito,  who,  with  her  husl.aiui 
Ebicrbing,  had  spent  twenty  months  in  England,  where  she  had  made 
the  most  of  her  advantages.  Her  husband  was  less  accustomed  to  the 
English  tongue,  but  could  carry  on  a  conversation  in  that  language.  A 
visit  to  their  home  a  few  days  later  showed  a  happy  state  of  allairs.  The 
tent  was  as  comfortable  as  the  surroundings  could  make  it,  and  Tookoo- 
lito  was  engaged  in  knitting  socks  for  her  husband.  Not  only  this,  but  she 


■..Mi--ii!:£!t.'llli^ 


A   GEXEItOUS   OFFER. 

601 

.„ugl«  »n  who  wantC  ,„  ,.,„,  „  .ho  ,a,„e  „cc„p,„i„„,  .„,,  h.,,,  «„ecoc,,e,> 

""""f    "  ■""^'t"-      '""'   """" •"'    'I'"'    --y  ■■<■  llK.    wha.0. 

were  had  m.„,  and  contaminated  the  native..     She  co,„p ,ed  in  panic- 

..I...-  "I  .he  Amencan,,  who  ».vore  more  an.l  worse    than   thei,- English 

While  onshore  for  water  one  day  in  .l,e  httter  part  of  Octohe,,  Mr. 
H..11  u-a,  n„t,ated  n,to  the  .nysteric,  of  Hs,|„im,,n.  worship.  slein., 
»  excel  crowd  gathered  aronnd  a  man  who  ha.l  then  completely  tm! 
.1.  Ins  contr,  ,  and  made  then  ohey  his  every  word  and  ,est„rc,  h.  w.as 

a.  onned    that    .h,s   .mportant  personage    was    : ,ge,<o,   or  wi.a,.d. 

Though  young  he  scemcl  to  have  the  unl,o„n<le,l  conndonee  of  the  „, 
..vc,,  ,.pon  whose  cclulity  and  ignorance  he  lived  at  hi,  ease.  He  carried 
e.,  1„,  ceremonies  in  a  tent,  into  which  Mr.  Hall  was  taken  to  behold  the 
c.  ,h,..on,  and  a.  the  close  this  great  man  insisted  upon  giving  him  one 

of  las  w,ves;  to  wh.ch  proposit the  women   assented,  each  one  trying 

t..  .nake  herself  as  .agreeable  to  the  stranger  as  possible. 

On  d,e  ,5th  of  November  the  ice  from  the  head  of  the  bay  com- 
.nonce-l  heanng  down  on  the  ship,  „„d  by  the6,h  of  the  followingmon.h 
*o  was  secn,ed  in  the  solid  ice  for  the  winter,  and  the  boats  were  dis- 
.nantle.1,  not  to  be  used  again  for  about  nine  month, 

The  Esquimaux  lamp  i,  one  of  the  institutions  peetdiar  to  this  region 

:;:::"  ":„r."7"'" '» ^""p"-'  <- "--  '^■««-  withou.  ittheycouw' 

..ot  c.  St.       rhcr  homes  are  ligl,tcd  and  warmed  by  it;  it  melts  ice  or 
^..ow  for  their  drinks,  and  by  it,   heat  they  dry  their  clothing,    mitten, 
Hoots  and  stockings.     As  oil  seal  blubber  is  used,  and  forms  ,a  ;ery  Jo 
substitute  for  petroleum.  '  " 

December  came  in  w,th  a  calm    which  continued  four  days.     On  the 

tL  :  T'  ''""■'  "'  '""'  "'"'  "  ""^  '"'-•  -5°  tolow  that  point. 

T  .  .cc  was  sohd  aronnd  the  ship  in  her  winter  quarters,  and  the  Esqui- 

and  slecpmg  m  the  cabin.  They  went  on  various  errands-some 
'"ercij  ,„  v,s,tors,  some  to  see  what  they  could  secure  in  the  wav  of 
pr«e„,s,  and  others  to  .|„  son,e  trading.     The  last  ,„e„,io„ed  brou<.h, 


) 


?fn^^j-^  ■•i~-rf " 


663 


A  STRANGE  CUSTOM. 


with  them  skhis  which  they  cxch:m-e<l  f„r  knives  and  other  articles. 
The  (h-csses  made  by  the  Inniiit  women  were  of  a  superior  quality  in 
every  respect,  and  found  a  ready  sale  on  hoard. 

The   temperature  chan-ed    very  sud-ienly   as  the  month  drew   to  a 
close.     On  the  19th    the  thermometer    was  30"  below    zero,  and  the  Ik.. 
romcter  30.175,  yet  the  weather  was  calm  and  seemed  no  colder  than  at 
the  commencement  of  the  season,  when  the   thermometer  stood  at  3^  . 
Onthe3oththe  thermometer  hud  risen  to  5^    helow  zero   early   in 'the 
morning,  and   kept  risin-  until  night,  wlicn  it  indicate.!  14°    above,  with 
a  gale  blowing  and  a  general   breaking  up  of  the  ice  hi  Field  Bay,  and 
the  harbor  in  which  the  ship  was  laid  up.     ()„  the  3  ist  the  thermopictcr 
stood  3  1",  and  the   hay  was  almost   clear  of  ice.     Considerable   rain   fell 
during  the  night,  and   next  morning  the  thermometer  was   32i^%.,ra 
half  degree  above  tiie  freezing  point.     This  placed  the  natives  in  ii  sad 
plight.     It  demolisiied  their  snow  houses,  and  rendered  them   homeless. 
The  rain   continued  on  the  33d,  preventing  the  natives  from  seal  fishing, 
and  causing  .nuch  distress   among  them.      What  food  could  be  spard 
from  the  ship  was  distributed  among  them,  and   cracklings,  which  had 
been  taken  along  as  dog  feed,  we.e  considered  a  great  delicacy.     0„  the 
30th  of  December  the   thermometer  had  again   retired  to   zero,  and  six 
days  later  was  3S"    below  that  point.     The  bay  and  harbor  were  again 
covered  with  ice,  and  the  men  resumed  their  seal  fishino-. 

About  this  time  it  was  discovered  that  the  natives   treat  their  friends 
with  the  utmost  neglect  when  they  are  overtaken  by  sickness.     When 
death  approaches,  a  tomb  is  erected  for  the  victim,  to  which  he  or  she  is 
carried,  placed  within,  the  entrance   closed  with  blocks  of  snow  and  ice, 
ana  the    person    is    left  in   this  living   tomb   to  die    alone,  uncared  for. 
They  believe  that  should  any  be  present  at  the  death,  they  must  discard 
the  clothes  then  worn,  and  never  wear  them  again.     The  funeral  service 
is    very    simple.     The  corpse  is  carried  over  the   shoulder,  much  as  a 
sportsman  carries  his  gun,  to  its  final  resting   place,  where  a  hole  is  dug 
in  the  snow  and  ice,  in  which  it  is  deposited,  covered  up,  and  left  there. 

Having  determined  upon  an   exploration  trip   to  Cornelius   Grinnell 
Bay,  Mr.  Hall,  in  company   with  Ebierbing,  Tookoolito,  and  Koodkjo, 


^  STORM. 


668 


started  on  Thu,     '  iv.  Tan    lo  hv         i  i 

>,.Mn.   io,by  ..ecl;^,  do-s,  with  provisions  for 

scvcml  days.     \    hen  they  leachcv'  -I,.-  ^     „,.  ,i         ,....,„,        .u         . 
•    ,1       r.  'I-        . It,  II         'arted  north,  and  late 

111  tiic  afternoon  ucared  the  frozen  vv.-.t  .  ue 

.^caii,  on  the  inarmn  of 

"'""";      "^,r':  :  "•  ""'«"'"""•■.  ■'   '^-S  I.  ..cccar,  Z.  .he 

,.:"..>,.  lower  the  ,le,..e  ,,„„„  ,„  ,„„  ,,,  ,„,„„.     ^^he  journey  was  con- 

(iiHici    trill       ^    |>.    M      .    , ....  ■'  "*'^  *-""- 

'  '■    "••      "-•"  l»"y    li^'lte-l,  ciccteii  ai,  ice    hut,  iiml 

c:™,».  Ml-  ,1  e  „i,„e      Ever,  article   ,„.  t|,e   ,e.,,e  „„.   taken  i,  ,  a„„ 

—  ™,ce  dose.l,  the  .10,,,,  bei„s  left  „ut,i,le.  Durii,,  eaeh  i,i«  .  i„ 
.!>-■  '-  .IK.  clothin,  or  ihc  occupant,  i,  h,n„  o.er  the  lamp  tol-  .„.; 
.n.,  :.i.l  carelully  attended  to  l,y  the  won,.  ,vh„  also  make  any  necel 
Miv   repairs.     This  was    \fr    llilp    n..  .  • 

.1  """■"•    •^"■"•'11  »l"■.■t■^^  'tin  one  of  these  huts,  and 

he  acords  that  he  slept  a,  comlortahly  as  he  could  wish 

The  journey  was   resumed  iu  the   inornin,-,     TIk-  coorse  was  duo 

7"'' ""VT"'»  •"  ""  "'■■—'■'^-   I" nocks  in    the   ice  it  was    not 

..«,,„      ..party  only  ,n„dc   live  miles  durin,  the  day.     ,t  was  ex- 

l-.ul  th  ,  the  journey  would  he  made  in  one  .lay,  b„,  the  obstacles  were 

»:..:,M„at  t  e  second  ni.,ht  ,■.. them  rar  away  from  their  .lestina. 

' ■     '■-;'-"•>"-   amplications  a  storu.   came   up,  an.l  they  ha,l  just 

--;■"  ».>.l.cr  when  it  „„,st  ,ipo„  .hem  iu  id,  it,  fury,  in  .heir  iee  aho. 

»    i.:  h...en  sea.     ,t  coii.inued  all  night  long,  and  on  the  t:,ir.l  morniu. 

r  .hen  journey  .hey  fonii.l  i,  impossihie  to  procee.!.     Ii,  the  afternoon  I 

"-<l.-"vcred  that  the  ice  wi.,hreaking,an.l    .he    wa.er   matlc   i.s  „p. 

F-ncc  n,,t  inore  than   ten   r,«.,  from    them.     They   heeame  seriously 

-.,,. 1.1  consulted   a,  to   whether  they  should  .a.temp.  ,„  reach  ,he 

•'.»l-l.  was  .hiee  mile,  di,.,.n.,  or  remain  in  their  ,uar.er,  an.l   take 

^^^—"f  being  carried   out    to  sea.     They  dcei.lcl  up„„  .he  lat.er 
c  ".,  ,  ;,i„l  eagerly  awaitc.1   the   coming  of  another  .lav.      The   .-de 

^'  -  .luig  .,„  .heir  way,  they  ha.l  every  .lilKcul.y  ,„  conten.l  vvith.     The 
-  W  :-'.ve„  away  in  every  .lirec.i.,i,.     The  snow   wa,   very  deep  and 

r -^^ "  "•"  "■•"  «--  •"•«"."->■   Hrat  the  sleigh  couL   he 

«.  .,  to  guar.l  it  against  falling  into  some  snow-covered  ice-crack. 

too      1  fl      n  "■'■"  "■  "  ""■■™^'  "•""'''""•      E-h  mei„bcr  .,f  the  party 
"K  Iciul  l.y  .urns,  .o  guar.l  against  the  dangers  which  beset  then. 


tf 


t  war 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


& 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


a 


1.4 


1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


\ 


iV 


^^ 


i\ 


\ 


o«i. 


% 


V 


4 


V) 


A- 


6^ 


& 


■6 


S64 


ROBBED  BT  DOGS. 


and  to  find  a  track  through  the  hummocks  which  met  them  on  all  sides. 
By  2  p.  M.  the  entire  party  were  in  such  an  exhausted  condition  that 
they  were  compelled  to  halt  and  partake  of  their  now  very  slender  stock 
of  provisions.  After  this  they  proceeded  with  renewed  vigor,  reaching  the 
shore  ice  in  safety,  and  in  a  short  time  they  were  alongside  of  Ugarno^'s 
igloo  (ice  hut),  built  on  the  southwest  side  of  Rogers'  Island,  overlook- 
ing Cornelius  Grinnell  Bay. 

On  the  following  day,  Jan.  15,  the  explorations  commenced.  Rah- 
bit  tracks  were  discovered  on  the  hills,  and  in  the  distance  were  seen 
the  prominent  headlands  noticed  on  the  first  arrival  of  the  ship.  In  the 
meantime  the  provisions  gave  out,  and  the  party  found  themselves 
without  food  or  light,  with  the  thermometer  25°  below  zero.  The  na- 
tives met  with  no  success  in  Inmti ng  or  seal  fishing,  but  brought  to  the 
hut  with  them  some  black  skin  and  kuang,  which  they  had  obtained 
from  a  cache  made  the  previous  fall  by  the  natives,  when  the  ship  was 
in  the  bay.  At  noon  next  day  a  heavy  snowstorm  set  in,  which  con- 
tinued nearly  four  days,  confining  the  party  to  the  hut,  and  compelling 
them  to  live  on  raw  frozen  black  skin,  kuang,  and  seal. 

On  Sunday,  the  20th,   they  were  in   a  sad  state   from  actual  want  of 
food.     The  weather  continued  so   forbidding  that  nothing  could  be  ob- 
tained  by  hunting.     At  8  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Mr.  Hall  and  Kood- 
loo,    one    of  his  native  companions,  started  to  return   to  the  ship  with 
a  sledge,  and  twelve  nearly  starved  dogs.     A   speedy  trip  was  antici- 
pated, but  the  difficulties  encountered  were   so  great  that  Ebierbino-  foj. 
lowed  them  on  snow  shoes,  and   taking  his  place,  sent  Mr.  Hall  back  to 
the  huts  to  await  their  return.     The  supply  of  food  was  exhausted  with- 
out any  apparet.t  prospect  of  obtaining  a  supply.     Christmas  eve  found 
the   party  wiHi  nothing  left  but  a  piece  of  black  skin,  one  and   a  quarter 
inch  wide,  two  inches  long,  and  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick.     Dur- 
ing the  night  one  of  the  natives  came  to  the  hut  with  some  choice  mor- 
sels cut  from  a  seal  which  he  had  just  caught,  but  he  had  no  sooner  en- 
tered than   a  starving  dog  which  had  been  allowed  to  sleep  in  the  hut 
over  night,  sprang  at  the  meat  and  ate    a  fair  share   of  it.     Before  the 
party  recovered  from  their  surprise,  the  remaining  hungry  dogs  made  « 


APPEARANCE  OF  SCURVT 
rush  from  the  outside  and  devoured  the  remainder.  The  next  mornin.. 
Ebierbmg  arrived  from  the  ship  with  supplies,  and  a  seal  weighing  at 
least  two  hundred  pounds,  thereby  raising  the  siege  of  starvation  by  tup- 
plyi..,.  the  wants  of  all.  A  letter  from  one  of  the  officers  of  the  ship 
stated  that  the  exploring  party  had  been  given  up  for  lost  in  the  great 
storm  whicli  they  encountered  on  their  journey. 

In  speaking  of  the  Innuit  people,  Mr.  Hall  ^ays  they  are  noted  chiefly 
for  the.r  thoughtlessness  and  improvidence.  When  they  have  an  abund- 
ant supply  of  food  they  devour  it  all  as  fast  as  they  can  without  consid- 
enng  that  on  the  day  following  they  may  be  in  absolute  want,  and  no 
course  of  reasoning  can  induce  them  to  change  in  this  respect 

February  x6   Mr.  Hall  once  more  started  on   an   exploring  expedi- 
t.on,  arr.vmg  the  same  afternoon  at  Clark's  Harbor,  and  proceeding  at 
once  to  Allen's  Island,  where  he  remained  two  days  at  Ugarng's  Loo 
cunously  watching  the  various  efforts  made  to  sustain  and  enjoy  lift  by 
the  singular  people  of  the    north.      He  spent  forty-two  nights  in   an 
■gloo,  hvung  with  the  natives  most  of  their  time  on  their  food  according 
to  then-  own  customs,  and  said  he  had  no  regrets  in  looking  ^ack  upon 
h.s  experience,  but  on  the  contrary,  enjoyed  his  life  so  spent  as  well  as 
he  d.d  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances.     On  the  3rst  he  bade 
ad.eu  to  h,s  Innuit  friends  and  started  on  his  return  to  the  ship,  accom- 
pan>ed  by  Ebierbing,  Ugarng  and  Kunniu,  taking  with  them  the  sledge 
and  dogs.     The  journey  was  devoid  of  accident  or  excitement,  and   4 
party  reached  the  ship  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day. 

A  number  of  the  natives  had  built  igloos  on  the  ice  in  the  vicinity  of 
U.esh.p,  but  at  that  time  they  were  deserted  for  the  fishing  grounds  at 
Fro.sher    Bay.       When    he    visited    the    crew    the    next    day,    Mr. 

them  from  he  knees  down  being  as  black  as  tar.  Both  of  them  were 
->  to  Frob,sher  Bay  to  live  with  the  natives  in  their  igloos,  in  the  hope 
thai  t  would  effect  a  cure.  ^ 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

A  DEER  KILLED  BY  DOGS —FROZEN  TO  DE\TH  — THE  APPROACH  OF 
SPRING  _EA YARD  TAYLOR  PASS  —  A  NATIVE  HISTORIAN  —  THE 
BREEDING  PLACE  OF  THE  DEER— THE  "DREADED  LAND  "—SUB- 
SISTENCE  IN  ARCTIC  REGIONS  —  AN  UNSAFE  BOAT —AN  IMPOR- 
TANT  JOURNEY    POSTPONED. 

One  morning  early  in  March  one  of  the   men  reported  reindeer  in 
sight  upon  the  ice.     Koojcsse  was  armed  with  a  rifle,  and  sent  in  pursuit. 
He  succeeded  in  getting  a  shot,  but  missed.     This  roused   the  dogs  and 
ihey  immediately  gave  chase,  in  spite  of  all  efforts  to  restrain  them.    A 
fine  Greenland  animal  soon-took  the  lead,  and   maintained  it.     Soon  all 
were  lost  to  sight  and  nothing  further  was   thought  of  the   matter  until 
the  dog  returned  to  the  ship  about  mid-day,  covered   with  blood.    His 
actions  led  a  number  of  the  men  to  follow  him   on  the  ice,  and  he  led 
them  to  a  spot  where  they  found  a  dead  deer,  with  its  jugular  and  wind- 
pipe  neatly  cut  by  the  fangs  of  the  dog,  a  feat  never  known  to  have  been 
accomplished  by  a  dog  before. 

On  the    J  7th  of  March  John   Brown,  one  of  thj  scurvy   patients, 
determined  to  return  to  the  ship  with  some   natives   who  were  about  to 
make  the  journey,  and  started  with  them.     On  the  way  they  were  com- 
pelled to  stop  and  cache  some  of  their  supplies,  and,  becoming  impatient 
over  the  delay,  Brown  decided  to  proceed  alone.     No  amount  of  reason- 
ing or  persuasion  would  make  him  desist,  and  with  a  dog  to  guide  him, 
he  started  on  his  journey.     The  same  night  the  natives  arrived^'at  the  ship 
and  retired.     The  next  morning  Brown  was  missed,  and  parties  were  at 
once  sent  out  in  search  of  him.     He  was  not  found  until  late  in  the  eve- 
ning, when  his  frozen  botly   was  discovered  at  the  foot   of  an  iceberg 
seventeen  miles  from  the  ship. 

Nothing  especially  worthy  of  note  occurred  until  March  2S,  when 

5GG 


rch  zS,  when 


APPROACH  OP  SPUING.  jjgy 

Rri.ce,  the  companion  of  Brown,  came  very  near  meeting  a  similar  fate. 
He  was  still  afflicted  with  scurvy,  and  had  been  again  sent  to  an   Innuit 
settlemot.     On  the  morning  of  the  day  mentioned  he  determined   upon 
returning  to  the  ship.     He  was  accompanied  by  an  Innuit   woman,  and 
had  it  not  been  fo    her  strenuous  exei  (ions  he  would  certainly   have  lost 
his  life.     On  the  same  day  Mate  Rogers  started   for   the   whaling  depot 
at  Frobislier  Bay,  taking  with   him   such  articles   as  were  required  for 
spring  operations,  and  a  sledge  and  dogs,  driven  by  Koojesse.     The  jour- 
ney  was  made  without  difficulty  until  noon,  when   a  gale,  accompanied 
by  thiek-falling  snow,  set  in,  and  they  were  compelled  to  retrace  their 
steps.    After  battling  the  storm  for  ten  hours  they  reached  the  goal,  more 
dead  than  alive. 

About  this  time  there  were  unmistakable  evidences  of  the  approach 
of  spring,  and  on  April  8  the  cooking  apparatus  and  othe-  materials 
were  moved  up  from  their  winter  quarters  below,  and  four  days  later  the 
weather  was  described  as  being  so  "  gloriously  fine"  that  Capt.  Hall 
made  a  trip  up  Buddington  Mount,  which  was  described  as  very  dan- 
gerous on  account  of  the  steepness  of  the  incline,  and  its  hard,  snow- 
covered  sides.  Three  days  later  a  long  tramp  was  taken  round  the  head 
of  Field  Bay,  for  triangulating  and  making  observations,  and  on  April 
i6  Capt.  Hall  made  his  first  lunar  observation.  Four  days  afterward 
the  snow  embankment  around  the  ship  was  removed,  and  the  crew  com- 
meiiced  putting  her  in  complete  order  for  service. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  April  22,  Capt.  Hall  started  upon  his 
first  tnp  into  Frobisher  Bay.  The  course  from  the  ship  was  westerly  to 
the  other  side  of  Field  Bay,  from  whence  they  went  over  a  mountain 
pass  which  was  named  after  Bayard  Taylor.  After  passing  through  a 
gorge  they  arrived  at  a  small  inlet  leading  up  from  an  arm  of  Coumess 
of  Warwick  Sound.  After  traversing  the  inlet  a  very  short  distance 
they  came  to  an  abrupt  turn  in  the  mountain,  and  caught  sight  of  Fro- 
bKsher  Bay,  and  the  mountains  of  Kingaite  beyond.  Proceeding  to  one 
of  llie  islands  they  remained  with  an  Innuit  family  all  night.  Next  morn- 
">g  Capt.  Hall  ascended  to  the  summit  of  a  mountain  close  by,  from 
whence  he  had  a  fine  view  of  the  bay,  but  was  disappointed  in  discover- 


668 


A  NATIVE  HISTORIAN. 


ing  that  the  ice  had  broken  up  on  its  surface,  which  would  prevent  lilm 
from  making  his  contemplated  sledge-journey  to  the  westward.     He  also 
saw  from  his  pinnacle  Resolution   Island  and  Meta  Incognita.     Many 
small   pieces  of  limestone  were  found  on  top  of  the   mountain.     De- 
scending he  again  passed  the  night  in  an  Innuit  igloo,  and  next  morning 
started  for  another  village.     Taking  a  course  over  the  hilly  center  of  the 
island    be  arrived  at  his  destination  after  walking  about   three    miles. 
Two  days  were  spent  here  taking  observations,  after  which  the  trip  was 
resumed.     The  breaking  up  and  absence  of  sea  ice  caused  the  party  to 
encounter  many  difficulties  in  making  their  way  along  the  shore.     As 
they  traveled  forward,  the  mountains  of  Kingaite  loomed  up  in  mag. 
nificent  grandeur,  and  the  explorer  was  struck  with  the  idea  that  more 
than  land  existed  there;  and  in  truth,  it  was  solid  ice,  which  the  natives 
said  had  never  been  known  to  change. 

About  dark  they  reached  the  south  point   of  the  island  of  Nonyain, 
where  they  expected  to  find  an  Innuit  village,  but  were  disappointed,  and 
were    compelled    to    construct    an    igloo   out  of  a  snowbank,  in  which 
they  lodged  for  the  night,  though  not  without    an    intruder.     The  tide 
poured  in  upon  them  without  ceremony,  but    retired    without    inflicting 
serious  damage.     In  that  region  the  rise  of  the  tide  at  its  full   is   thirty 
feet.     On  Saturday,  April  24,  the  party   started   on  the  return  journey, 
and  on  the  following  Monday  they  arrived  safely  on  board  the  ship,  after 
an  absence  of  eight  days.     Immediately  after  arriving  on  board,  C:'Dt. 
Hall  had  an  attack  of  snow-blindness,  which  continued  a  few  days.    On 
the  last  day  of  April  the  ice-fetters  were  stricken  from  the  ship,  and  she 
floated  two  feet  higher  in  the  water,  having  become  so  much  lighter 
through  the  consumption  of  stores  since  the  period  of  freezing  in. 

One  day  early  in  May,  Capt.  Hall  went  ashore  at  Cooper's  Island,  in 
Rescue  Harbor,  to  talk  with  an  Innuit  woman  who  was  acquainted  with 
nearly  a  hundred  years  of  the  traditions  of  her  race.  From  her  he  learned 
that  upon  Nionutelik  Island  she  had  seen  bricks  and  coal,  and  pieces 
of  tiniber  of  various  sizes,  and  that  she  had  often  heard  from  old  Iiinuits 
that,  many  years  before,  ships  had  landed  theflte  with  a  great  number  of 
people;  that  when  a  little  girl  she   had   heard  of  these  people  killing 


'""™  «BT'rOTi'tH|||fgi'«B-»'";"'-jijjj|'|- 


kim 


AN  OASIS. 

569 

several  Innuits  and  taking  away  two  Innuit  wo,.en  who  were  never 
a,a,„  heanl  <.f,  and  that  they  ca.e  every  yea.-;  fi.-.st  two,  then  three,  and 
then  a  ,,-eat  ..any  ships.  She  also  told  of  five  white  ,nen  who  were 
capfncd  hy  the  Innuit  people  at  the  ti.ne  of  the  appea.-ance  of  the  ships 
a„eat.„anyyea.-s  ago;  that  these  n.n  .vinte,-ed  on  shore;  that  th  y 
l.vc  a,non.theInnu.ts;  that  they  afterwa...  built  a  la.-ge  boat,  with 
■nast  and  sa.ls;  that  they  cndeavore<i  to  ,et  away,  a.Kl  that  they  finally 
succeeded  .n  do.ng  so  after  much  trouble,  a.ul  were  never  again  heanl  I,. 

As  all  this  was  located  .,po,.  the  island  upon 
wh.ch  Frobisher  landed  it  was  co.npared 
w.th  w.-itte..  histo.-y,  an.l  they  were  fou.ul  to 
correspond,  which  deter.nined  Hall  to  visit 
Nionutelik,  the  island  referred  to,  for  the 
purpose  of  gaini.io  further  information. 

Befo.e  leaving  for  the  Frobisher  waters, 
an  examh.ation  trip  was  made  to  the  head 
of  Field  Bay.     Traveling  was  impeded,  and 
seve.i  horns  we.-e  consumed  in  reaching  the 
shore.     From  the  top  of  a  small  rocky  hill 
was  discovered  to  the  west  a  lo.ig  and  narrow 
lakelet,  extending  in  a  northerly  directio.,  to 
the  base  of  Alden   Mountain.     After  resum- 
ing the  jou.ney,  a  beautiful  grassy  plain  was 
readied,  which  was  quite  destitute  of  snow, 
a.Kl    sur.-ounded    by  rugged,  somber,  rocky 
'"'^""tains,  making  it  appear  as  a.i  oasis  in 
.he  great  desert  of  ice  and  snow.     Running  northwest    from  the  plain 
ncr  Alden  Mountain,  was  another  plain    extending  in  every  direction 
as   ar   as   the  eye  could    reach.     This    led    the  explorer   to   the  belief 
tha     at  that    time    Arctic  navigators    knew   ve,-y    little,  of  the   inte.-ior 
of  the  country,  as  they  rarely  saw   and  explored  aught  but  the  coasts 
Judgmg   from    information    afterward     obtained,    these    plai.Ks    a.-e    the 
breed.ng  places  of  the  dee.-.     After  traveling  about  twenty-five  miles  the 
explorer  arnved  on  shipboard  again  at  3  o'clock  the  following  morning 


INNUIT  WOMAN'S  IIKAD-DltFES. 


1^  s* «      -1 


'1%  1 


1 

1    ! 


.'!> 


*'fflfi^5:^?**fl!WR 


670 


THE  DREADED  LAND. 


On  the  27th  of  May,  Capt.  Hall,  accompanied  by  a  number  of  natives, 
started  on  the  long-expected  expedition,  but  before  they  had  gone  far  they 
were  compelled  to  return  to  the  ship,  as  it  was  found  impossible  to  make 
the  journey  by  sledge.  It  was  the  intention,  however,  to  spend  a  day  „r 
two  on  the  islands  of  Opungnewing  and  Nionutelik  before  making  the 
return  trip;  but  this  also  had  to  be  abandoned  in  the  face  of  a  storm,  ;,ih1 
the  party  hurried  back  as  fust  as  they  could.  Soon  after  arriving  on 
board  again,  a  party  of  Sekoselar  Innuits  arrived,  and  imparted  some 
valuable  information  concerning  white  i^eople  who  had  in  years  gone  by 
visited  their  country. 

Early  in  June  the  journey  to  the  "Dreaded  Land,"  as  it  is   called  by 
the    Esquimaux,  was  commenced  again  by  sledge.     The  progress  was 
very  slow  at  first.     The  direction  first   taken  was  toward  Dillon  Moun- 
tain,  latitude  63^  32'  north,  at  the  east  end  of  Fox's  Land,  an  island  on 
the  east  side  of  Bear  Sound  and  Lupton  Channel,  twelve  miles  in  width, 
its  center  being  in  latitude  63°   29'  north,  longitude  64°  28'  west.     The 
hummocks  caused  the  party  to   change  their  course  to  due  south  toward 
Lupton  Channel.     Bad  weather  compelled  them  to  encamp  on  an  island 
which  was  named  Sylvia,  its  highest  point  being  five  hundred  feet  above 
the  sea.     From  the  elevation   could  be  seen  the  open  water  of  Lupton's 
Channel,  which  the  natives  say  never  freezes  over,  in  consequence  of  the 
swiftly  running  tides.     On  the   7th  of  June  they  left  the  island,  and  the 
same  afternoon  arrived   at   the  base  of  Jones'  Tower,  latitude  62°  33' 
north,  longitude  64 '^  34'  west.     From  the  top  of  this  mountain  the  view 
was  extensive,  but  Frobisher  Bay  could  not  be  seen,  although  it  was  not 
thought  to  be  distant  more  than  seven  miles. 

The  following  morning  the  journey  was  resumed,  and  the  shore  of 
the  "dreaded  land"  was  found  to  present  many  interesting  features,  on 
account  of  its  newness  and  associations.  About  six  miles  from  Jones' 
Tower  they  reached  Cape  Daly,  the  termination  of  a  neck  of  land  dis- 
tinguished by  a  remarkable  gap  in  its  ridge.  Pushing  forward  they 
reached  Cape  Hayes— the  most  northerly  pomt  of  Hudson's  Island, 
where  they  again  prospected.  At  this  time  Hall's  Island  was  less  than 
two  miles  distant,  but  it   was  impossible  to  reach  it  on   account  of  the 


NORTH  FORELAND. 


Wl 


rugged  ice  with  which  M'Clintock  Channel  was  firmly  packed.  At 
Cape  Hayes  were  found  circles  of  stones,  which  had  been  placed  there 
years  before  by  the  Innuits  who  formerly  inhabited  this  now  forsaken 
land.  The  next  day  the  party  pursued  its  journey  through  Dr.  Kane's 
Channel,  which  connects  Frobisher  Bay  and  Field  Bay.  Seals  were 
very  numerous  in  this  locality,  and  bear  tracks  were  also  discovered. 
When  they  arrived  at  the  point  from  whence  it  was  expected  to  see  the 
entrance  to  Frobisher  Bay,  there  was  great  astonishment  at  discovering 
a  short  distance  off,  open  water,  with  numerous  icebergs  drifting;  a 
lieavy  sea  rolling  in  and  beating  on  the  edge  of  the  floe. 

They  had  now  neared  the  land;  and  when  within  half  a  mile  ot 
"Hall's  smaller   island"  of  Frobisher,  Capt.   Hall  went  on  by  himself! 
Bear  tracks  were  seen  on  all  sides,  and  other  evidences  presented  them- 
selves  sufficient  to  show  that  that  outcast  region  was  one  of  plenty  in- 
stead   of  barrenness.     After  a    thorough  inspection  the  party   retraced 
their  steps  to  the  encampment,  where   they  arrived  safely  a  day  later. 
From  the  mountain  top  in  the  rear  of  the  camp  bearings  were  taken  of 
various  prominent  places.     It  was  determined  to  set  out  on  the  return  to 
the  ship  on  Wednesday,  June  12,  but  before  doing  so  Capt.  Hall  visited 
the  utmost  extreme  of  land— the  "North  Foreland"  of  Frobisher.     The 
channel  between  the   islands  was  free  from  ice,  save  at  its  west  end,  and 
presented  an  animated  picture  of  life,  for  seals  and  aquatic  birds  in  great 
variety  were  sporting  there.     After  a  laborious  walk  he  reached  "North 
Foreland,"  the  goal   of  his  ambition  in  that  trip.     The  view  was  en- 
chanting.    As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  sea  was  open.    North  Fore- 
land  presented  a  bold  front.     Its  elevation  was  several  hundred  feet,  and 
the  mighty  waves  were  dashing  in  quick  succession  against  this  rocky 
rampart.     Nearly  south  of  this  point  are  three  islets,  the  nearest  being  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  shore.     The  largest  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
long,  and  the  others  are  very  small.     In  every  direction  were  seen  traces 
0;  reindeer  and  rabbits.     After  remaining  an  hour  on  this  interesting 
spot,  taking  bearings  of  distant  objects,  he  returned  to  the  encampment, 
where  everything  was  found  to  be  in  readiness  for  their  departure. 

The  start  was   made  in  the  forenoon,  and  the  route  selected  was  the 


ii 


M8  A    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

1)110  traveled  by  them  three  times  before.  A  gale  spranjj  up  duriii},'  the 
day,  and  fears  were  eutertaiiietl  that  it  would  break  up  the  ice.  Great 
dithculty  was  experienced  in  ercctinj,'  the  tent,  but  it  was  accomplished 
at  last,  and  the  crevices  were  filled  wilii  moss  in  such  a  ma.iner  that  it 
was  almost  imjjossible  for  the  fine  snow  to  enter.  They  were  compelled 
to  remain  in  the  tent  until  Friday,  the  14th,  when  the  journey  was  re- 
sumed.  They  progressed  very  well  until  they  struck  out  on  a  straight 
course  for  the  ship,  when  they  found  the  situation  alarming.  The  ice 
was  broken  into  every  conceivable  form  and  si/c,  but  it  was  their  only 
chance,  and  they  seized  the  opportunity.  The  distance  was  accomplished 
safely,  though  with  fear  and  trend)ling,  and  tiiey  arrived  at  the  ship  on 
Saturday  morning.  As  an  evidence  of  what  can  be  secured  in  the  polar 
regions  to  sustain  life,  it  may  be  interesting  to  state  that  during  a.  ab- 
sence of  ten  days  the  party  obtained: 

I   Polar  bear 1  ,(KX3  pounds. 

I  ookgook  (largest  sized  seal) i,Soo      " 

9  seals i^Soo      '• 

Total 1,300      " 

In  addition  to  this  they  had  an  abundance  of  skin  for  clothing,  and  oil 
for  fuel  and  light. 

A  few  days  were  devoted  to  rest  and  making  preparations  for  the 
long-desired  visit  to  King  William's  Land  About  this  time  another 
heavy  gale  swept  across  the  bay  for  three  days,  but  the  ice  remained 
firm,  and  the  ship  was  uninjured.  Word  was  received  from  the  whaling 
flepot  that  the  ofticers  and  crew  stationed  there  were  quite  well,  though 
unsuccessful,  and  soon  after  Capt.  Hall,  accompanied  by  Koojesse,  started 
to  join  them,  arriving  at  the  destination  early  next  morning.  After  an 
exchange  of  greetings  an  examination  of  the  shore  was  made,  and  every- 
where along  the  beach  fragments  of  limestone  were  found  in  abundance. 

One  of  the  principal  objects  of  the  visit  to  the  dej^ot  was  to  make 
preparations  for  the  departure  to  King  William's  Land,  and  to  consult 
with  Capt.  B.  respecting  it.  Great  was  the  sorrow  on  both  sides,  when 
Capt.  Hall  was  assured  by  his  friend  that  the  whaling  boat  promised  him 


■m 


EGG-HUNTING, 

for  the  expcditi.,.,  was  in  every  respect  iiimlequate  f„r  the  w„rk  wliici,  it 
was  proposed  to  impose  „pon  it.  He  showed  clearly  that  it  could  not 
carry  the  necessary  quantity  of  provisions  f,.r  the  men  require.l,  which 
impressed  the  explorer  with  the  helief  that  he  would  have  to  postpone 
his  proposed  expedition  for  a  year,  or  until  he  could  return  to  the  States 
ami  i)rocurc  a  suitable  boat. 

The  weather  bein-  fine,  an  expedition  was  planned  for  the  explora- 
tion  of  the  surroun.ling  coast,  made  famous  by  Frobisher's  voyajjes  in 
the  sixteenth  century.  The  start  was  made  with  a  young  native,  who 
iiowever,  proved  to  be  a  hindrance.  The  journey  was  tedious  in  the' 
extreme.  The  shore-ice  was  covered  with  soft  snow,  and  a  point  of  land 
n,.t  mo.e  tha.i  two  and  a  half  miles  distant  could  only  be  reached  by  . 
walk  of  fifteen  miles,  after  which  a  long  circuit  had  to  be  made  around 
some  rocks.  Nothing  was  accomplished  on  this  trip,  and  the  part'- 
returned  to  the  depot. 

Much  of  the  time  was  devoted  to  duck  hunting  and  ^^^  gathenn<r 
A  party  of  four  succeeded  in  gathering  six  dozen  eggs  at  one  point  " 
ten  mmutes.  At  another  place  they  got  sixteen  dozen  and  five  in  twenty 
minutes.  The  ducks  always  replaced  the  eggs,  which  made  the  supply 
cqt.al  to  the  demand.  Many  birds  were  shot,  but  the  swift  tide  pre- 
vented the  hunters  from  securing  the  game.  Ice  bridges  were  found  in 
abundance,  and  n,any  of  the  islands  in  Bear  Sound  are  united  by  these 
curious  provisions  of  nature. 

On  June  29,  Captains  Hall  and  B.  returned  to  the  George  Henry  nul 
a  few  days  later  the  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  by  a  grand  explosion 
of  a  rusty  gun-barrel.  At  this  time  there  was  a  fair  prospect  that  the 
bay  would  soon  be  free  from  ice,  and  that  the  ship  would  get  away  to 
other  (luarters. 


.^-  ; 


':') 


S    f 


CHAPTER    LXIV. 

THE  SHIP  FREB— A  SKIUKS  OF  ADVENTURES— IHON  ISLAND  — jONEs' 
CAPK  — CAPE  STEVENS  — KRESII  WATERS  — PEALE  POINT— J«r. 
dan's  RIVER— the  return  — COAL— COUNTESS  OF  WARWICK'S 
SOUND HOMEWARD    ROUND. 

On  July  17,  1 86 1,  the  ship  was   once   more  free  from  the  ice  which 
had  bound  her  for  eight  months,  and  swung   her  chains  in  Rescue  Ilai- 
bor.     But  it  was  only  in  a  poo!    that  she  was  free,  for   ice  yet   remained 
between  the  anchorage  and   the  main  bay.     The  greater  portion  of  the 
crew  were  again  at  the  whaling  depot,  wh.-n  a  boat  was  sent  them,  but 
they  were   meeting  with   no  success.     At   this   time   the   heat  was  very 
great,  the  mercury  standing  95°  in  tiie  sun,  preventing  work  of  all  kinds, 
unless  one  was  clad  in  the  lightest  garments.     On  the  27th  the  ice  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  vessel  began  to  move,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
the  crew  succeeded  in  keeping  it  from  crushing  the  ship.    A  day  later  the 
men  who  had  remained  at  the  whaling  depot  were  summoned  to  return 
to  the  ship.     The   return  of   the  crew  and   breaking  up  of  the   ice  were 
the  signal  for  a  departure  to  another  place  in      arch  of  whales. 

On  Tuesday,  the  30th,  the  Georg-i  Henry  took  her  departure  from 
the  bay,  leaving  Capt.  Hall  to  push  his  explorations  as  best  he  might. 
He  took  up  his  abode  with  Ebierbing,  and  was  the  only  white  man  left 
in  that  locality.  The  next  day  it  blew  a  gale,  and  the  ship  again  sought 
shelter  in  the  bay,  where  she  remained  for  some  time. 

At  this  time  Capt.  Hall  was  busily  engaged  in  the  selection  of  a 
crew  that  should  accompany  him  on  his  expedition.  He  succeeded  in 
securing  six  good  natives,  and  everything  being  ready  fo:  the  start 
on  Friday,  Aug.  9,  on  that  day  he  set  out  from  the  ship.  That 
evening  they  reached  the  entrance  to  Lupton's  Channel,  and  made  thel:" 
tirst  encampment  in  a  small  cove  on  the  southeast  side  of  Bache's  Pe- 

574 


A  SE/f/ES  OF  ADVENTURES.  575 

niMsMin,  and   opposite    Ellis  Island,  where  they  found  relics  of  .onaer 
Innuit    encampments.      The     v..ya,.e     was     continue.l     the     foilc.wing 
morning.      At    Cape    True     a     rest    was     taken    for    an    examiuation 
of  the  deserted  place.     At  that  time  there  was  no  ice  on  Frohisher  Hay. 
vviti,  the  exception  of  a  few   herj^s.       The  secon.l  eucan.pment   was  at 
Cape  Cracrott,  latitude  63°  4, '  30"  north,  Ion{,Mtude  65"  7'  west      The 
next  stoppin:.'  place  was  at  Oopunf,niewinj,'   Island,  where   the   members 
of  the  party  were  very  much  annoyed  by  mosqm-toes.       On  the  i  ,th  of 
Au-rust  three  of  the  crew  were  selected  to  accompany  the   explorers  to 
Nionutelik.  which   was  reached    in  safety,  althouj,d.  rough  weather  was 
encountered.       Search    was   n.:ule   for  fragments     •   brie:    :md  relics,  but 
no...  were  found.     The  journey  was  continued  around  the  island,  and  at 
last  the  relic   hunter  was   rewarded   by  finding  pieces  of  soa  coal  which 
had  been  taken  there  by  Frohisher  in  1578.     No  other  relics  were  fojnd 
and  the  parties  returned  to  the  encampment.     The  journey  was  resumed 
in  the  morning.       The  examination   ma.le  of  the  surroundings  was  not 
thorough,  as  it  was  the  intention  to  continue  the  jour.iey  at  another  time 
and  in  a  more  complete  manner.      However,  a  constant  record  was  kept 
of  distances   run   and  courses  steered,   and    landings   were   made  as  fre- 
quently  as   possible    to   take  observations    for    latitude,    longitude,    and 
variations  of  the  compass. 

Iron  Island,  named  so  because  of  the  resemblance  of  its  rocks  to  ox- 
idized  iron,  was  found  to  be  a.i  interesting  place.  Innuit  monumental 
marks  were  found;  also  an  excellent  piece  of  live  oak  timber,  from  some 

wreck. 

Jones'  Cap.  was  selected  as  the  next  place  of  encampment.  It  is  in 
'^'titudo  63"  55'  30"  north,  longitude  65"  45'  west.  A  snug  harbor  was 
found,  and  the  natives  received  the  parties  kindly.  Some  remarkable 
monuments  of  stone  were  found  here,  one  being  about  six  feet  high,  and 
'n  the  form  of  a  cross.  Capt.  Hall  declared  J  ones  Cape  to  be  one"  of  the 
finest  places  he  had  seen  in  the  north.  Force's  Sound  is  ncirly  sur- 
roun<led  by  magnificent  mountains,  and  is  sheltered  from  winds  and 
heavy  seasby  numerous  islands.  On  Aug.  14  a  mountain  in  the  rear  of  the 
encampment  was  ascended,  from  the  summit  of  which  could  be  plainly 


M^mm 


r.To 


/HON  ISLAND 


\-i 


•a 


iiit  I     fffiHlff 

'   ill'  iWH 

l,li    i. 

1 

seen  more  than  fifty  miles  of  the  Kingaite  coact,  the  nearest  p  Mnt  beinc 
distant  about  thirty  miles.       The   peculiar  variety  of  stone   found   upon 
Iron    Island   was   also  found  there,  and  also  limestone  upon  the  summit 
about  a  thousand  feet  al)ove  the  sea  level. 

The  expedition  next  pushed  westerly  across  the  east  arm  of  the  hay 
but  had  to  change  its  course  on  account  of  a  heavy  sea,  and  again  landed  on 
the  island,  near  its  center,  after  which  it  proceeded  to  the  soutiicastcrn 
extreme  of  Barrow's  Peninsula.  The  next  point  reached  wr.s  PLimlin's 
Bay,  which  had  to  be  crossed.  The  sixth  encampment  was  made  on 
Blanchard's  Island,  and  the  seventh  at  Tongu'^  Cape,  near  the  entrance 
of  Waddell  Bay.  A  native  was  here  fonnd  who  had  seen  pieces  of 
iron,  brick  and  coal  in  that  locality,  but  who  said  they  had  been  carried 
away  ye.ws  before  when  he  was  a  boy.  The  expedition  continued  its 
course  along  the  cosst,  closely  examining  its  featuies,  and  noting  down 
everything  of  importance  which  was  seen.  Tiie  land  was  bold  and 
high,  with  much  of  the  iron  rust  look  about  it.  Scarcely  any  vegetation 
was  to  be  seen.  Numberless  islands  bordered  the  coast,  and  it  looked  as 
though  a  complete  chain  reached  across  the  bay  to  Kingaite. 

Cape  Stevens  was  the  eighth  camping  ground.  On  a  mountiiin  top 
close  by  were  found  shells  and  fossils,  some  of  which  were  taken  away. 
This  particular  mountain  was  described  as  being  very  grand  and  rug'^cd. 
One  side  was  perpendicular,  and  contained  large  caverns,  with  hu"-e 
projecting  rocks  hanging  over  them. 

Numerous  small  bergs  were  encountered  during  the  next  few  da}-- 
which  had  been  left  high  and  dry  on  the  rocks  near  the  coast  by  the 
ebbing  of  the  low  spring  tide.  Capt.  Hall  went  ashore  on  the  north 
side  of  the  island,  "  Frobisher's  Farthest,"  from  the  summit  of  which 
the  bay  seemed  to  continue  on  between  two  headlands,  one  the  termina- 
tion of  the  ridge  of  mountains  on  the  Kingaite,  and  the  other  the  ter- 
mination of  the  ridge  running  on  the  north  side  of  Frobishcr's  Bay.  The 
coast  of  Kingaite  was  in  full  v'C'v  from  tlie  "  Great  Gateway  "  down  to 
the  "  President's  Seat,"  a  distance  of  one  hundred  nautical  miles.  A 
line  cf  islands — their  number  legion — shoot  down  from  "Frobishcr's 
Farthest "  to  the  Kingaite, 


STLV/A   GRIN  NELL  RIVER. 


577 

The  „ex.  morniag,  Aug.  .3,  an  exploration  „f  the  hills  wa,,   „„. 
.le..a.c„      Mo„«a.„,  near  .he  eoas.  on  .ha.  ,ide  of  .he  ba,  had  disap- 
«e..     he   land   be,ng  eo,„pa.a.ivel,  low,  and   eovercd  „i.h  ve.dufe 
V  u.„  a    .he  pa..y  had  again  gone  on  .he  hoa.  and  proceeded  .,o,.edis.anct 
.r.her,  .hey  found  .he.nselves  navigating  in  fresh  wa.c,s.     I.  „„.  elea. 
.ho  nver  .as  of  considerable  size,  or  i.  could  no.  .hrow  ou.   such  a  vol- 
...,„  ,„  fresl,  wa.er  .0  a  considerable  dis.ance  fro™  its  month  a.^alns.  an 
".C"in.ng  .,de.      After  proceeding  a  shor.  dis.ance  further  i.  w^s  found 
;l.,.  to  waters  were  alive  with  sahnon.      The   reindeer  aho  aboundcl 
...  .h-  reg,on,  and  the  ,„e,„bers  of  the  party  had  no  trouble  in  feasti„„ 
thcnsclves  upon   all  the  delicacies  of  .he  season.      The  wa.ers  of  .„: 
nver  were  pure  as  cry,.al,  and  it  w.as  named  Sylvia  Griuneil  River     For 
.0  .n-s.  half  m,  e  from  the  sea  proper  it  runs  quietly.     The  ne.x.  ,  a« 
of.  .n  e  ,.  fans  about   fifteen   feet,  rushing   rapidly  over  rocks      T 
««  ,n,le  ,s  on  a   evel,  when  it  .again  takes  a    fall  of  about  ten  feet  to  a 
..hofa  m,le,  alter  which  its  course   is  through    low,  level   Land.     The 

g  ...s     Two  m.les  above  the  point  where  it  enters  the  sea,  on   the  east 
».ks  ,s  *o  neck  of  a  plain  which  grows  wider  and  wider    s  it  extend 
b-.     Prom   the  point  where  it  w,as  seen  it   looked   as  though     t  w 
ve.yexten„ve.     On  the  ea,,t  side  as  far  as  could   be  seen   there  was 
n %e  o    n,ounta.,,s.     On  the  wes.  side   was  a  plain  of  a  quarter  to 
half  mile  in  width. 

Th,™l„y  morning,  Aug.  39,  the  party  was  again  under  headway  in  a 
^«e  wo.  course.     An  indentation  of  the  coast,  at  the  head  of  which  w 
gnssy  plan,,  w.as  soon  passe,l,  and  .^,  Peale  Point  w.as  approached  it  w.a', 
oundtobe  fnnged   with  many  islets.     The    Point    consis.s  of  ru.l« 
rooks  wh,ch  attam  a  greater  elevation  ,han  any  o.her  land    a.  the  Tcad 
proper  of  Frobisher  Bay.     The  beach  xv  ,s  „   A  , 

,„,,  ,.         ,    .  ,      .  '  '™  ™"'  "'"'^y>  ""'I   contained    large 

-  .omarkable  bme-worn  boulders.  In  the  afternoon  thev  entered  the 
channel,  wnh  Kinga.te  on  the  right,  and  Bishop's  Island  on  the  ft 
To  coast  was  steep,  but  in  many  places  covered  with  grass  and  vege-' 
.....o  .  The  entrance  is  about  half  a  mile  wide,  .and  ..fler  proceedin.  a 
' X'' '""'''''  '-''■^<' »  «"'  ^-'"'    -   'ess  that    .wJ      d 


1*H1,: 


878 


yOUDAN'S  RIVER. 


lliiMiJi 


half  miles    in    diameter,  on    the    west    side    of  which    they  encamped. 
Making  his  way  to  the  crest  of  a  high  hill,  CajDt.  Hall  jilaced  there  the 
Stars  and  Stripes.     This  encampment  was  left  the  following   afternoon 
some    articles    being    stored  to  be  called  for  on  the  return.     A   landino- 
Nvas  made  oh  the  northw^cst  corner  of  Bishop's  Island.     From  its  top  the 
whole  head  of  Frobisher  Bay,  from   Sylvia   to   Grinnell   River  on  the 
northeast,  to  Aggoun  on  the  west,  was  in  view.     The  width  was  fourteen 
nautical  miles.     The  termination  is  not  by  deep  bays  or  fiords,  but  by 
slight  indentations,  the  greatest   not    exceeding  three    miles.     Bishop's 
Island  was  well  covered  with  vegetation.     The  next  day  a  point  was 
reached  from  which  it  was  definitely  ascertained  that   Frobisher's  Strait 
was  a  myth.     The  estuary   of  Jordan's  River   was  finally  reached.    It 
was  crossed,  and  an  encampment  made   on  the  other    side.     Fiom  this 
point  were  visible  long  and   wide  plains,  meadows   of  grass,  si,(oothly 
sloping  hills,  and  a  range  of  mountains  beyond,  which,  parting  in  one 
particular  spot,  formed,  as  it  were,  a  natural  gateway.     At  the  left,  across 
the  river,  was  SilHman's  Fossil  Mount,  a  ridge  of  white,   and  behind  it 
the  unbroken  front  of  a  line  of  mountains  extending  northwesterly  to 
the  Great  Gateway.     On   the    northern   side    the    mountains    continued 
from  this  singular  opening  on  by  Frobisher  Bay   to   the  locality  around 
Field  Bay,  far  to  the  southwest  and  eastward.    Jordan's  River  is  not  so 
large  as  the  Sylvia  Grinnell,   but  at   certain   seasons  it  must  discharo-e 
large  volumes  of  water.     On  account  of  its  singular  beauty  the  land  at 
the  head  of  Frobisher  Bay  was  named  "  Greenwood's   Land."     On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  was   discovered  a  mount   of  marine  fossils  in 
limestone,  half  a  mile  long  and  over  a  Inmdred  feet  high. 

On  the  morning  of  Sept.  6  the  return  journey  was  commenced. 
Two  days  later  it  was  evident  that  winter  had  again  commenced.  There 
was  a  severe  snowstorm  in  the  morning  -:nd  ice  at  night.  On  the  loth 
a  journey  over  the  mountains  westward  was  undertaken,  thou"-h 
nothing  was  accomplished.  Next  day  a  start  was  made  for  the  islands, 
and  a  landing  was  made  on  Bishop's  Island.  The  view  from  there 
embraced  the  whole  coast  which  terminates  Frobisher  Bay.  On  the 
2oth  there  was  some  excitement  when  one  of  the  Innuits"  cried  out  from 


'l^MWiaWifJjMMitettiMitfeSfili' 


^^Ma 


OPHIURID  OF  NORTHERN  SEAS. 


t 


580 


RELICS   OF  FliOBISUEIi. 


tlic  shore  that  he  liad  discovered  j^old,  and  instantly  a  rnsh  was  made  for 
.the  spot,  when  it  was  discovered  that  the  alle<,'ed  article  was  spurious. 
Furtiier  along  on  the  island  was  found  a  trench  in  the  rock  which  was 
one  hundred  and  ten  feet  in  lenjrtli,  running,'  from  the  surface  to  a  (icptli 
of  twenty-five  feet  at  the  water's  ed-e.  The  Innuits  said  that  a  ship  liad 
h^'cn  huilt  there  by  the  white  men. 

On  top  of  the  island  was  found  the  ruins  of  a  house,  built  of  stone, 
and  cemented  with  lime.  It  wis  about  twelve  feet  in  diameter 
and  thickly  coated  with  moss.  A  few  feet  from  it  was  a  sort  of  stone 
breastwork,  such  as  the  natives  erect  for  shelter  when  hunting,  and  .ilso 
a  pile  of  stones,  which  looked  as  though  it  might  have  been  made  hy 
P'rohisher's  men  to  cover  some  memorial  left  by  them  when  trying  to 
escape  in  their  ship. 

Leaving  the  island  the  course  was  next  laid  to  the  cape  of  land  callctl 
Tikkoon,  Landing  there,  one  of  the  Innuits  attracted  the  party  to  where 
he  was  standing,  by  loud  cries.  On  arriving  on  the  spot  there  was  foun,! 
still  another  relic  of  the  Frobisher  Expedition— of  iron,  and  timo-cateii, 
with  ragged  teeth.  The  piece  weighed  from  fifteen  to  twenty  pounds 
and  was  on  the  top  of  a  granite  rock,  just  within  reach  of  high  tide  a.t 
full  and  change  of  the  moon.  The  iron  stain  was  in  the  rock;  otlurwise 
its  top  was  cleanly  washed. 

The  next  point  visited  was  Cape  Ood-loo-ong,  where  many  relics 
of  Innuits  vere  found,  anfl  which  possessed  magnificent  scenery.  Next 
day  a  landing  was  made  at  Ek-ke-le-zhun,  where  more  coal  was  found, 
and  where  a  black  stone  resembling  coal  was  also  found. 

A  snowstorm  detained  the  party  on  Nionutelik  Island,  wliich 
enabled  Capt.  Hall  to  extend  his  investigations  still  farther.  East  of  the 
spot  where  he  discovered  some  coal  several  months  before,  he  discovered 
another  deposit,  which  was  nearly  overgrown  with  grasses,  shrubs,  ami 
mosses.  Its  location  and  surroundings  led  him  to  believe  that  this  must 
have  been  tlie  landing  place  of  Frobisher  in  157S. 

A  start  from  the  island  was  made  on  Sept.  35,  the  course  being  direct 
to  Kodlunam  Island.  This  second  visit  resulted  in  the  discovery  of 
another   piece   of  iron,   semi-spherical  in 


piece 


apt 


ANOTimn  WWTER  ,v  TUB  AUCTIC.  59, 

po„„,ls       Fn,,™.„..s  „f  .i,„  ,„„,    „„„„„„,   „,,^,_. 

".""T"  T:;  '"'   ""'"'  ■'•  --^    •*"    f-"-     Cape  T™.  wat  .0 
V...C.,.  an.,    he,  .,..  „a„,  .,.ar.c„  f,,,-  .ho  locali.,  „f  che  ship.     o„   I 

'• •'  "    ";='"'  '""^  -■"-"  -■■  P»*e.s  Hay,  where    he,  he  r^ 

" '   "5 '"•"'"■"■^-     "  -'»  -'.  -.1  nigh,  was  appn,achf„«,     1 

he.  ,,esse.I.,„.„aseer.ai„  if  ,he  ship  s.iU   re,„ai„e<,.     The   ,Z 
^..,1  a.     he  entrance  ,,.  the  harb.,r  was  rounde,,,  and   the  hui'l  „f  , 
0™,,e  Henry  I„„,necl  up  before  them.     All  reeeived  a  joyful  weleome 

":  T:  "."  ""■'"  ^°""""""«  "-'■■■  "<■-""-  to  the  offleers  2a 

nun,  ivlio  ha<l  given  then.  ,ip  for  lost. 

Much  of  the  t,n,e  after  arriving  at  the  ship  was  spent  in  visiting  the 
'  ;"'""'  "-I""~hore,  and  gaining   what  information  eouM  b 
ol,..,aed  .,„cern,„g  the  white  n,en  who  centuries  before  had  visited  tha 
■c,  on.     The  result  of  tl.s  information    was  a  determination  to  malt 
.-I-     r,p  ,„   t  .  places  recently    visited,    and   accompanied   by  fl  a 
Inn,,  .  Capt.  Hal,  starte.1  for  the  Countess  of  Warwick'    Sound  on  I 

".  <  ctobe...     The  trip  was  nearly  a  failure.     The  season  was  .00  f 
.,.K  :„,»,!  for  boat  excnrsiou.s;  snow  storms,  and  coh,  and  windy  weathe 
:«  .  -  each  day.     The  i„„„i.s  were  wilhng  to  proceed.  butTlai  W 
.n..nn,.cdthat.twonldnotdot„go  far,  so   the  party   returned  to  ti^e 
»h,,,,  where  they  arrived  after  an  absence  of  four  days 

All  now  wished  to  eo,„n,ence  the  voyage  home.      Ice  had  begun  to 
'  "".  an    ,    was  felt  that  the  time  ,br  departure  had  arrived.  The  Cpta  n 
0     ,0  Whaler  had  determined  to  leave  on  the  .oth  of  October,  ad  I 
"I  ■"  .,le  up  the,r  minds  accordingly.       While  waiting  for  the  day  of 
"^•.»"."e  Capt.Hall    visited  a  high  point  near  Bayard  Taylor  Pa  s 
...*■■  .0  enable  hhn  to  con.pie.e  the  trigonometrical  Lrvey  which  ,     l', 
",nn,enced.       Fro.n  the  elevation  he  discovered  that  solid  ice  a.  the 
™»  ."  »-  bay  held  the  ship  a  prisoner  there.     Upon  the  return  to  the 
hucaptan,   was  infonned  of  the  discover,  of  pack  ice   in  Davis' 
-l      It  was  soon  after  announced  that  the  « ,„ter  must  be  spent  in 

h.  .ns  c  ,d    of    bcng    hon,eward    bound,  the    ship    was    in    ice    seven 
-'-  .'-.ck  and  rapidly  increasing,  causing  hninediltepreparatirnsTo  ^ 


GRIN  NELL   GLAClEli 


23  the   Innults  commenced   to  huikl 


ii 


into   winter  quarters.      On  Nov. 
their  winter  houses. 

When  it  was  fairly  decided  that  the  Georfxc  Henry  would  remain  all 
winter  in  the  ice,  Capt.  Hall  declared  his  intention  of  making  sled-^e 
journey  up  Frobisher  Bay,  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  complete  ex- 
ploration  of  every  bay  and  inlet  in  those  waters,  and  also  of  investigat- 
ing  still  more  closely  the  matters  connected  with  the  Countes^  of 
Warwick's  Sound,  and  on  Dec.  15  he  started  for  Jones'  Cape,  accom- 
panied  by  two  Innuits.  No  new  <liscoveries  were  made,  and  after  an  ah- 
sence  of  four  days  they  again  arrived  at  the  ship. 

Shortness  of  provisions  caused  the  ship's  company  to  divide  them- 
selves  among  the  Innuits  and  try  their  mode  of  living.  The  privations 
of  Innuit  life  were  too  severe  for  them,  and  they  now  and  then  returned 
to  the  ship.  Indeed,  the  experience  of  the  men  was  anything  but  pleas- 
ant,  and  it  often  looked  as  though  they  would  die  of  starvation. 

The  exploring   sledge   trip  up  Frobisher's  Bay  was  renewed  on  the 
1st  of  April,  the  party  consisting  of  ,Capt.  Hall,  four  of  the  ship's  com- 
pany,  and  four  Innuits.     They  first  visited  Oopungnewing,  but  nothing 
new  was  discovered.     The  journey  was  continued   without  any  event  o'f 
note  occurring,    until    May   ist,  when  the  course   was  changed  to  the 
Kingaite  coast.      The  Grinnell  Glacier  was  visited,  which  wa^  estimated 
to   be  fully   one  hundred   miles  long.       Its  height  at   the   highest  point 
reached    is   3,500   feet.       From    this     point   various    other   bays   were 
visited.       Thence     they   proceeded    among    many    islands,    and   came 
to  a   channel    where   they  found  a    space  of  open   water  abounding  in 
ducks  and  other  aquatic  birds  and  seals.     This  raised  the  siege  of  hunger 
which  had  been  endured  almost  since  the  time   they  had  left  the  ship. 
The  journey  was  continued  down  the  bay,  passing  rajndly  on  the  right 
Cape  PoiUon   and   Newell's  Sound,   and   on  the  left.  Pike's  Ish.iul;  the 
course  being  along  near  the  Kingaite  coast,  and  direct  for  Cape  \'an<ler. 
bilt.     In  leaving  the  latter  point  the  course  was  almost  in  line  witli  Cape 
Hill,  the  south  termination  of  Chase  Island.      The  return  journey  to  the 
ship  was  commenced  on  the  20th  of  May,  which  was  reached  early  next 
morning. 


^^K(\. 


KBISRBINO,  TOOKOOUTO,  AND  CHU,0. 


088 


i  jS .  c 


i 

_1 

■dh^"' '~ 

1 

Htt^ 

Ill , 


i'l^ 


'^^'1 


..;  Ml 


i  '  '1 


1; 


y 


ill' 


lU 


W       > 


684 


CAPE    TRUE. 


A  short  time  after  the  return  to  the  ship  Capt.  Hall  secured  the  con- 
sent  of  his  Innuit  companions,  Ebierbing  and  his  wife  Toolcoolito,  to  re- 
turn  with  him  to  the  United  States,  in  order  that  he  mi-ht  learn  more 
of  the  language,  manners  ami  customs  of  their  race,  and  have  them  return 
with  him  at  a  future  time  on  liis  expedition  to  King  William's  Land. 

Early  in  June  two  more  relics  of  Frobisher's  Expedition  were  pro- 
cured  from  one  of  the  Esquimaux— a  piece  of  brick  and  a  musket  hall, 
the  latter  of  which  the  giver  said  had  been  found  before  his  race  knew 
anything  of  guns. 

The  ship  was  left  June  14  for  a  visit  to  the   whaling  depot  at  Cape 
True,  which  was  reached  in  safety,  and  the   captain   and  his  men   were 
found  to  be  fat  and    healthy.      After    remaining  a  few   days  with  the 
whalers,   Capt.   Hall   and  an    Innuit   companion   started  once   more  for 
Cornelius  Grinnell  Bay,   for  the  purpose  of  surveying   it.     During  the 
trip  they  encoimtercd  very  severe  weather.     The  ice  threatened  to  break 
up  and  crush  them,  and  the   wind  blew  a  hurricane.     It   was   the  inten- 
tion to  go  to  the  extreme  of  the  bay,  but  the  season  was  so  far  advanced  as 
to  render  icc-tn:veling  very  dangerous;  therefore  the  party  advanced  no 
U'rthjr  than  Allen's   Island,  of  which  a  renewed  examination  was  com- 
mei.cetl.     The  discoveries  made  were  of  minor   importance,  and  the  re- 
turn  journey  to  the  ship  was  commenced  on  the  26th  of  June.     On  the 
way  back  the  time  was  improved   in  making  observations  for  the  com- 
pletion of  the  chart.     On  the  day  following  the  ship  was  reached,  when 
matters  were  found  to  be  proceeding  in  the  usual  course. 

Another  expedition  was  commenced  June  30.  Cape  True  was 
reached  by  sled,  from  whence  a  party  of  eleven  was  secured  to  proceed 
further  by  boat.  The  islands  which  had  been  visited  before  were  visited 
again.  Relics  were  sought  and  a  few  secured,  but  things  which  it  was 
^particularly  desirous  to  obtain  could  not  be  found.  The  journey  was 
Continued  until  July  19,  when  they  again  started  for  the  ship.  As  they 
proceeded  along  the  coast,  observations  were  renewed,  and  so  far  as  it 
could  be  done  the  link  of  bearings  and  sextant  angles  which  now  ex- 
tended all  around  Frobisher  Bay,  was  completed  The  next  point  for 
which  the  party  started  was  the  southeast  extreme— Hall's  Island  of  Fro- 


^     ..^. 


RETURN  OF  TUB  GEORGE  HENRY.  ggj 

bisher.  A  number  of  small  islands  and  channels  were  found  and  named 
Passing  along  Lok's  Land,  a  stone  monument  was  discovered  on  the 
e(l,^e  of  ti,e  shore.  Subsequently  others  were  seen,  which  the  natives 
saui  told  of  a  time  long  ago,  when  many  of  their  race  lived  there,  who 
were  ultimately  all  lost,  since  when  no  Innuit  dares  to  dwell  on  the 
.sland.  Bear  Island  was  also  visited,  and  a  day  later  the  objective  point 
-Hall's  Island  of  Frobisher-was  reached.  An  ascent  of  Mount  War- 
wick  was  immediately  made,  and  the  weather  being  favorable,  many 
important  places  were  connected  by  sextant  angles.  The  return  trip  to 
Cape  True  was  speedily  and  safely  made. 

On   Friday,  Aug.  8,  two  days  after   their  return,   Capt.  B.  arrived 
in  a  boat  direct  from  George  Henry  Bay,  with  the  announcement  that  the 
sh.pwas  nearly  free,   that   the    ice  in  Field   Bay  was  all  broken  up,  and 
that  much  of  it  had  drifted  out  to  sea.     He  ordered  all  hands  to  proceed 
on  l,oard  immediately.       The  men   were  overjoyed,  and  all  was  exeite- 
mcMt.     The  tents  were  struck  quickly,  and  everything  which  was  neces- 
sary,  an.l   which  could  be  carried,  was  placed  in  the  boat.     Farewells 
were  pa.d  to  many  ^miliar  spots  as  they  were  passed.       The  ship  was 
speedily  reached,  and  the  men  were  glad  again  to  tread  her  decks  in  the 
knowledge  that  she  was  once  more  free. 

On  Saturday,  Aug.  9,  the  weather  was  calm   and  clear.       The  ice 
had  cleared  away,  and  the  ship  was  swinging  lazily  at  her  anchors.  There 
was  no  wind,  but  it  was  no  time  to  hold  on^  and,  finding  it  useless  to  tarry 
ongcr,  the  captain  gave  the  signal,  and  the  anchors  were  once  more 
hoisted  to  their  place  on   board.       The  ship  was   soon  clear,  and,  with 
hnes  out,  all  boats  were  manned  to  tow  her  down  the  bay.     The  Innuits 
surrounded  her  and  many  words  of  kind  regret  were  exchanged  as  they 
parted  company.     Soon  a  fresh  breeze  was  welcomed,  and  the  George 
Henry  was  once  more  homeward  bound.     Nothing  worthy  of  note  oc- 
curred during  the  voyage.    St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  was  reached  with- 
out  accident  on  Aug.   21st,  when  the  ship  again  sailea  for  New  London 
where  she  arrived  on  Saturday  morning,  Sept.   13,  :S6..     Thus  ended' 
^-  voyage  and  explorations  of  two  years  and  three  and  a  half  months 
"1  and  about  the  Arctic  seas.  ' 


889 


END   OF  FRANKLIN  SEARCH. 


With  Hall's  first  voyage  closes  the  connected  series  of  efforts  to  dis- 
cover the  particidars  of  the  Franklin  tragedy,  lasting  from  their  incep- 
tion  in  184S-9,  till  the  termination  of  the  enterprise  just  descrihed.  A 
later  endeavor  of  Hall  resulting  in  partial  success,  will  be  described  in 
connection  with  his  third  ami  last  voyage.  We  next  turn  to  the  loivr 
list  of  recent  explc.ers,  who,  from  i860  to  iSSi,  have  made  voyages  for 
independent  Arctic  discovery. 


I 


ri  1       •  T^ii 


I 


PART    V. 


HECEHT  PHLflH  EXPEniTinHS. 


1 

^^^^^Hh  '* 

1 

1 

f-  i 


'^m 

m- 1 

m 

Kl 

"  The  summer  ivcnt^  the  xvinter  came^ 
We  could  not  rule  the  year; 

But  summer  will  melt  the  ice  airain, 
Afid  open  a  path  to  the  sunny  main^ 
Whereon  our  ships  shall  steer. 

"  The  winter  went,  the  summer  wcnt^ 
The  winter  came  around; 

But  the  hard  green  ice  was  strong  as  death. 
And  the  voice  of  Hope  sank  to  a  breath, 

Tct  caught  at  every  sr^nd.^'' 


m. 


'^*'*^f 


CHAl'TRtt    LXV. 


>.,.E„NA,-,K_sr„AVr,„    SCEVES-CA,.K    V„„K_A    ,-,A,.K--A,.„0,T 
A    WIIECK  — It  .BTSTKNK    HAV. 

Wi,n  U,c  c.„.h„s:a„„  ,„■  „„  ,,,,,„  ,.„„„„  ,„„„_^^  ^^^  ^__ 
..no, ....    ha,,  J„s.s™  ,,,.„„  ,.  „  p,,,,. ,  „„^„  „^  ^/  ^ 

'  ;  T-\  ™     "''^^ '— posse..,,  of  the  i.,oa  .ha.  ,,eyo„d 

..  ee.  el.  wh.eh  »t,rr„,„„,e.,  .he  Arcic  ,a„d»  hi.her.o  discovere,,,  w™„,, 

'■    "''. :  7^'"  '""'^  "f  -"'"  »-'^W"^'  •"  .he  I>„,e.     ..  Aceep.  ,„.  .„e 

«..c.,o„s,"  he  „ay.   „„f  „,.„,  „,,„„,  ,,,^,^.,,^  ,^^^^  ^,_^  ^  -      0 

N..nl.  ,   ,le  can„„.  be  fro.c,  .ha.  a„  ope,,  a,ea  of  varyh.g  ex.e,,.   ,., 

\ '  -';""';  ."^  -■"^■"  "'--^  ■■» «"-. ...  inv.,.  il  ,!,,„,  „ : 

.0  he  pro,  swh,ehha<l  already  ,,ee„  acc.„nt,,a.e.i  ,,y  .he  early  D...eh 
...1  l-.„,  .si,  vo.va.ors,  a„,l  tno...  r.ee„.ly  hy  .he  ra,ea,chc,  of  Seoresby, 

»  .a...dl,  a,„l  l>a,fy,  and  ».il,  la.er  by  Dr.  Katre',  Expedi.io,,  " 

llaye,  sub,„i„ed  hl»  ideas  and  plan,  ,o  .he  American  Geographical 

™I.S.a,,s.,ca,  Society,,,,  a  paper  ,.ead  before  the™  toward  .he  cteo 

.^7,  wh,eh  a..rac.e,l  ,,o,ne  a..en.ion.     In  April,  tSjS,  he  btough.  the 
s,,l^.c..  ,0  the  notice  of  the  A,„erica„  Association  for  .he   Advance™ 

.  ^cence,  a.  ..s  annual  meeting,  whici,  appoin.ed  sixteen  of  i.s  mem- 
Wrs,,  c„,„m,..ee  on  .he  snhjec  Other  socie.ies  took  si,„i,ar  action; 
D..  Hay..  Kave  sevcal  lectnre,  in  fnrthcance  of  the  p,.ojec,;  and  abon 

00  P.,,n,,„e„.  ,entle,„e„  and  busine.  honse,  of  p'hilade  phia,  Ne w 
^..H,  y  „nd  Boston  snbscrihed  to  the  Arctic   ExploraLnVunT 

Th.  S,n,  hsontan   Ins„.„.,on  ma,le  a   .cnder  of  the   necessary   in,.™- 

.■..  Si  a,,a ,,.  Jnne,  .860,  .he  necessary  expenses  for  one  vessel  Ldten 

I  Hayes  now  curtailed  hi,  original  plan,  which  e,„braced  a 

»a.all  s,ea,„er_wh,eh  was  .0  ,„„ke  .he  voyage  under  sail,  reserving  i.s 

589 


t-;' 


'-  %■ 


I 


590 


THE   UNITED  STATES. 


steam-power  for  boring  through  the  ice— and  a  sailing  vessel,  to  act  as 
tender  or  store-ship.     A  staunch  merchant  schooner  in  the   West  Iiulie.- 
trade,  of  only  133  tons  burden,   but  an  Ai    register,  and   drawing  only 
eight  feet  of  water,  was  purchased  for  the  voyage.     It  was  already   late 
in  the  season,  in  view  of  the    distance    that   intervened,   for   successful 
exploration  beyond  latitude  So'',  where  Hayes  proposed  to   beo-in.     The 
necessary   improvements  to    adapt  the  ship  to  her    new    sphere    wore 
hurriedly  pushed  forward;  and   the   stowage  of  supplies  and  provisions 
added  further  delay.     It  was  the  7th  of  July  before  the  snug  little  craft 
which  had  been  named  the  United  States,  was  towed  out  from  the  harbor 
of  Boston,  and  the  9th  before  she  left   Nantasket  Roads  for  the   voyage 
to  the  north.     Her  company  consisted  of  fourteen   persons,  officers  and 
men,  besides  the  commander  and   owner.  Dr.   Hayes.     The   vessel  and 
outfit  had  been  ijresentcd  to  him  on  the  eve  of  his  departure. 

On  the  second  day  they  ran  into  a  fog-bank  which  enveloped  them  a 
whole  week,  and  in  which  they  finally  ran  on  the   rocks  off  the  New- 
foundland coast,  but  had  tlie  goo<l   fortune  to  get   away   without  injniv 
though  Hayes  says  it  seemed  as  if  they  could  touch  the  beetling  clifls 
with  then-  hands.      With  favorable  winds  and  weather  they  now   pushed 
rapidly  to  the  west,  seeing  th*e  first   iceberg  on  the  29th,  and  entcrinj,' 
within  the  Arctic  circle  on  the  evening  of  the  30th.     Thus   they  had 
made   an  average  of  nearly    100  miles  a  day   from    Nantasket   Roads, 
having  reached  tlie  region  of  "the  midnight  sun"  in  twenty  days.    While 
in  Davis'  Strait  they  had  a  narrow  escape  from  a  serious  disaster  in  a 
squall;    the  cabin  was  flooded  at  least  a  dozen  times  a  day  the  skyli<Wit 
knocked  to  pieces  and  the  table,  standing  directly  under  it,  more  than 
once  cleared  of  crockery  and  eatables  without  the  aid  of  the  steward 

They  made  the  southern  extremity  of  Disco  Island  on  the  last  day 
of  July,  and  the  Nord  Fiord  of  the  same,  in  latitude  70°,  on  the  ist  of 
August,  Speeding  past  Waigat  Strait,  and  Omenak  Fiord  or  Jacob's 
Bight,  they  arrived  off  Svarte  Hook  on  the  2d,  when  the  wind,  which 
had  so  long  fiivored  them,  died  completely  away.  The  fog  lifted,  and 
"iceberg  after  iceberg  burst  into  view,  like  castles  in  a  fairv  tale.  The  sea 
was  smooth  as  glass;  not  a  ripple  broke  its  dead  surface;  not  a  breath  of 


I 


g  vessel,  to  act  as 
11  the   West  Indies 
and   drawing  only 
:  was  already  late 
led,   for   successful 
■d  to   begin.     The 
new    sphere    wcic 
ics  and  provisions 
le  snug  little  cratt, 
ut  from  the  harbor 
ds  for  the  voyage 
rsons,  officers  and 
The   vessel  aiul 
arture. 

enveloped  them  a 
icks  ofF  the  New- 
ly   without  injury, 
the  beetling  cliffs 
they  now   pushed 
59th,  and  entering; 
Thus   they  had 
Nantasket   Roads, 
enty  days.    While 
■ious  disaster  in  a 
day   the   sl^ylight 
ider  it,  more  tiian 
)f  the  steward, 
d  on   the  last  day 
70°,  on  the   1st  of 
Fiord  or  Jacob's 
the  wind,  wiiich 
he  fog  lifted,  and 
:urv  tale.  The  sea 
; ;  not  a  breath  of 


THE  KArAK. 


501 


air  stirred,  ^'he  dark  headlands  stood  boldly  out  against  the  sky;  the 
ch.iuls,  and  sea,  and  bergs,  and  mountains  were  bathed  in  an  atmosphere 
of  crimson,  and  gold,  and  purple,  most  singularly  beautiful.  The  air  was 
uann  almost  as  a  summer's  night  at  home;  and  yet  there  were  the  ice- 
l,ergsand  the  bleak  mountains,  with  which  the  fancy  in  our  land  of  green 
hills  and  wavin-  forests,  can  associate  nothing  but  cold  repulsiveness  " 
Notwithstanding  the  poetic  beauty  <,f  the  scene,  the  prosy  reality  of  an 
iceberg  close  at  hand,  and  lofty  as  the  topmast,  obliged  them  to  man  the 


DR.   I.   I.    HAYKS. 

boats  to  haul  the  vessel  out  of  danger.     On  the  6th  they  made  the  bar 
Hor  of  Proven,  forty  miles  south  of  Upernavik,  convoyed  by  a  fleet  of 
Greenland  kayaks. 

"  The    kayak  of  the  Greenlaruler,"  says  Hayes,  «is  the  frailest  speci- 
men  of  marine   architecture    that    ever   carried    human  frei..ht       It  is 
cghtecn  fbet  long,  and  as  many  inches  wide   at  its  middle,  Ind  tapers 
w.th  an  upward  curving  line,  to  a  point  at  either  end.     The  skeleton  of 


592 


AT  PROVEN. 


the  boat  is   made  of   light  wood;  the  covering  is  of  tanned  sealskin 
sewed  together  by  the  native   women  with  sinew  thread,  and    with  a 
strength  aiid  dexterity  quite   astonishing.     Not  a  drop  of  water  finis  its 
way  through    their  seams,  and   the  skin    itself  is  perfectly  waterproof. 
The  boat  is  about  nine    inches  deep,  ami  the  top  is  covered  like  the  bot- 
tom.    There  is  no  opening  into  it,  except   a    round    hole   in   the   center, 
which  admits  the  hunter  as  far  as  his  hips.    This  hole  is  surrounded  with 
a    wooden   rim,  over  which   the    kayaker   laces   the   lower  edge  of  his 
water-tight  jacket,  and   thus  fastens  himself  in  and  keeps  the  water  out. 
He  propels  himself  with  a  single  oar  about  six  feet  long,  which  termi- 
nates in  a  blade  or  paddle  at  either  end.     This  instrument  of  locomotion 
is  grasped  in  the  center,  and  is  dipped  in  the  water  alternately   to  right 
and  left.     The  boat  is  graceful  as  a  duck,  and  light  as  a  feather.     It  has 
no  ballast  and   no  keel,  and  it  rides  almost  on   the  surface  of  the  water. 
It  is  therefore  necessarily  top-heavy.     Long  practice  is  required  to  man- 
age It,  and  no  tight-rope  dancer  ever  needed  more  steady  nerve  and  skill 
of  balance  than  this   same  savage  kayaker.     Yet   in   this  frail  craft  he 
does  not  hesitate  to  ride  seas  which  would  swamp   an  ordinary  boat,  or 
to  break  through  surf  which  may  sweep   completely  over  him.     But  he 
is  used  to  hard  battles,  and  in  spite  of  every  fortune  he  keeps  himself  up- 
right."    Six  days  were  here  spent  in  the  effort  to  secure  dogs,  but  only 
half  a  dozen  old  ones  and  a  less  number  of  young  ones  were  all  that  they 
were  able  to  procure,  an   epidemic  among  them  having  left  many  hunt- 
ers without    any,  and  none  with  their  usual  number.     To  part  with  their 
dogs  was  to  run  the    risk  of  starvation;  and  though    Hayes  offered  a  lib- 
eral equivalent  in  pork,  beef,  and  canned   meats,  they  preferred  to  retain 
the   means  of  hunting   the  seal    and   walrus.     The   chief  trader,  a  Mr. 
Hansen,  with  great   courtesy  placed  his  own  team    at  the  service  of  the 
explorer,  but  did  not  feel  at  liberty  either  to  advise  or  command  the  na- 
tives to  part  with  theirs. 

A  government  house,  one  story  high,  and  plastered  over  with  pitch 
and  tar,  is  the  most  conspicuous  house  in  Proven.  A  shop  anil  a  lotli,'- 
ing  house  for  a  few  Danish  employes  stand  next  in  importance.  Two 
or  three  less  imposing  structures  of  the  pitch  and  tar  description,  inhab- 


DEATH  OF  CARUTHERS.  >„„ 

heel  by  Danes  who    have   .nar.ied   native  women;  a   few  huts  of  stone 
and  turf,  roofed  with  boards,  and  overgrown  with  grass;  about  an  equal 
number  of  hke  description,  but  without  the  board  roof,  and  a  dozen  seal 
skn,  tents,  dl   pitcl^ed  about  pro.niseuously  among   the   roei<s,  make  up 
the  town.     There  is  a  blubber-house  down  by  the  beach,  and    a  stunted 
fl:,,-staff  on  the  hdl,  from  which  the   Danish  flag,  gracefully  wavin^.  in 
the  wuKl,  gave  the  place  a  show  of  dignity.     The  dignitv  of  civilization 
was  further   preserved  by  an  old   cannon  which   lav  on  the  grass   tmder 
the  fbg,  whose  rusty  throat  made  the  welkin  ring  as  our  anchor  touched 
the  Greenland  rocks. 

Leaving   Proven,  that  is,  "  Experiment,"  on   the    1 3th,  they  reached 
Upernav:k,  that  is  "  Upper  Harbor,"  73°  40'  by  56°,  on  the  evening  of 
the  same  day.     Here   they  found  a   Danish  vessel  taking  on  a  cargo  of 
od  and  skins   for  Copenhagen,  which   gave   an   opportunity  of  sending 
letters  home.     Upernavik  was  found  to  differ  but  little  from   ProvenI 
a  few  huts  more  and  about  two  hundred  inhabitants,  Danes,  half-breeds 
and  Esquimaux,  besides  a  church  and  parsonage.      Gilson   Caruthers' 
the  boatswau.  and  carpenter  of  the  schooner,  havmg  been  found  unex' 
pectedly  dead  in  his  berth,  the  commander  had  occasion  to  visit  the  par 
sonagc,  and  thus  describes  some  of  its  features  and  persona^^es-     "I 
tapped  at  the  door,  and  was  ushered   into  a  cosy  little   apartm'^ent-the 
fasfd.ous  neatness  of  which  left  no  doubt  as  to  the  sex  of  its  occupants- 
by  the  oddest  specimen  of  womankind   that  ever  answered  bell       She 
was  a  full-blown  Esquimaux,  with  coppery  complexion  and   black   hair 
wh.ch  was  twisted  into  a  knot  on  the  top  of  her  head.     She  wore  \ 
jacket  which  extended  to  her  waist,  sealskin  pantaloons,  and  boots  reach- 
.ng  above  the  knees,  dyed  scarlet,  and   embroidered  in  a  manner  that 
would  astonish  the  girls  of  Dresden.     The  room  was   redolent  of  the 
fragrant  rose  and   mignonette  and   heliotrope,  which  nestled  in  the  sun- 
l.ght  under  the  snow  white  curtains.     A  canary  chirped   on   its  perci, 
above  the  door,  a  cat  was  purring  on  the  hearth-rug,  and  an  unmistaka- 
ble gentleman  put  out  a  soft  white  hand   to  give  me  welcome.     It  was 
the  Rev.    Mr.    Anton,    missionary   of   the  place.      Mrs.  Anton   soon 
emerged  from  u  snug  littl,  ghMmber  adjoining.     H.r  ,i,t,r  camQ   in  im- 


sS 


894 


A    CLUSTER  OF  BERGS. 


'^:'\ 


ill 


.M 


^'\\ 


h !  i 


•J 


mediately  afterward,  and  we  were  soon  grouped  about  a  homelike  table." 
They  were  detained  four  days  at  Upernavik  by  the  burial  of  Caruth- 
ers,  and  procuring  the  last  Arctic  supplies,  including  five  men,  an  inter- 
preter  with  his  dog  team,  and  the  forementioned  team  of  the  trader 
Hansen.  Leaving  this  limit  of  safe  navigation  and  civilized  existence 
behind,  they  soon  encountered  a  heavy  line  of  icebergs,  some  of  which 
were  judged  to  be  two  hundred  feet  high  and  a  mile  long,  and  spent 
four  days—"  now  at  anchor,  then  moored  to  a  berg,  and  again  keeping 
free;  from  danger  through  a  hard  struggle  with  the  oarr."— in  threading 
their  dangerous  way  through  this  labyrinth. 

"  The  ice  was  here, 
The  ice  was  there, 

The  ice  was  all  around ; 
It  creaked  and  growled, 
And  roared  and  howled 

Like  demons  in  a  swound." 

At  one  time  they  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  crushed  by  the 
breaking  up    of  one  of  the  bergs,  and  only    escaped  by    anchonng  to 
another  at  a  little  distance  and  hauling  on  a  rope,  getting  only  twenty 
yards  away,  when  a  huge  mass  tumbled  into  the  sea.     As  it  was,  they 
lost  the  mainboom,  and  small  fragments  of  the  ice  were  showered  upon 
the  deck.     Hayes  counted  500  separate  bergs  without  exhausting  the  list. 
"  Birds  and  beasts  and  human  forms  and  architectural  designs  took  shape 
in    the    distant  masses   of   blue  and   white.     The   ilome   of   St.  Peter's 
loomed  above  the  spire  of  Old   Trinity ;  and  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Pyramids  nestled  a  Byzantine  tower  and  a  Grecian  temple.     To  the  east- 
ward the  sea  was  dotted  with  little  islets — dark  specks  upon  a  brilliant 
surfoce.     Icebergs  great  and  small  crowded  through  the  channels  which 
divided  them,  until  In  the  far  distance  they  appeared  massed  together, 
terminating  against  a  snow-covered  plain  that  sloped  upward  until  it  was 
lost  in  a  dim  line  of  bluish  whiteness.     It  was  the  mer -de- glace.,  or  sea 
of  ice,  which  covers  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  Greenland  Continent. 
The  snow-covered  slope  was  a  glacier  descending  therefrom — the  parent 


HANS,    THE  MARRIED.  .„„ 

595 

stem  from  which  had  been  discharged,  at  irregular  intervals,  many  of  the 
icebergs  which  troubled  us  so  much." 

They  arrived  at  Tessuissak,  or  Bay  Place,  which  comprised  a  few 
EsquMuaux  tents  and  permanent  huts,  on  the   21st,  where    they  made 
some  exchanges  with  the  natives,  and  were  detained  by  drift-ice  until 
.1.  evening  of  the  32d.     Passing  Cape  Shackleton,  Horse's  Head,  and 
Wdcox  Pomt,  with  the  Devil's  Thumb  in  sight,  they  entered  Melville 
Bay  on  the  23d,  with  nothing  else  in  sight  but  the  "swelling  and  limit- 
less  b.Ilows"-a  piece  of   rare  good  fortune.     But  a  snowstorm    soon 
came  on  and  after  ten  hours  of  rapid  sailing  under  a  favorable  wind  they 
came  suddenly  on  an  iceberg,  which  they  passed  so  close,  that  "the  fore- 
yard  actually  grazed  its  side,  and  the  surf  was  thrown  back  upon  them 
from  its  white  wall."     After  lying  becalmed  some  hours  about  the  middle 
of  the  bay,  a  favorable  wind  again  arose  on  the  24th,  and  they  sped  for- 
ward  until  Cape  York  was  seen  "advancing  in  the  bosom  of  the  sea" 
On  the  25th  they  encountered  the  first  field  of  ice,  about  fifteen  miles 
WKle,  but  easily  bored  through  under  a  full  pressure  of  canvas  filled  by 
a  favonng  wind.     It  had  taken  fifty-five  hours  to  traverse  Melville  Bay 
A  httle  to  the  east  of  the  cape,  at   Kikertait,    or    "Pi,,e  of  Islands  "' 
Hayes,  as  he  had  anticipated,  picked  up  Hans,  the  young  Esquimaux 
protege  of  Dr.  Kane,  who  had  deserted  that  navigator  some  six  y.ars 
before  to  marry  a  young  woman  of  this  region.     In  a  solitary  tent,  apart 
from  the  rest  of  the  tribe,  and  overlooking  the  bay,  he   was  found  with 
his  wife,  Merkut,  their  baby,  PIngasuk,  that  is  "The  Pretty  One  "  a 
brother-in-law  and  mother-in-law,  apparently  on  the  look-out  for  dlliv- 
erauce.     Dr.  Hayes  now  took  him,  his  wife  and  child,  leaving  the  wife's 
brother  and  mother  behind,  without  any  regret  on  his  part.     The  whole 
tribe  numbers  only  about  twenty  besides  the  family  of  Hans      With  n 
iavoring  wind  they  continued  to  push    rapidly    to    the    north,    toward 
Wolstenholme  Sound,  sailing  at  one  time  between  two  sections  of  an 
.ceberg  connected  under  water,  the  schooner  twice  grazing  the  comn.on 
base  w,th  her  keel.     On  the  evening  of  the  26th  they  were  off  Booth 
Bay,  the  commander's  winter  quarters  in  his  boat-journey  of  1854;  and 
on  the  next  day  arrived  off  Hakluyt  Island  in  Whale  Sound,     Here  they 


i 


^mm 


1;f  Ifl 


I 


I'fWi 


ri'A 


596 


CHEAT  DANGER  IJV  THE  ICE. 


encountered  an  ice-pack,  whicli  they  passed  through  in  safety,  though  not 
without  danger;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  2Sth,  saw  Cape  Alexander 
at  the  entrance  to  Smith  Sound,  twenty  miles  ahead.  In  the  afternoon 
after  having  actually  got  within  the  Sound,  they  fell  in  with  another  ice- 
pack.  While  menaced  by  this  danger,  a  greater  one  arose.  A  terrific 
northern  gale  sprang  up;  the  spray  flew  over  the  deck,  sheathing  deck 
spars  and  rigging,  as  well  as  men,  in  coats  of  ice.  They  found  partial 
shelter  from  the  hurricane  under  the  cliflfs,  or  they  would  have  been 
driven  possibly  beyond  Cape  York,  or  upon  the  ice-pack.  Off  Cape 
Alexander  it  was  one  mass  of  seething  foam,  whirled  upward  ever  and 
anon  by  the  ever-changing  wind  gusts. 

Thus  detained  until  the  30th,  the  direction  of  the  gale  then  changed, 
driving  them  before  it  and  threatening  to  carry  them  into  mid-channel  from 
the  protection  of  the  eastern   cliffs,  but  they  succeeded  in  casting  anchor 
near  the  shore.      The  next  day  the  vessel  dragged  her  anchors,  losing 
one;   and  was  driven  on   some  bergs,  crushing   the   stern-boat  and  bul- 
warks, and   veering  round,  lost  her  jib-boom  and  had  her  bowsprit  and 
foremast  sprung.      Scudding  before  the  wind,  with  mainsail  spread  to 
get  away  from  the  icebergs,  the  sail  was  torn  to  pieces,  but  they  had 
been  driven  once  more  within  the  Sound.      An  effort  was  now  made  to 
pass  to  the  west  side,  toward  Cape  Isabella,  but   encountering  the  solid 
pack  for  the  second  time,    'lere  was  no  alternative  but  to  hug  the  Green- 
land   coast,  in  an  effort   to   gain   Fog   Inlet,   twenty   miles  above  C;!pe 
Alexander.      The  gale,  after  a  temporary   lull,  set  in  again  from  the 
north,  and  drove  them  once  more  south  of  Cape  Alexander,  on  the  istof 
September.  Another  fight  was  made  for  the  Sound,  during  the  next  two 
days,  but  only  to  cripple   the  vessel  more  severely.      "  Her  rudder  was 
split,  and  two  of  its  pintles  were  broken  off,  leaving  only  one  uninjured; 
the  stern-post  was  started,  fragments  of  the  cut-water  and  keel  were  float- 
ing alongside  her  in  the  sea;  and  she  was  apparently  in   a  sinking  condi- 
tion.      As  the  ice  touched  the  schooner,  she  groaned  like  a  conscious 
thing  in   pain,   and  writhed   and  twisted   as  if  to  escape  her  adversary, 
trembling  in  every  timber  from  truck  to  keelson."     Soon  she  was  lifted 
up  by  the  pressure  of  the  ice  under  her  keel,  and  cradled  like  Bach'« 


iiipiasi 


ii!w&Saik?k:a] 


ilH!liyi£! 


',  though  not 
i  Alexander 
le  afternoon, 
another  ice- 
.  A  terrific 
athing  ded, 
bund  partial 
i  have  been 
.  Off  Cape 
rd  ever  and 

en  changed, 
;hanncl  from 
sting  anclior 
;hors,  losing 
loat  and  bul- 
5wsprit  and 
[lil  spread  to 
)ut  they  had 
ow  made  to 
g  the  solid 
^  the  Green- 
;ibove  C;!pe 
lin  from  the 
)ii  the  1st  of 
le  next  two 
riklcler  was 
;  uninjured; 
1  were  float- 


iking  condi- 


a  conscious 
'  adversary, 
e  was  lifted 
like  Bach'« 


CAPE  IIATHERTON. 

597 

.H|.,  in  .837.  for  cigh.  hours,  bu.  was  lh.„  let  clow,  -firs,  her  bow,  and 
,  .„  .  e  stern  by  the  movement  of  the  floes.  She  had  been  so  strained 
,l,at  »l,e  was  found  to  leak  eonsiderably,  but  one  hour  in  four  at  the 
pumps  kept  the  water  from  gaining  in  the  hold 

I.  was,  however  becoming  elear  to  eommander  and  men  that  she  was 

scare,  yn,  fit  condmon  to  wage  another  battle  with  the  ice.   Thema^l 

.•a,  th.,.  she  d,d  not  become  a  total  wreck;  it  is  not  known  th.t  any  ves. 

..  of  her  s,ze  and  build  ever  went  through  sueh  a  series  of  desperate 

.  rugg.  s  and  hved       Hayes  had  hoped  to  get  beyond  Cape  Isabella,  on 

he  west  s,  e  of  Sm.th  Sound,  as  high  perhaps  ,,s  latitude  So",  i„  Grin  ell 

U„d,  wh,ch  he  had  personally  reached  in  Kane's  Expedition.     Havin  ' 

.•,cc  Med  to  penetrate  the  ice-pack  in  that  direction,  he  strove  to  mak^e 

C»pe  llather ton,  n.  ;«•  30',  on  the  Greenland  s,de-.he  most  prom    en 

«■»»....  .hepenmsula  which  is  now  known  by  his  name.     Foile     „ 

;  "  :",;'^"™'^  '^  *»,  -""  »■•"  '-.  -I  perhaps  the  lateness  of  the 
--.1,    >cy  now  crept  back  into  Hartsteue  Bay,  and  anchored  in  safe  y 
«..o  mUes  „  the  northeast  of  Cape  Alexander.     They  had  won  a.  lea^ 
a ,"-.  V.C  ory  by  securing  an  anchorage  within  the  sound.      No.  y 
CO,.  o„..og,ve„,  the  struggle  for  a  higher  latitude  before  going  'to 
.-<,,ar.=r      Hayes  set  out  .0  explore  .he  sound  .0  .be  n!„h 'al" 

e  G,     „,,„,,,  ^,,„,  ,„,   ,^^  ^^^^,   lane  of  open  water  betwee^ 
the  land  ice  and  the  ice-pack.  "etwccn 

Leaving  the  sailing  master  to  make  such  repairs  as  were  prac.ieable 
».ler  .l>c  cncumstances,  Hayes  wen.  up  .he  sound  in  .he  wh L  b 
L....e.o„  Island,  in  ^S"  .0',  Inglefield's  Hmi.  in  ,85.  w  Ire  b^  ^ 
™..  Dodge,  sho.  a  reindeer,  .he  sole  inbahi.ant  of 'th  Iso  r  i:  : 
Tyvas  the  only  satisfactory  result  of  the  exploration,  for  .he  ie  p  k 
»-  found  as  nnpassable  for  .he  schooner  as  i.  had  .already  prove  T  ! 
"itcrprvter  .and  Hans  had  also  killed  two  deer  thus  s  ^  ^  '^^  ^'^"^ 
»*li.io„  .0  their  provisions.  '  '""""^  '■'  '"""'""= 

«.i.e/^,    il:      g7  T"     *°  1'-^-=*—"  hawser,  a„<l 
y.hed,.fiofthe,ee;  occasionally  a  bit  of  open  water,  and  .hen 


1  i,ll  \ 


n 


806 


HARTSTENE  BAT. 


a  squeeze  or  nip  from,  the  ice,  they  worked  manfully  but  hopelessly  on, 
until  they  were  hemmed  in  by  the  pack,  with  new  ice  forming  around 
and  threatening  to  inclose  them  permanently  in  its  embrace.  A  favor- 
able wind  arising,  they  put  back  into  Hartstene  Bay,  reaching  a  safe 
harbor  behind  a  cluster  of  islets  near  its  head,  and  Hayes  announced  that 
they  would  there  establish  their  winter  quarters. 


'3»l54!«fe<i.Ea., 


CHAPTER   LXVr. 

HAVES  IN  WINTER  QUARTERS  _  MANIKOLD  PREPARATIOKS-A  V  ICE- 
FIORD  EXPLORED -"BROTHER  JOHN's  GLACIEr"- SONNTAG  SUR- 
VEYS THE  GLACIER -A  WELL-FILLED  LARDER  -AN  ARCTIC 
JOURNAL -KNORR'S    SPEECH  -  UNUSUAL    WEATHER -A    SERIOUS 

CALAMITY  _  AURORA    BOREALIS-SEAKCH    FOR    SONNTAG  _  AC 
COUNT    OF    SONNTAg's    DISASTER. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  first  week  in   September  they  had  finally 
cast  anchor  in   the  harbor  referred  to,  which   Hayes   now  named   Port 
Foulke,  in  honor  of  one  of  the  chief  patrons  of  the  expedition,  William 
Parker  Foulke,  of  Philadelphia.    It  was  exposed  to  the  southwest,  but  in 
other  directions  well  sheltered,  and   little  trouble  was  anticipated,  as  the 
preva.hng  wind  was  from  the  northeast.    Yet  they  had  two  pretty  severe 
rubs  from  the  floes  driven  in   upon  them    by  southwest  gales,  before  the 
harbor  became  entirely  closed  for  the  season.     They  now  proceeded  to 
clear  the  schooner,  conveying  her  stores  and  rigging  to  a  stone  buildin<. 
erected  by  th6m  on  a  ledge  of  the  shore  some  thirty  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  harbor.     The  vessel  was   then  roofed  over,  giving  a  room  eight 
eet  h.gh  ,n  the  center,  and  six  and  a  half  at  the   sides.     The  hold  was 
fitted  up  for  the  crew  and  the  cook-stove  brought  there  from  the  galley 
Meanwhde  a  hunting  party  was  organized  under  the  leadership  of  Ten- 
sen,  and  they  seldom  came  back  empty  handed.     Reindeer  were  encoun- 
^red  ,n  herds  of  ten  or  more,  and  hares  and  foxes  were  also  abundant. 
An  observatory  was  erected  under  the  superintendence  of  the  astronomer 
of  the  expedition,  August  Sonntag,  who  was  also  second  in  command  of 
the  schooner,  and  the  commander's  most  valued  lieutenant.     Penduh.m 
expenments,  magnetic  and  meteorological  observations,  and  variations  of 
temperature,  were  carefully  noted  and  recorded. 
Five  weeks   havi 


been   thus   busily  occupied  in  manifold 


599 


jirepara- 


eoo 


BROTHER  yOHN'S  GLACIER. 


tions,    t'lcy  took    formal    possession  of  their    winter    reHilence    on    the 
sciiooncr  on  the    ist  of  October.     The  temperature   ncv^r  sank   to   lo" 
below  zero,  and  they  were  soon  completely  frozen  in,  which  gave  thei 
security  again.^t  the  ice-floes  from    the  exposed   quarter,  and   easy  access 
over  the   ice  to   the    storehouse    and    observatory,  and    to    Jie    hunting,' 
grounds  beyond.     The  sun  disappeared  on  the  15th  of  October,  and  they 
were  just  entering  on  the  Arctic  night  of  four  months,  but  still  had  nine 
hours  of  twilight  daily.     On  the  i6th  Hayes  made  a  second  trip  with  his 
dog-team— his  first,  a  few  days  before,  had  been    merely  a  ^est  excursion 
over  the  harbor— and  explored  the  fionl  extending  inland  from   the  liead 
of  Hartstene  Bay  some  six   miles,  with  a   width  of  three    or  four   miles. 
The  team  comprised  twelve  dogs,  capable  of  making  six  miles  in  twenty- 
eight  minutes.     The  traces  were  just  long  enough  to  place  the  shoulders 
of  the  dogs  all  in  line,  twenty  feet  in  front  of  the  runners  of  the  sledge. 
The  dogs  are   guided  by  the  whip  and  voice  of  the  driver,  and  the  whip 
is  seldom  applied  to  the  bodies  of  the  animals,  being  generally  thrown  on 
the  snow  to  the  right  or  left,  as  an  indication  of  the  direction  to  b.:  talven, 
as  well  as  a  gentle  admonition   that  it  is  well  in    hand,  to  be  used  on  the 
refractory  or  indolent.     They  are,  however,  liable  to  become  unmana<,'c. 
able  in  the  hands  of  an  unskilled  driver,  especially  when  distracted  by  the 
uncovering  of  a  fox  or  other  animal,  which  they  very  naturally  desire  to 
pursue  direct,  regardless  of  all  hints  to  take  a  different  course. 

In  this  excursion,  the  goal  of  which  was  Kane's  glacier,  named  l)y 
him  in  1855,  "My  Brother  John's  Glacier,"  Hayes  discovered  and  named 
Alida  Lake  and  Chester  Valley,  between  the  head  of  the  fiord  and  tlie 
glacier.  He  also  fell  in  with  about  one  hundred  reindeer,  of  which  the 
driver  and  he  killed  two  each.  The  ensuing  day  one  of  the  seamen  dis- 
covered several  Esquimaux  graves,  but  marked  with  no  special  charac- 
teristics—mere stone-piles  heaped  up  without  regard  to  symmetry  or 
points  of  the  compass.  On  the  19th  Sonntag  surveyed  the  glacier;  and 
two  days  later,  Hayes  made  a  second  trip,  reaching  its  foot  in  forty  min- 
utes from  the  schooner.  The  purpose  of  this  visit  was  to  place  sialics 
and  make  measurements  of  angles  formed  with  hilltops  or  other  station- 
ary objects,  which  were  to  be  re-measured  the  next  year  to  ascertain  the 


A  svu;//r  yoLf/ijvEr. 


601 


tnovoincnt  of*  the  glacier.  Durin-  his  al)scncc,  sevcntet-n  reindeer  were 
kilK,!  l.y  three  <.f  his  men,  nine  of  wl.icli  were  hr<.n-iit  down  hy  Hans. 
Th.  l.irtJKlay  of  the  saihn-.master,  S.J.  McCorniiek,  was  snitahly  cele- 
l.iMtnl  on  ilie  retnrn  of  the  commander,  hy  a  "hijr  dinner,"  which 
shnu-oi  noiac]<  of  comfort  and  luxuries  in  tiiat  remote,  inhospitahle  clime, 
huf  all  "the  jrood  things,"  except  the  salmon  and  venison,  had  been  im- 
poitcd  from  The  Ilnh.  These  feasts  were  a  regular  feature  of  this  par- 
ticular  expedition;  the  entry  into  winter  quarters,  the  birthdays  of  the 
officers,  besides  Christmas  and  other  recognized  festal   ilays,  were  made 


UKOTIIEK    (OUN'S  GLACIER. 

occasions  for  them.  They  received  ^h-  encouragement  of  the  com- 
mander, who  saw  in  them  a  help  to  promote  contentment  and  good  fel- 
lovvship  among  the  members  of  the  party. 

On  the  33d  of  October  Hayes  again  set  out  with  five  of  his  strong- 
est >ncn,and  a  hand-sledge  laden  with  a  tent,  bufTalo-skins,  a  cookin^g 
lamp,  three  quarts  of  alcohol,  and  three  of  oil,  for  fuel  and  provision'! 
for  eight  days.  Though  there  was  now  no  daylight,  properly  speaking, 
even  at  ,u.on,  there  was  light  enough  to  travel  by.      The  purpose  of  t  Js 


i 

nfc-  ■ 


f 


m 


A  FULL   LARDER. 


Mil 


new  cxpeditioa  was    to  explore  the  glacier,  and  the  first   encampment 
was  at  its  foot,  with  the  thermometer  at    1 1 "    below   zero.     The  sfc„„,| 
day  was  spent   in  scaling  the  front,  .md    pro<rressing  upward   s„me  live 
miles,  when  they  encamped,  with  the  thermometer  several  degrees  l.iwer 
than  on  the  previous  night,  but  so  tired  that   after  a  hearty  supper  they 
slept  soundly.     On  the  third  day  they  made  thirty  miles,  on  the  focrth 
iwenty.five,  the  ascent  being  for  those  two  days  quite  gradual,  and  the 
chief  difficulty  arising  from  the  deep  layer  of  snow  through  the  crust  of 
wliich  the  foot   sank  at  every  step.     The  temperature  had  now  fallen  to 
30"— and  to  34°  during  the  ensuing  night— when  it  was  judged  advisa- 
ble  to  return.     They  were  five  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
and  seventy  miles  from  tlie  ship,  "in  the  midst  of  a  vast  frozen  Sahara' 
unmeas.-rable  to  the  human   eye,"   with  a  fierce  wind  blowing  over  its 
surface,  and  threatening  to   chill  the  adventurers  into   helpless   inactivity 
and    death.     Fortunately   for   them,   by   turning   their  faces  toward  the 
harbor  the  wind  was  in  their  backs,  and  though  cold  and  fierce,  it  helped 
them   to   make   rapid  progress  d.^wn  the   slightly  inclined  plane  of  the 
glacier.     After  a  run  of  f„rty  miles  they    encamped   for   the  night,  and 
the  next  evening  reached  the  schooner,  where  they  learned  the  thermom- 
eter  had  sunk  at  no  time  during  their  absence  of  five  days  lower  than  12° 
below  zero,  showing  a  (lilFerence  of  32°. 

Meanwnile  Sonntag  had  ascertained  the  distance  from  the  western- 
most  of  the  three  islets-tiiey  had  been  already  named  Radclifle,  Knorr, 
and  Starr  in  honor  of  three  officers  of  the  expcdition_to  Cape  Alex- 
ander, eight  nautical  miles;  Cape  Isabella,  thirty-one;  an.l  Cape  Sabine, 
the  easternmost  point  of  EUcsmere  Land  to  the  northwest,  in  latitude' 
78°  45',  forty-two  miles.  On  the  2Sth,  the  day  after  their  return  from 
the  excursion  on  the  glacier,  their  stock  of  game  was  found  to  be  74 
reindeer,  21  foxes,  13  hares,  i  seal,  14  eider-ducks,  8  dovekies,  6  nuiis, 
and  I  ptarmigan,  besides  some  two  dozen  reindeer  deposited  in  caches 
where  killed,  awaiting  transport  to  the  vessel. 

On  the  3d  of  November,  with  the  moon— whose  light  was  now  the 
chief  reliance  in  traveling— four  or  five  days  j^ast  the  fu  •,  Sonntag  set 
out  on  a  sledge-journey  to  Van  Rensselaer  Harbor,  but  was  only  able  to 


spemcii  op  KNORR. 


«M 


reach  Fog  Inlet,  the  way  being  blocked  by  impassable  icc-hummocks  .„, 
the  one  hand,  and  open  water  on  the  other.  On  the  return  trip  they 
encountered  and  captured,  after  a  long  and  exciting  chase  and  a  fierce 
and  dangerous  battle,  a  bear  ami  its  cub,  and  reached  the  schooner  on  the 
6th.  Four  days  later  they  were  surprised  by  a  thaw,  which  was  rather 
a  source  of  discomfort  than  pleasure,  the  chief  advantage  derived  b-ing 
a  temporary  reduction  in  the  consumption  of  coal.  Their  stock  of  this 
valuable  commodity  was,  however,  likely  to  prove  sufficient,  as  they 
had  still  about  thirty. four  tons,  and  had  been  using  only  about  four 
buckctfuls  a  day  for  their  two  stoves.  The  temperature  was  kept 
habitually  above  60°,  and  was  oftener  too  warm  than  too  cold  oi  thr 
vessel. 

On  the  nth  of  November  appeared  the  first  number  of  the  «  Port 
Foi.lke  Weekly  News,"  which  had  been  duly  announced  on  handbills 
and  posters  for  a  week  previous,  and  was  now  ushered  in  with  a  great 
flourish.  "Agreeable  to  national  usage,"  a  meeting  was  called  and  form- 
ally organized,  with  president,  vice-pres^^  jnt,  secretary  and  orator  of 
the  day.  The  assistant  editor,  who  was  the  commander's  secretary, 
George  F.  Knorr,  and  only  eighteen  years  old,  was  elected  orator  by 
acclamation,  and  delivered  the  following  speech: 

"  Fellow-Citizens  :_Called  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  this  unen- 
lightened  community  to  inaugun.tc  the  new  era  which  has  dawned  upon 
a  benighted  region,  it  is  my  happy  privilege  to  announce  that  we  have, 
at  the  cost  of  much  time,  labor  and  means,  supplied  a  want  which  has  too 
long  been  felt  by  the  people  of  Port  Foulke.  We  are,  fellow-citizens, 
no  longer  without  that  inalienable  birthright  of  every  American  citizen 
—a  free  press  and  exponent  of  public  opinion.  Overcome  with  the 
gravity  of  my  situation,  I  feel  myself  unable  to  make  you  a  speech  be- 
fitting  the  solemnity  and  importai.ce  of  the  occasion.  It  is  proper,  how- 
ever, that  I  should  state,  in  behalf  of  myself  and  my  Bohemia.!  brother 
(Henry  W.  Dodge,  the  mate  and  editor-in-chief),  that,  in  observance  of 
a  time-honored  custom,  we  will  keep  our  opinions  for  ourselves  and  our 
arguments  for  the  public.  The  inhabitants  of  Port  Foulke  desire  the 
speedy  return  of  the  sun;  we  will   advocate  and   urge   it.      They  wish 


'I..  ^ 


004 


PATRIOTIC  SENTIMENTS. 


li^'ht;  we  will  ad.h-ess  ourselves   to  the  celestial   orbs  ami   point  out    the 
ojjportuiiities  for  reciprocity.         ******* 

"  Fellow-citizens,  this  is  a  memorable  epoch  in  the  history  of  Port 
Foulke.  We  arc  informed  that  its  abori^^.inal  name  is  Aanyclqucipah. 
/.^/^a//,  which  means-after  it  is  pronounced-' The  Place  of  the  Howl- 
n:g  Wmds,'  *  *  *  on  the   remotest  confines  of  our  wide- 

spread  country_a  country,  idlow-citizens,  whose  vast  sides   are  bathed 

by  the  illimitable  ocean.  *  *  *  t.   ,,„^  ,i^„^i„ 

It   now  cievoJves   upon 


THE  LITTLE    ALK. 

US  to  bring  the  vexed  question  of  national  boundaries  to  a  point-to  a 
point,  sirs!  We  must  carry  it  to  the  Pole  itself,  and  there,  sirs,  we  will 
■Kul  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  and  our  lla-.,stafr  will  become  the  spindle  of 
the  world,  and  the  universal  Yankee  nation  will  go  whirling  round  it 
like  a  top. 

«  Fellow-citizens  and  friendsr-In  conclusion,  all.w  me  to  propose  a 
sentiment  befitting  the  occasion-a  free  press,  and  the   universal  Yankee 


UTILITY  OF   THE   MOON. 


C05 


nation!  May  the  former  continue  in  time  to  come,  as  ni  times  gone  by, 
liic  handmaiden  of  liberty,  and  the  emblem  of  progress;  and  may  the 
latter  absorb  '  all  creation,'  and  become  the  grand  celestial  whirlicn.ri" 

O    to  * 

The  paper  comprised  sixteen  jxiges  of  closely  written  matter,  with  a 
picture  of  Port  Foulke,  a  portrait  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  and  a  likeness 
of  "  General,"  the  commander's  Newfoundland  dog.  Enigmas,  original 
jokes,  items  of  domestic  and  foreign  intelligence  from  ^'  reliable  corres- 
pondents," an  editorial  department,  telegraphic  summary,  original  poems, 
personals  and  advertisements,  filled  its  columns.  The  enterprise  had  been 
started  at  t!ie  suggestion  of  the  commander,  and  received  his  official  sanc- 
tion as  a  useful  contribution  to  the  amusement  of  the  company  during 
the  (lark  period.     A  school  of  navigation   was  also  opened. 

On  the  1 2th  of  November  the  temperature  had  gone  down  only  to  4° 
above  zero,  and  the  snowfall   to  date   had  been   fifteen  and  one-fourth 
inches.      The  ice  at  its  surface  under  the  snow  showed  a   temperature  of 
19',  and  two  inches  lower  down  30";  while  the  snow  in  contact  with  the 
ice,  was  18°.    Ordinary  print  could  still  be  read  at  noon,  though  not  with- 
out difficulty,  and  only  for  a  brief  interval.    The  moon  and  stars  were  the 
main  reliance  out  doors.     The  latter  shone  at  all  hours  with  almost  equal 
brightness.    "  The  moon,  from  its  rising  to  its  setting,  shines  continually, 
circling  around  the  horizon,  never  setting  until  it  has  run  its  ten  days  of 
brightness;  and  it  shines  with  a  brilliancy  which  one  will   hardly  observe 
elsewhere.      The   uniform    whiteness  of  the  landscape,  and  the  general 
clearness  of  the  atmosphere,  add  to  the  illumination  of  its   rays,  and  one 
may  see  to  read  by  its  light  with  ease.       The   natives  often  use  it  as  they 
do  the  sun,  to  guide  their  nomadic  life,  and  to  lead  them  to  their  hunting 
grounds."       On  the   17th    tlie  temperature  fell  to   10°   below  zero,  for 
which  the  commander  expresses   himself  duly  thankful,  finding  an  un- 
naturally  high  range  conducive  neither  to  health  nor  comfort  in  hi-^h  lati- 
tudcs.     On  the  38th  and  39th  they  could  use  no  fire  except  for  cooking, 
ami  llie  snowfa!!   about  this    time    was   thirty-two    inches,  nineteen   of 
whicli  were  precipitated  in  a  single  day,  making  the  aggregate  for  the  sea- 
son  torty-seven  and  a  half  inches.       This  fall  of  snow  was  foilo".  -d  b"  a 
shower— also  unusual  in  those  latitudes  at  that  season  of  the  year, 


i  IK' 


*  s 


f  f 


606 


MID-  WINTER. 


A  serious  calamity  now  befell  the  expedition  in   the   loss  of  twenty- 
seven  out  of  thirty-six  <lo<r,s,  .lurin-  tlie    first  three  weeks  of  Decemht-r, 
by  the  same  epidemic  which  had   committed  such    havoc    in  Greenland, 
and    had   made   it  so  dimcult  to  secure   the    necessary   supply,   none  too 
large  from  the  first.       On  the  2 1st— by  the   li-ht  of  the  new  mo„„  f,,,- 
which  he  had  waited,  but  in  the  very  middle  of  the  Arctic  ni<rht— Sonii- 
tajr,  with  Hans  as  driver,  set   out   with   a  sledfre  drawn  by  ihe  nine  sm-. 
vivors  of  the  pack,  and  laden  with  the  two  inen  and  ])rovisions  for  twelve 
days,  in  an    effort  to   reach   some    native    villaj,-es  to  procure  more  (l<.<rs. 
The  water  in  the  harbor  had  now  frozen  to  a  depth  of  six  and  a  lialf 
feet,  thus  forming  a  continuous   encasement   for   the   li<rhtened    schooner. 
Christmas   was  duly  celebrated  witii  a  big    dinner    and    such   festivities 
as    their  circumstances  would   permit— all  the  more  necessary  now  that 
the  Arctic  night  had  grown  monotonous  and  wearisome,  having   lost  all 
of  its  novelty,  and  given  rise  to  no  diversity  of  experience.    The  "Weekly 
News  "  made  its  appearance  regularly,  now  with  one  editor,  and  then  an- 
other.       New    Year's  of  1861    had  come   and  gone,  and  had  been  duly 
observed.       The  old  year  had  been  rung  out,  and  the  new  rung  in,  after 
the  stereotyped  formula,  amid  cannonading  from  their  solitary  little  swivel 
gun,  and  the  fitful  glare  of  their  rockets,  but  no  answering   gun  or  li<.ht 
relieved  the  dreariness;  and  their  efforts  could   only   serve  to  render  the 
sense  of  isolation   more   intense— Knorr's  "  Universal    Yankee  Nation, 
brought  to  a  point,"  indeed. 

On  the  6th  of  January  thoy  witnessed  two  displays  of  the  Aurora 
Borealis,  the  only  ones  hitherto  observed ;  and  a  week  later  the  snowfall 
for  the  season  had  increased  to  533^  inches— an  addition  of  6^  since 
previous  computation.  Another  week  passed,  and  at  noon  "a  faint  twi- 
light flush  moimted  the  southern  sky"— the  welcome  harbinger  of  the 
Arctic  day.  It  suggested  to  the  commander  as  a  text  for  the  dav,— 
"  Truly  the  light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eye  to  lie- 
hold  the  sun."  "And  yet,"  says  Hayes,  "there  is  in  the  Arctic  night 
much  that  is  attractive  to  the  lover  of  Nature.     There  is  in  the  llashin'^ 

ft 

Aurora,  in  the  play  of  the  moonlight  upon  the  hills  an.d  iceber"-s,  \\\  the 
wonderful  clearness  of  the  starlight,  in   the  broad   expanse  of  the  ice- 


i£^i#».F.;n;feA,.|:i!Wff?;wa.:«ii^.iu:irniJ<mrff«?a'Hnp 


THE  LOSS  or   SON  NT  AG.  gQ? 

fields,  in  the  lofty  grandeur  (,f  the  mountains  and  glaciers,  in  the  naked 
fierceness  of  the  storms,  mucii  that  is  sublime  and  beautiful.  But  they 
speak  a  language  of  their  own_a  language  rough,  rugged,  and  severe." 
]5nt  the  stillness  of  Arctic  scenery,  away  from  the  local  turmoil  and 
small  activities  of  the  vessel,  was  fo.md  oppressive.  The  heavens  above 
ami  the  earth  beneath  revealed  only  an  en<lless  and  fathomless  quiet.  No 
footfall  of  living  thing  reaches  the  ear;  no  wild  beasts  howl  throu<rh  the 
solitude;  no  cry  of  bird  enlivens  the  scene;  there  is  no  tree  among  whose 
branches  the  winds  can  sigh  and  nK)an.  Silence  ceases  to  be  negative- 
it  becomes  endowed  with  positive  :,ttributcs;  one  seems  to  hear,  and  feel' 
and  see  it.  It  stands  forth  a  frightful  specter,  filling  the  mind  with  the' 
overpowermg  consciousness  of  universal  death.  « I  have  seen,"  con- 
tinues  Hayes,  "no  expression  on  the  face  of  xNature  so  filled  with  terror 
as  the  silence  of  the  Arctic  ni<>-ht  " 

Five  weeks  had  now  elapscvl  since  the  departure  of  Sonntag  for  the 
Esquimaux  encampments  to  the  south,  and  no  tidings  had  been" received. 
I'n.parations  were  made  by  the  commander  to  go  in  search  of  him,  and 
s(Mne  preliminary  examinations  had  been  efix^cted  to  ascertain  whether  he 
ha<l  gone  round  Cape  Alexander,  or   had   been   compelled  to  cross  the 
f,dacicr.     Two  days'  detention  from  iiigb  winds  iiad  lengthened  the  ab- 
scee  to  thirty-nine  days,  when,  on  the  29th  of  January,  as  the  party  was 
aboat  to  begin  the  journey  on  foot,  two  Esquimaux  arrived  from   Iteplik 
in  the  region  of  Whale  Sound,  with   the   sad   intelligence   that   Sonnta- 
was  lost.     Hans  ha<l  reached  their  village,  and  was  now  coming  behind 
with  his  worn-out  dogs.     They  had  made  the  run  without  a  halt,  with 
five  dogs.     On  the  last  day  of  the  month  Hans  arrived    at  the  schooner 
without  dogs  or  sled,  but  accompanied  by  his  wife's  brother.     They  had 
left  father  and  mother,  with  five  broken-down   dogs-all  that   remained 
of  the  team-at  the  glacier,  and  come  on  afoot.     By  the  death  of  Sonn- 
tag Hans  had  become  master  of  the  expedition,  and  utilized  its  resources 
■n  Lnnging  his  wife's  family   from   Cape   York,  four  dogs  having  died 
under  the  strain,  and  the  other  five  being  utterly  exhausted.     His  account 
of  the  disaster  to  Sonntag  was,  that  after  having  passed  Cape  Alexander 
m  safety,  and  having  made  two  fruitless  attempts  to  find  natives  at  the 


^N 


f^m^wmf 


V  -.1 


ii,  I 


n;f| 


III 

if 

'Ii 

|Il| 

i 

ilfl 

'ill 

m 

608 


A   CLOSE  BOND. 


nearest  fishing-stations  beyond,  they  struck  across  for  Northumberland 
Island.  Five  or  six  inilc^  from  Sorfalik,  on  the  eastern  shore,  where 
they  had  constructed  a  hut,  Sonntag  dismounted  to  warm  himself  by  a 
run  alongside.  Not  noticing  the  weak  spot,  he  broke  through  into  a 
small  ice-crevice,  while  the  driver  was  a  little  way  behind  adjusting  some 
straps.  Coming  up  almost  immediately,  Hans  rescued  him,  apparently 
uninjured,  and  made  all  speed  back  to  the  hut  which  they  had  so  lately 
left.  On  arriving,  Sonntag  was  stiff  and  speechless.  Hans  now  hurried 
him  under  cover,  changed  his  clothing,  applied  such  restoratives  as  were 
accessible,  but  his  efforts  proved  unavailing;  and  after  lingering  about 
twenty-four  hours  in  unbroken  unconsciousness,  Sonntag  died.  Hans 
closed  up  the  hut  to  save  the  body  from  wild  beasts,  and  proceeded  on- 
ward to  fulfill  the  objects  of  the  mission. 

He  fiaally  fell  in  with  the   Esquimaux  at  Iteplik,  and  was  only  three 
days' journey  from  the  schooner;  but  the  dead  were  dead, thought  Hans, 
antl   he  proceeded  to   look  out  for  the  living — the   family  of  his  wife,  as 
stated— very  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the   commander,  and  jeopardy  to 
the  interests  of  the  expedition.     How  much  was  conscious  wrong-doin"- 
and  how  much  was  perverse  ignorance,  it  was  rather  difticult  to  deter- 
mine.     Hayes  had  lost  his  most  valued  assistant,  and  had  only  five  doj^s 
left.     With  the   period  for  active  exploration   fast  approaching,  «  Sonn- 
tag's  familiar  acquaintance,"  says  Hayes,  "with  the  physical  sciences,  and 
his   earnest  enthusiasm  in  everything  that   appertained  to  physical  re- 
search,  both  in  the  field  and  study,  made  him  an  invaluable  aid,  wliile  his 
genial   disposition  and  manly  qualities  gave  him  a  deep   hold   upon  my 
affections.     Similarity  of  taste  and  disposition,  equal  age,  a  common  ob- 
ject, and  a   mutual  dependence  for  companionship,  had  cemented  more 
and   more  closel>  a   bond  of  friendship  which  had  its  origin  in  the  dan- 
gers and  fortunes  of  travel." 

Early  in  February  the  twilight  began  to  grow  perceptibly,  day  by 
day;  on  the  loth  it  was  almost  broad  daylight  at  noon,  and  as  late  as 
3  o'clock  one  could  read  ordinary  print;  and  on  the  the  iSth,  they  re- 
joiced to  see  the  sun  from  the  hill-tops,  after  an  absence  of  126  days;  but 
its  light  would  not  directly  strike  the  harbor  for  12  days  ^et.     With  the 


GRAVE  OF  SONNTAG. 


609 


increasing  light,  hunting  received  a  fresh  impetus;  and  Hans  and  his 
father-in-law  killed  the  first  walrus  early  in  February.  Reindeer, 
wolves,  and  hares  were  killed  in  sufficient  abundance  by  the  men,  and 
ihroughout  the  whole  winter  there  had  been  no  symi^toms  of  scurvy  or 
other  disease.  The  general  health  was  equal  to  the  average  in  more 
favored  climates;  and,  except  the  dreariness  of  the  Arctic  night,  and  the 
monotony  of  existence,  there  was  but  little  to  complain  of. 

In  the  latter  part  of  February,  some  Esquimaux  from  Itcplik,  150 
miles  to  the  south,  arrived  at  Port  Foulke,  and  Hayes,  by  barter  and 
presents,  added  six  dogs  to  his  pack,  and  secured  the  use  of  six  more, 
with  the  services  of  their  owner,  Kalutunah.  There  were  now  at  the 
winter  quarters  of  the  expedition  seventeen  natives— six  men,  four 
women,  and  seven  children.  Early  in  March,  with  the  help  of  Kalutu- 
nah  and  Hans,  the  mate.  Dodge,  brought  back  the  remains  of  Sonntag, 
which  were  interred  on  the  terrace  near  tlio  observatory  which  he  loved 
so  well.  Over  his  grave  was  raised  a  mound  of  stones,  and  at  its  head  a 
chiseled  slab  bearing  his  name,  age— 20  years,_and  date  of  death— De- 
cembcr,  i860. 


m  < 


W'-ki} 


/s  yet.     With  the 


39 


CHAPTER    LXVII. 


HT 


h       t 


ih' 


■|l'! 

Hli'. 

^^  ^^^^^^^^^^Hffll 

^^^^^H                Si 

I^H^^iHI 

IJ   L   J 


HAYES'     SLEDGE-JOURNEYS  — HUMBOLDT      GLA       r  "iGHTED THE 

HOPE — THE    PERSEVERANCE — A    SNOW-riOv'  -OFF    FOR   GRIN- 

NELL  LAND — A  PICTURE — SLOW  PROGRESS — HIGH    TEMPERATURE 

UNSAFE    ICE  —  HIGH     LATITUDE  —  A    PRUDENT    RETURN THE 

SHIP  INJURED ATTACKED  BY  WALRUSES  —  CAPE  ISABELLA- 
WHALE  SOUND — THE  RETURN  HOME — STARTLING  NEWS — DEATH 
OF    HAYES. 

The  first  of  these  sledge-journeys  began  with  the    i6th  of  March, 
and  its  object  was  to  determine  the  best  route  for  his  later  efforts.    He 
set  out  with  two  sledges  drawn  '      nine  and  six  dogs,  and  driven  by  Jen- 
sen  and  Kalutunah,  respectively.     After  a  misadventure  five  miles  away, 
in  which  Jensen   and  his  whole  team   were  precipitated  into  a  crevice, 
and  a  return  to  the  ship  for  readjustment,  which  took  only  an  hour,  they 
set  out  for  the  north,  and  encamped  the   first  night  at   Cape  Hatherton, 
with  the  temperature  at  40°  below  zero.     At  Tog  Inlet,  the  next  day, 
they  noticed  Hartstene's  cairn  and  record  of  search,  dated  Aug.  16,  1855, 
and  named  the  headland  thus  marked  Cairn  Point.     Here  also  was  made 
a  deposit  of  surplus  provisions,  consuming  the   remainder  of  the  day. 
They  retained  only  enough  for  six  days'  consumption.     With  lightened 
sledges  the  prospect  for  good   headway   was  promising,  but  they  soon 
encountered   hummocks,  and  afler  nine   hours   had   only  made  twenty 
miles,  when  they  went  into  camp  for  the  third  night,  with  the  thermom- 
eter at  3 1  °  below  zero  within   the   snow   hut,  and  6Si^°   outside.     The 
scene  through  which  they  now  traveled  northward  "was  like  the  Rocky 
Mountains  on  a  small  scale;  peak  after  peak,  ridge  after  ridge,  spur  after 
spur,  separated   by  deep  valleys  into  which  we  descended  over  a  rough 
declivity,  and  then  again  ascended  on  the  other  side,  to  cross  an  elevated 
crest,  and  repeat  the  observation.     The  traveling  was  very  laborious;  it 

610 


f>  cross  cin  elGVP.tcd 
s  very  laborious;  it 


HUMBOLDT  GLACIER  SEEN.  e^ 

was   but    ■M^   endless    clambering    over    ice-masses    of   every    form    and 


size." 


In  five  days  from   Cairn    Point  they  sighted  Humboldt  Glacier,  and 
proceeded  to  return,  Mayes  being  satisfied  that  this  route  was  impractica- 
hie,  and  that  he  therefore  had  no  altenuitive  but  to  try  the  west  shore  of 
the  sound.     They  halted   at  Cairn    Point   for  a  further  scrutiny  of  the 
route  thence  across  the  west;  and    while  tlu-re  Jensen  killed  a  reindeer 
which  was  a  desirable  addition  t,>  their   supplies  of  dog-meat.     Leaving 
for  Port  Foulke  under  a   high,  piercing   wind,  with  the  thermometer  a^t 
52°  below  zero,  they  made  the  thirty  miles  to  the  schooner  in  tiiree  and  a 
half  hours.     The  last  days  of  March  were  utilized  in  conveying  stores  to 
Cairn  Point,  and  making  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  work  of  the 
season.     The  temperature  was  still  dangerously   low,  but  havin-  moder- 
ated somewhat  in  the  first  days  of  April,  the  party  took  final  leave  of  the 
schooner-leaving  RadcliflTe  alone  of  tlie   original  company,  in  charge- 
on  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  April.      The  cavalcade  comprised  the  Hope 
sledge  with  eight  dogs,  and    Jensen   as  driver;  the   Perseverance   with 
young  Knorr  as  driver;  and  bringing   up  the  rear,  an    unnamed  sledge 
drawn  by  eight  men   of  the  ship's   company,  with  master  and  mate  on 
either  side,  to  direct  and   help,  and  laden    with  the  twenty-foot  metallic 
l.fe-hoat  with  which   it  was    hoped  to  navigate  the   "Open  Polar  Sea"- 
when  they  reached   it.     The  commander  descended  from  the  schooner 
Ra<lciifre  fired  off  the  cannon,  and   the  company   set  out  on   their  wearv 
journey.  •' 

The  inexperienced  men  soon  gave  trouble,  and  two  or  three  would 
have  suffered  themselves  to  be  frozen  to  death  had  thev  not  been  ur.>ed 
to  exertion  by  the  watchfulness  of  the  commander.  They  staid  eighteen 
hours  at  the  first  encampment  to  restore  these  suflerers,  who  fortunately 
escaped  serious  injury.  On  the  5th  they  encamped  at  Cape  Hatherton, 
w.th  the  men  in  better  trim  and  more  cheerful  spirits,  under  the  influ- 
ence  of  a  r.sing  temperature  and  increasing  experience.  On  the  6th 
they  reached  Cairn  Point,  and  Hayes  took  the  first  opporttmity  after 
going  into  camp  to  reconnoiter  the  sound,  whicii  he  proposed  to  cross 
from  this  point.     The  view  was  anything  but  encouraging-was  in  fact, 


,'»  "'Wi 


\m 


M 

IfiS 

I   1 


-A 


_t^£   'SS 


|.^ 


013 


OF/'^  TO  GRIN  NELL  LAND. 


"the  ugliest  scene  his  eye  had  ever  chanced  to  rest  upon."  He  had 
found  it  bad  in  1854,  anti  now  it  appeared  to  be  much  worse;  and  unfor- 
tunateiy  its  appearance  did  not  deceive  him.  It  proved  to  be  even  worse 
than  it  looked. 

They  were  detained  some  days  at  Cairn  Point   imprisoned  by  a  <ralc 
"  in  which,"  says  Hayes,  «  my  people  could  no  more  live  than  in  a  fiery 
furnace."     The  den   in   tiie  snowbank   which  tiiey  occupied— a  type  of 
similar  constructions— is  thus  described:     "  It  is  a  pit  eighteen  feet  long 
by  eight   wide   and  four  deep.     Over  the  top  of  said   pit  are  placed  the 
boat  oars,  to   support   the  sledge,  which   is  laid   across   them,  and   over 
the   sledge   is  thrown   the   boat  sail,  and   over  the  sail   is   thrown  loose 
snow.      Over  the  floor    there  is   spread   a  strip   of  India-rubber  cloth; 
over  this    cloth    a    strip  of  buffalo  skins,  which    are    all    scpiarcd   aiul 
sewed    together;  "  and  over  this  again   another   just  like  it.     When  we 
want    to    sleep    we    draw    ourselves    underneath    the    upper    one  of 
these  buffiilo   strips,  and   accommodate  ourselves   to   the   very  moderate 
allowance  of  space  assigned  to  each  person,  as  best  we  can.     \Ve  "-o  to 
bed  without  change  of  costume  except  our  L.  ots  and  stockings,  which  we 
tuck  under  our  heads   to  help  out  a  pillow,  while    what  we  call  reindeer 
sleeping-stockings  take  their  place  on  our  feet."     In  this  snow-Iiut  wen; 
crowded  Hayes  and  his  twelve  companions.     Some  stores  were  brouHit 
forward  from    Cape  Hatherton   despite   the   storm,  and  everything  that 
was  to  be  left  at  the  central  depot,  including  the  life-boat,  was  securely 
covered. 

All  things  being  now  in  readiness,  and  the  wind  having  veered  to 
the  south,  they  set  out  again  on  the  loth  of  April,  with  three  sledges  as 
before,  except  that  the  third  was  lightened  of  the  boat — diagonally  across 
Smith's  Sound  for  Grinnell  Land,  away  to  the  northwest.  The  journey 
soon  lay  over  a  surface  as  rugged  as  that  previously  traversed  in  the 
experiment  trip  on  the  Greenland  side.  "  The  interstices,"  says  Hayes, 
"  between  these  closely  accumulated  ice  masses  are  filled  up,  to  some 
extent,  with  drifted  snow.  The  reader  will  readily  imagine  the  rest. 
He  will  see  the  sledges  winding  through  the  tangled  wilderness  of 
broken  ice-tables,  the  men  and  dogs  pulling  and  pushing  up  their  respec- 


A   PICTURE. 


613 


lA'c  loads,  as   Napoleon's  soldiers  may  be  supposed   to  have  done  when 
dravvinj,^  their  artillery  through  the  steep  and  rugged  passes  of  the  Alps. 
II.  uill    see    them  clambering    over   the  very  summit  of  lofty  ridges, 
through  which  there  is  no  opening,  and  again  descending  on  the  other 
si<lc,  the  sledge  often  plunging  over  a  precipice,  sometimes  capsizing,  and 
froqucntly    breaking.     Again   he  will    see    the   party,   baffled    in   their 
attonpr  to   cross  or  find  a   pass,  breaking  a  track  with  shovel  and   hand- 
spike, or  again,  unable  even   with   these   appliances  to  accomplish   their 
c.ul,  they  retreat  to  seek  a  better  track;  and  they  may  be  lucky  enough 
to  Unci  a  sort  of  gap  or  gateway,  upon  the  winding  and  uneven  surface 
of  which  they  will  make  a  mile  or  so  with  comparative  ease.    The  snow- 
drifts are  sometimes  a   help,  an.l   sometimes  a  hindrance.     At  the  very 
moment  when  all   looks  promising,  down  sinks  one  man  to  his  middle, 
another  to  the  neck,  another  is  buried  out  of  sight,  the  sledge  gives  way' 
and  to  extricate  the   whole  from  this   unhappy  predicament  is"  probably 
the  labor  of  hours;  especially  if,  as   often   happens,  the  sledge     ,mst   be 
unloaded.     Not  infrequently  it  is  necessary  to  carry  the  cargo  in  two  or 
three  loads.     It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  any  kind  of  labor  more  dis- 
heartening,  or  which  would  sooner  sap  the  energies  of  both  men  and  ani- 
mals.    The  strength  gave  way  gradually,  but  when,  as  often   happened, 
after  a  long  and  hard  day's  work,  we  could  look  back  from  an  eminence 
and  ahnost  fire  a  rifle-ball  into  our  last  snow-hut,  it  was  truly  discourag- 
.us."  Among  the  distinguishable  masses  encountered  was  an  old  ice-field, 
about  six  by  four  miles  in  extent,  and  twenty  feet  high  above  the  water 
level,  with   hummocks  rising  to  a  height  sometimes  of  eighty  feet.     Its 
depth  under  water  was  probably    140  feet,  and  Hayes  estim.ited    the 
weight  of  its  solid  contents  at  6,000,006,000  tons!    This  they  reached  on 
the  24th  of  April,  with  the   thermometer  at   19°  below   zero;  and  they 
were  only  thirty  miles  from  Cairn  Point,  and  sixty-six  from  Port  Foulke 
an  average  of  just  three  miles  a  day,  though  they  had  probably  traveled 
about  two  hundred  miles  since  leaving  the  schooner. 

"  My  party,"  says  Hayes,  under  date  of  the  25th,  "are  in  a  very  sorry 
condition.  One  of  the  men  has  sprained  his  back  from  lifting;  another 
has  a  sprained  ankle;  another  has  gastritis;  another  a  frosted  toe;  and  all 


f      M 


ei4 


JiEMAINS   OF  AJV  EH^UIMAUX  CAMP, 


arc  thoroughly  overwhelmed  with  fatigue.     The  men  do  not  stand   it  as 
well  as  the  dogs."     Hayes  began  to  doubt  whether  he  should  ever  reach 
Grinnell  Land  with  the  party.     The  mate  compared    their  undcrtai-in. 
to  an  attempt   "to   cross  New   York   over  the   house  tops,"  and   II,yes 
could  not  help  bitterly  exclaiming-"  Smith  Sound  has  given  me  but  one 
succession   of  baffling  obstacles."     On  the  28th,  about   midway  „f  tlie 
sound,  he  sent    hack   the   men,  except  Knorr,  Jensen,   and   John  Mc 
Donald,  a  seaman.     With  these  companions,  two  sledges,  fourteen  do^s 
and  800  pounds  of  provisions,  he  would   still  make  an  effort  to  win  the' 
victory.     In  fourteen  days  more,  after  encountering  as   great  difficulties 
as  at  any  stage  of  the  journey,  they  finally   reached   the  west  coast  at 
Cape  Hawks-eighty  miles  in  thirty-one  days;  but  probably  six  Hmes 
eighty  actually  traversed  up  and  down,  right  and  left,  backward  and  for- 
ward,  as  described. 

Resting  a  few  hours,  they  pushed  to  the  north,  crossing  to  the  opposite 
headland,  named  for  Napoleon  HI.  a  few  years  before;  and  on  the  way 
suffered  a  serious  drawback  in  the  disabling  of  Jensen.     It  became  neces- 
sary that  he  should  ride  because  of  a  fresh  injury  to  an    ilready  broken 
leg;  and  this  necessitated  the  transfer  of  some  of  his  sledge  load  to  the 
other  sledge.     Hayes  and  his  two  uninjured  companions  nov^  oucklcdon 
their  harness  to  help  the  team  of  the  overladen  sledge;  and  thus  equipped 
they    crossed    the   bay   between  the  points  mentioned.     Passin<^  Cape 
Napoleon  with  difficulty,  the  next  day  they  arrived  at  the  farthes^t  point 
reached  by  Hayes  hi  ,854,  beyond  Cape  Frazer,  on  the  third  day  from 
Cape  Hawks,  and  were  now  within  Kennedy  Channel.     Crossin-  Gould 
Bay  to  Cape  Leidy,  they  fell  in  with  traces  of  an   Esquimaux  e^iicamp- 
ment,  and  suffered  from  an  unseasonably  high  temperature  of  32°,  which 
occasioned  some  apprehension  of  an  early  breaking  up  of  the  ice.     The 
spring    was    fast    approaching.     The    coast    presented  a  line  of  lofty 
Silurian  rocks,  much  broken  by  winter  frosts  and  summer  thaws.    Inland 
could  be  seen  lofty  peaks  clothed  in  an  unbroken  covering  of  snow,  but 
no  glaciers.     Here   again  were  encountered  remains  of  an  Esquimaux 
camp,  and  on  this  fourth  day  from  Cape  Hawks,  May  15,  while  liclping 
his  team  at  a  particularly  difficult  point,  Jensen  again   hurt  his  leg  and 


yf!!.i 


UNSAFE  ICE. 


61S 


strained  his  back,  more  completely  disabling  him.     The  next  day,  leaving 
McDonald  behind   with  Jensen,  Hayes  and    Knoir  pushed  forward  to 
anch  the  hijrhest  latitude  attainable.     They  were  already  sixty  miles  be- 
yond Cape  Constitution,  Morton's   limit   in    1854,     The  first  day   they 
made  about  ten  miles  in  nine   hours,  amid   scenes  of  boundless  sterility 
and  dreary  desolation.     "As  the  eye  wandered,"  says   Hayes,  "from 
peak  to  peak  of  the  mountains  as   they  rose   one  above   the   other,  and 
rested  upon  the  dark  and  frost-degraded  clilFs,  and  followed   along   the 
ice-foot,  and  overlooked  the  sea,  and  saw  in  every  object  the  silent  forces 
of  Nature  moving  on  through  the  gloom  of  winter  and  the  sparkle  of 
summer,  now,  as  they  had  moved  for  countless  ages,  unobserved  save  by 
the  eye  of  God  alone,  I  felt  how  puny  indeed   arc  all   men's   works  and 
ciforts;  and  when  I  sougiit  for  some  token  of  living  thing,  some  track  of 
wild  l)east— a  fox,  or  bear,  or  reindeer— which  had   elsewhere   always 
crossed  me  on  my  journeyings,  and  saw  nothing  but  two  feeble  men  and 
(Hir  struggling  dogs,  it  seemed  indeed  as  if  the  Almighty   had   frowned 
upon  the  hills  and  seas." 

After  a  ten  hours'  march  on  the  17th  and  four  on  the  i8th,  with  a  head- 
land in  sight  about  twenty  miles  ahead,  their  progress  was  suddenly  ar- 
rested.  "  Tlie  unerring  instinct  of  the  dogs,"  says  Hayes,  "warned  us  of 
approaching  danger,  and  I  quickly  perceived  that  the  ice  was  rotten  and 
unsafe.  Walking  now  in  advance  of  the  dogs,  they  were  inspired  with 
greater  courage.  I  had  not  proceeded  far  when  I  found  the  ice  o-ivin"- 
way  under  the  staff  with  which  I  sounded  its  strength,  and  again  we 
turned  back  and  sought  a  still  more  eastern  passage."  Testing  first  one 
side,  four  miles  out  to  sea,  and  then  the  other,  and  judging  the  head  of 
the  bay  to  be  perhaps  twenty  miles  away,  eight  hours  were  consumed  in 
the  vain  effort  to  find  a  safe  passage  across. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  "  after  a  most  profound  and  refreshing- 
sleep,"  Hayes  ascended  a  cliff  about  800  feet  higii,  to  s-irvoy  the  situa- 
tion. "  The  ice,"  he  says,  "  was  everywhere  in  the  same  condition  as  in 
the  mouth  of  the  bay  across  which  I  had  endeavored  to  pass.  A  broad 
crack,  starting  from  che  middle  of  the  bay,  stretched  over  the  sea,  and 
unitmg  with  other  cracks  as  it  meandered  to  the  eastward,  it  expanded 


Mfl 


'<"     *, 


t  ,  M 


616 


H /an EST  LATITUDE  OF  /fAVES. 


as  the  delta  of  some  mighty  river  discharginj,'  into  the  ocean,  and  mulcr 
a  water-sky,  which  hunj^  upon  the  northern  and   eastern  horizon,  it  was 
lost  ill  the  open  sea.      Staiuiinj,'  against  the  dark  sky  at  the  north,  there 
was  seen  in  dim  outline  the  white  sloping  summit  of  a  noble  headland— 
the  most  northern  known  land  upon  the  globe.     I  judged  it  to  be  in  lati- 
tude 82"  30',  or  450  miles  from  the  North  Pole.     Nearer,  another  bold 
cape    stood  forth;  and   nearer  still  the  headland   for  which  I    had  h^eii 
steering  my   course   the  day  before,   rose  majestically  from  the  sea,  ;.s  if 
l)usliing  up  into  the  very  skies  a  lofty   mountain  peak,  upon  which  the 
v/inter   had   dropped   its  diadem  of  snows.       There  was  no  land  visible 
except  the  coast  upon  which  I  stood.  The  sea  beneath  me  was  a  mottled 
sheet  of  white  and  dark  patches,  tiiese  latter  being  either  soft,  decayin^r 
ice,  or  places  where  the  ice  had  wholly  disappeared.    To  proceed  farther 
north  was  of  course  impossible."     The  point  actually  reached,  he  n.imed 
Cape  Lieber,  and  the   peak  behind  it   Church's   Monument;  the  sound, 
Lady  Franklin,  tl.e  headland  beyond,  Cape  Eugenie;  the  lofty   peak  he- 
hind  Cape  Eugenie  he  named  Parry  Mountain— now  more  usually  Mount 
Parry— in  honor  of  the  great  Arctic  navigator  of  that  name.     The  mid- 
dle headland  seen  became  Cape  Frederick  VII,  in  honor  of  the   kiii<,'  of 
Denmark;  and  "the   most   northern-known  land  upon  the  globe  "  re- 
ceived the  patriotic  designation  of  Cape  Union,  in  honor  of  a  fundainen. 
tal  principle  in  the  constitution  of  his  country,  then  actually  in  jeopardy, 
beyond  the  knowledge  of  the  explorer  and  his  companions,  in  the  first 
throes  of  the  great  Civil  War.       The  bay  between  these  last-mcntioned 
capes  was  dedicated  to  the   name  of  Wrangell;  and  the  one  between 
Frederick  and  Eugenie,  to  the  geographer  Petcrmann;  while  two  lower 
down  toward   Cape  Hawks,  were  named  in  honor  of  Carl  Ritter  and 
William  Scoresby. 

Hayes  now  planted  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  and  several  small 
'flags  of  difl^erent  patrons  of  the  enterprise,  erected  the  usual  cairn,  and 
deposited  the  following  record:  "This  point,  the  most  northern  land 
that  has  ever  been  reached,  was  visited  by  the  undersigned.  May  18, 
19,  1 86 1,  accompanied  by  George  F.  Knorr,  traveling  with  n  do?- 
sledge.     We  arrived  here,  after  a  toilsome  march  of  forty-six  days  from 


"'Wnmy'i! 


CAPE  HATIIERTON. 


017 


my  winter  harbor,  near  Cape  Alexander,  at  the  mouth  of  Smith  Sound. 
My  observations  place  us  in  latitude  Si"  35',  lon-itudc  70"  30',  west. 
Our  further  proi,'re8s  was  stopped  by  rotten  ice  and  cracks.  Kennedy 
Channel  appears  to  expand  into  the  polar  basin;  and,  satisfied  that  it  is 
nuvit^able,  at  least  durinfj  the  months  of  July,  August  and  September,  I 
go  hence  to  my  winter  iiarbor,  to  make  another  trial  to  get  through 
Smitli  Sound  with  my  vessel,  after  the  ice  breaks  up  this  summer." 
"Tiieii  our  faces  were  turned  homeward,"  adds  he,  "but  I  quit  the  place 
with  rehictance;"  and  the  reader  will  symi^athize  with  the  feeling.  The 
bravest  thing  to  do  is  to  turn  back,  with  ambition  and  daring  beckoning 
on  to  further  achievement.  The  courage  of  prudent  self-denial  ?s 
greater  than  that  of  daring  adventure.  This  a  fool  may  ..ossess,  that 
belongs  only  to  the  wise.  With  a  disabled  companion  in  the  rea.  and 
a  dangerous  return  journey,  from  a  hundred  miles  beyond  Morton's 
limit  of  1S54,  and  menaced  by  the  risks  of  the  ice  breaking  up,  or  pro- 
visions  being  exhausted  before  he  could  reach  the  schooner,  prudence 
required  that  he  should  return,  and  he  wisely  obeyed  its  commands. 

With  the  utmost  difficulty  tiiey  reached  Jensen's  camp,  sixty  miles 
away,  having  made  an  unbroken  trip  fot  the  last  fifty  miles  in  twenty- 
two  hours,  under  a  terrific  snowstorm  that  nearly  proved  fatal  to 
men  and  dogs.  After  a  welcome  rest  they  pushed  on  to  Cape  Hawks, 
which  they  made  in  three  days,  and  pushed  across  for  Cairn  Point.  On 
the  very  eve  of  landing  they  were  detached  on  a  floe,  which,  however, 
was  soon  floated  landward,  fortunately  touching  the  land-ice,  when  they 
hastened  ashore.  Farther  on,  at  Cape  Hatherton,  they  were  compelled 
to  al)andon  the  sledges,  the  ice  having  become  too  broken,  and  finish  the 
return  journey  by  land.  It  had  taken  fifteen  days  since  leaving  the 
limit,  and  sixty-one  from  the  schooner,  when  they  arrived  safely  aboard 
on  the  3d  of  June,  "  having  traveled  not  less  than  1,300  miles,  and  not  less 
than  1,600  since  first  setting  out  in  March."  Hayes  was  firm  in  the  con- 
viction  that  if  he  could  reach  by  vessel,  the  Ihnit  already  attained  over 
the  ice,  the  voyage  to  the  Pole  could  be  made  the  ensuing  season. 

On  careful  examination,  it  had  been  clearly  ascertained   by  the  master 
and  mate  of  the  schooner,  before  the  return  of  the  commander  that,  as  an- 


-11 


■aWV^'f 


^  'x 


Old 


F/NE    WEATHER. 


ticipated,  she  had  been  seriously  injured  in  her  conflicts  with  the  ice-pack 
before  going  into  winter  quartei's.     Hayes'  personal  scrutiny  ccnfirmed 
the  statement  of  his  officers;  and,  as  he  says,  «  It  now  became  a  matter 
for  serious  reflection  whether  it  were  not  wiser  to  return  home,  refit,  add 
— what  was  of  much  consequence — steam  power  to  my  resources,  and 
come  back  again  immediately."    Meanwhile,  the  United  States  was  still 
held  ice-locked,  and  the  commanders  occupied  themselves  with  various 
avocations.     •'  The  sun,  reaching  its  greatest  northern  declination  on  the 
2 1  St  of  June,  we  were  now,"  says  Hayes, "  in  the  full  blaze  of  summer.    Six 
eventful  months  had  passed  over  since  the  Arctic  midnight  shrouded  us 
in  gloom,  and  now  we  had  reached  the  Arctic  midday.     And  this  mid- 
day  was  a  day  of  wonderful  briglitness.     The  temperature  had  gone  up 
higher  than  at  any  previous  time,  marking  at  medium  49°,  while  in  the 
sun   the   thermometer   showed  57°.     The    barometer  was  away  up  to 
30.076,  and  a  more  calm  and  lovely  air  never  softened  an  Arctic  land- 
scape,"—bringing  to  mind  the  Scriptural  saying;     "The  winter  is  past 
and  gone;  the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth;  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  is  come."     The  auk,  at  least,  had  come  in  great  abundance;  and 
Hayes  witnessed  the  catching  of  a  hundred  in  a  net,  by  Kalutunah,  in  a 
little  while. 

On  the  3d  of  July  their  occupations  were  varied  by  a  walrus  hunt, 
in  which  two  animals  were  secured,  ten  others  killed  and  sunk,  and 
many  wounded.  The  herd  attacked  the  boat  of  the  hunters,  and  the 
useless  slaughter  of  so  many  animals  was  the  result.  The  "Glorious 
Fourth"  was  duly  celebrated,  though  the  weather  was  unfavorable-a 
mixture  of  hail,  snow,  and  rain,  and  ihe  thermometer  at  32°.  A  few 
days  later,  a  memorial  cairn  was  erected  on  the  north  coast  of  Port 
Foulke,  and  a  record  of  the  expedition  deposited. 

On  the  1 2th  the  schooner  was  free  after  a  little  more  than  ten  months 
at  Port  Foulke,  during  nine  of  which  they  were  completely  frozen  in. 
The  thickness  of  the  ice  was  nine  feet,  and  seven  of  these  were  formed 
before  the  middle  of  February,  when  the  boat  became  lodged  in  an  ice- 
cradle.  The  severe  temperature  of  March  only  added  two  inches  to  the 
depth  of  ice,  the  coat  already  formed  serving,  as  is  well  known,  tc  nro- 


CAPE  ISABELLA. 


619 


I  with  the  ice-pack, 
scrutiny  ccnfirmed 
'  became  a  matter 
rn  home,  refit,  add 
my  resources,  and 
:ed  States  was  still 
elves  with  various 
declination  on  the 

;e  of  summer.  Six 
night  shrouded  us 
.  And  this  mid- 
iture  had  gone  up 
49°,  while  in  the 
was  away  up  lo 
i  an  Arctic  land- 
he  winter  is  past 
of  the  singing  of 
t  abundance;  and 
f  Kalutunah,  in  a 

y  a  walrus  hunt, 
d  and  sunk,  and 
hunters,  and  the 
The  "Glorious 
is  unfavorable— a 
r  at  32°.  A  k\\ 
rth  coast  of  Port 

s  than  ten  months 
pletely  frozen  in, 
lese  were  formed 
lodged  in  an  ice- 
two  inches  to  the 

II  known,  to  nro- 


tect  water  as  well  as  land  from  being  frozen  to  an  incalculable  depth. 
"I  have  never  seen  an  ice-table,"  says  Hayes,  "formed  by  direct  freezing, 
that  exceeded  eighteen  feet."  On  the  13th  they  took  leave  of  the  Es- 
quimaux; and  on  the  14th  set  sail  for  Cape  Isabella;  but  the  ice-pack 
baffled  him  in  1S61  as  it  had  in  i860;  and  after  several  days'  effort  and 
detention,  they  were  only  able  to  reach  Gale  Point,  ten  miles  below,  but 
the  cape  itself  could  not  be  passed,  "a  line  of  solid  ice  extending  in  a  some 
what  irregular  curve  up  the  sound  to  a  few  miles  above  Cairn  Point.  As 


POINT    ISAUELI.A. 

well  use  a  Hudson  River  steamboat  for  a  battering-ram  as  this  schooner, 
with  her  weakened  bows,  to  encounter  the  Smith  Sound  ice."  But 
Hayes  would  not  be  batHcd  <jf  reaching  Cape  Isabella,  and  so  set  out  in 
the  wliale-boat  from  Gale  Point,  to  find  it,  as  he  says,  "a  ragged  mass  01 
Plutonic  rock,  looking  as  if  it  liad  been  turned  out  of  Nature's  labora- 
tni y  unfinished,  and  pushed  up  from  the  sea  while  it  was  yet  hot,  to 
crack  and  crumble  to  pieces  in  the  cold  a!r.  Its  surface  is  barren  to  the 
hist  degree;  immense  chasms  or  canyons  cross  it  in  all  directions,  in  whicli 


\    » 


i 


620 


-'-1««*»**,.Vi 


STARTLING  NEWS.  egj 

there  was  not  the  remotest  trace  of  vegetation-great  yawning  depths 
with  jagged  beds  and  crumbling  sides— sunless  as  the  Cimmerian  cav- 
erns of  Averno."  At  Gale  Point  were  observed  traces  of  a  recent 
Esquimaux  encampment,  giving  the  impression  that  the  coast  had  still 
some  remnants  of  native  tribes. 

Some  days  later  they  anchored  in  Barden  Bay  off  the  native  settle- 
ment  of  Netlik,  on  Whale  Sound.     Here  Hayes  made  an  extensive  sur- 
vey,  naming    islands,  capes,  and  bays,  and  the  Tyndall    Glacier.      At 
ItcpHic,  farther  on,  whence  the  Esquimaux   had   gone   to  him  at   Port 
Foulke,  he  found   nine  families,  numbering    thirty   persons,  remaining. 
They  next  set  sail  through  Melville  Bay  to  the  east,  and  on  the  12th  of 
Aii-ust  reached  Horse's  Head,  and  three  days  later  the  harbor  of  Uper- 
iKivik.     Here  they  were  startled  by  "the  news  from  home."     «Ah,"  said 
the  first  arrival  aboard,  «de  Sout'  States  dey  go  agin  de  Nort'  States,  and 
dere's  plenty  fight."     Their  first  mail   received  here,  brought  the  history 
of  events  down  to  near  the  end  of  March,  1861,  but  the  intervening  five 
months,  with  their  rapid  succession  of  startling  events,  were  still  a  blank. 
And  so  Hayes  spent  some  days  in  exploring  "a  magnificent  glacier  nine 
miles  wide,  which  discharges  into  a  fiord    named    Aukpadlatok,  about 
forty  miles  from  town."     Four  days  afte.-  leaving  Upernavik,  they  anch- 
ored at  Goodhaven    on  Disco  Island;    and  in  a  few   days  left  that  safe 
harbor  for  Davis'  Strait.     Through  this  they  were  driven  by  «a  regular 
equinoctial   storm.     Every  stitch  of  canvas  was  ripped  up  but  the  little 
rag  of  a  topsail,  under  which  we  scudded  before  the  gale  through   four 
days,   running    down    in  one  four-and-twenty   hours   two   hundred  and 
twenty  miles  of  latitude."     Off  Labrador  the  wind  changed  to  the  west, 
and  the  vessel  was  hove  to,  when  they   "were  caught  amidships  by   the 
ugliest  wave  they  had  ever  seen.     The  schooner  shivered  all  over  as  if 
every  rib  in  her  little  body  was  broken."     Thus  she  lay  for  three  days, 
drifting  two  hundred  miles  out  of  her  course.     When  the  storm  abated 
they  made  for  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  where  they  received  the  kindest  at- 
tention from  citizens  and  officials.     Here  they  got  a  second  installment  of 
"the  news  from  home,"  sufficient  to  take  away  the  breath,  and  they  be- 
came  impatient  to  reach  their  friends".     In  four  days  from  Halifax  they 


!■' 


"^*||i'"| 


622 


DEATH  OF  HATES. 


reached  Boston,  Oct.  21,  1861,  having  been  absent  fifteen  months  and  four- 
teen  days.  Hayes  at  once  tendered  his  services  and  his  schooner  to  the 
government;  and  he  entered  the  United  States'  service  as  an  army  surgeon 
taking  charge  of  the  hospital  at  West  Philadelphia,  which  he  built.  He 
made  another  voyage  to  Greenland  in  1869,  chiefly  in  the  interest  of  Brad- 
ford's  photographic  enterprise,  but  not  without  adding  something  to  his 
previous  explorations  and  surveys.  He  afterward  spent  five  years  in 
political  life  as  member  of  the  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania;  and  also  won 
distinction  as  a  lecturer  on  his  favorite  topics— the  Open  Polar  Sea  and 
Arctic  Exploration.     He  died  Dec.  17,  1S81,  in  his  fiftieth  year. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 

GERMAN  EXPEDITION  UNDER  KOLDEWEY— THE  PLAN  OF  DR.  PETER- 
MANN  — EL  LOGY  ON  KOLDEWEY  —  DEPARTURE  FROM  BREMER- 
HAVEN— SEPARATION  FROM  THE  HANSA—A  SERIES  OF  DANGERS 
—  WRECK  OF  THE  HANSA— THE  COAL  HOUSE  —  THE  DRIFT  ON 
THE  ICE— AN  ALARM— DANGER  FROM  STARVATION— ARRIVE  AT 
FREDERICHSTAHL — AT    HOME. 

Among  the  nations  that  in  recent  times  have  taken  part  in  the  efforts 
to  reach  the  Pole  and  solve  its  mysteries,  the  German  Empire  has  been 
prominently  persistent.  It  is  true,  the  expeditions  organized  and  sent  out 
iiiuler  its  auspices  have  not  been  so  numerous  and  pretentious  as  those 
planned  and  executed  from  time  to  time  by  Great  Britain  and  America, 
but  they  have  evinced  a  thoroughness  of  preparation  and  a  skillfulness 
of  conduct,  second  to  none;  and  their  failures  have  been  in  places  and  un- 
der  circumstances  where  failure  was  neither  a  disgrace  nor  a  sign  of 
weakness  or  inefficiency. 

The  so-called  "First  German  Arctic  Expedition,"  under  Karl  Kol- 
dewcy  and  its  renowned  originator.  Dr.  Petermann,  had  been  welcomed 
back,  though  without  results  of  great  importance;  and  it  was  on  the  occa- 
sion of  its  formal  reception  that  the  idea  of  a  second  voyage  for  a  like 
purpose  was  first  conceived.  Preliminary  conferences  took  place  between 
Capt.  Koldewey,  Dr.  Petermann,  Dr.  Breusing  and  others,  the  result  of 
which  was  that  the  dispatch  of  a  new  expedition  became  only  a  question 
of  ways  and  means.  The  rough  sketch  of  a  plan  was  not  long  wanting 
This  plan  provided  that  the  expedition  should  consist  of  two  parts:  That 
a  steamer  should  land  on  the  east  coast  of  Greenland,  from  whence  it 
should  push  forward  into  the  center  of  the  Arctic  regions;  and  that  an- 
other should  from  any  point  between  Greenland  and  Spitzbergen  seek  to 
attain  the  highest  latitude  possible.     This  plan,  however,  proved  too  ex- 

623 


^11.  :,; 


'Fl'l' 


^'  .4 


?J1 


I*' 


111 


4- 


624 


/^Z-^A^  ylA^iy   CREW. 


i 

i 


f.      E 


tended  for  the  limited  means  of  those  specially  interested.  By  common 
consent  the  latter  portion  of  the  proposed  scheme  was  abandoned,  and  the 
attention  directed  to  East  Greenland. 

A  communication  dated  the  Sth  of  March,  1869, brought  the  proceed, 
ings  to  the  knowledge  of  the  friends  of  the  expedition.  The  plan  was  now 
nearly  as  follows:  "That  the  expedition  should   consist  of  a  newly-built 
screw-steamer,  and  of  the  sailing  yacht  Greenland,  a   ship  of  the  pio- 
neer  journey  of  a  year  previous;  that  the  end  and  aim  of  the  same  should 
be  discovery  and  exploration  in  the  Central  Arctic  region,  from  74°  north 
latitude  upward,  the  East  Greenland  coast  being  the  basis.    The  Green- 
land,  acting  as  consort  and  transport  ship,  should  return  in  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year;  but  the  return  of  the  chief  ship  should  not  take  place 
until  late  in  the  autumn  of  1870,  after  their  intended  wintering.      That 
the  aim  of  the   expedition   should   be  scientific  as  well  as  nautical;  the 
latter  department  being   under  the  command  of  Capt.  Koldewey,  who 
the  year  before  had  proved  himself  so  able  in  every  respect,  and   whose 
character  for  courage,  perseverance,  and  self-sacrifice  in  the  cause,  called 
for  unhesitating  confidence." 

Great  diligence  was  used  in  making  collections  for  defraying  the  ex- 
penses of  the  enterprise,  and  most  of  the  towns  of  Germany  responded 
liberally  to  the  call  for  funds.  The  new  steamer  was  called  the  Germa- 
nia,  and  was  a  model  in  size  and  strength  for  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  to  be  used.  Objection  being  made  to  the  Greenland  as  beino-  too 
small,  a  larger  ship,  the  Hansa,  was  chosen,  and  like  the  Germania, 
provisioned  for  two  years. 

The  scientific  members  of  the  expedition  to  ship  in  the  Germania 
were  the  following:  Dr.  Karl  Bijrgen;  Dr.  R.  Copeland,  an  English- 
man,  educated  in  Germany,  and  an  associate  of  Dr.  Borgen  in  scientific 
investigation;  Lieut.  Julius  Payer,  whom  we  shall  hereafter  know  as  the 
commander  of  a  separate  expedition,  and  Dr.  Pansch,  surgeon  to  the 
ship's  company;  Dr.  Buchholz,  surgeon  to  the  Hansa,  represented  the 
department  of  zoology,  anthropologyand  ethnology,  and  he  was  joined 
by  Dr.  Gustavus  Laube,  of  Vienna. 

The  plan  of  the  construction  of  other  Arctic  ships   has  been  given 


ght  the  proceed, 
he  plan  was  now 
of  a  newly-built 
ship  of  the  pio- 
the  same  should 
jfrom  74°  north 
is.    The  Green. 
I  iti  the  autumn 
d  not  take  place 
intering.      That 
as  nautical;  the 
Koldewey,  who 
ect,  and  whose 
;he  cause,  called 

efraying  the  ex- 
many  responded 
lied  the  Gerina- 
lose  for  which  it 
iid  as  being  too 
the  Germania, 

I  the  Germania 
id,  an  English- 
gen  in  scientific 
ter  know  as  the 
surgeon  to  the 
represented  the 
he  was  joined 

las  been  given 


5 


m^ '  1 

1 

I^^Hk 

imAi 

^Hl 

B-- 

■ 

1 

} 

!    J              1 

626 


IN  THE  LATITUDE  OF  ICEBERGS. 


in  detail  in  the  narration  of  previous  voyages,  and  the  particulars  of 
the  preparations  are  so  alike  in  all  expeditions,  that  to  give  them  here 
would  involve  a  needless  and  tedious  repetition.  It  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  no  mechanical  skill  was  spared  in  the  building  of  the  Germania, 
and  in  the  provisioning  of  both  the  ships,  attention  was  particularly 
paid  to  completeness  and  plentiful  supply,  as  well  as  to  the  good  qua!- 
ity  of  every  article. 

The  final  departure  of  the  expedition  took  place  from  Bremer- 
haven,  on  the  15th  of  June,  1869,  in  the  presence  of  His  Majesty,  the 
King  of  Prussia,  whose  warm  interest  in  this  great  national  undertak- 
ing showed  itself  in  a  manner  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  two  ves- 
sels sailed  up  through  the  German  Ocean  together,  and  did  not  sep- 
arate until  Jan  Mayen  Island  had  been  reached  and  passed,  and  the 
Arctic  Ocean  actually  entered.  On  the  15th  of  July  the  Germania  en- 
tered the  "  ice  circle"  of  Greenland,  and  began  to  look  for  the  barriers 
which  she  had  come  hither  to  defy.  At  length  a  practiced  ear  might 
have  heard  a  subdued  roar,  growing  louder  by  degrees  as  the  ship's 
longitude  became  more  and  more  westerly. 

"  Nearer  and  nearer,"  says  Koldewey's  account,  "  comes  the  rushing 
noise.  Every  man  is  on  deck ;  when,  as  with  the  touch  of  a  magic  wand, 
the  mist  divides,  and  a  few  hundred  yards  before  us  lies  the  ice,  in  long 
lines,  like  a  deep  indented  rocky  coast,  with  walls  glittering  blue  in  the 
sun,  and  the  foaming  waves  mounting  high,  with  the  top  covered  with 
blinding  white  snow.  The  eyes  of  all  rested  with  amazement  on  this 
grand  panorama ;  it  was  a  glorious  but  serious  moment,  stirred  as  we 
were  by  new  thoughts  and  feelings,  by  hopes  and  doubts,  by  bold  and 
far-reaching  expectations." 

The  separation  from  the  Hansa,  which  had  been  a  source  of  anxiety 
for  several  days,  terminated  on  the  18th,  when  the  meeting  of  the  ves- 
sels v.as  celebrated  by  a  joyful  firing  of  guns,  and  ringing  of  the  ships' 
bells.  It  was  found  that  the  Hansa  as  well  as  the  Germania  had  been 
several  days  in  the  ice.  Indeed,  a  glance  at  the  log-books  of  the  former 
vessel  showed  that  since  their  separation  the  two  ships  had  never  been 
far  apart,  that  they  had  taken  the  same  course  to  the  ice,  and  that  noth- 


THE  HANS  A  BESET.  go? 

ing  but  the  thick  mist  which  had  prevailed  had  prevented  one  from   see 
ing  the  other.     In  case  of  another  separation  Sabine  Island  was  appointed 
as  a  place  of  rendezvous.     After  some  further  consultation  on  the  part  of 
the  officers  as  to  their  future  course,  the  two  vessels  bej^an  working  their 
way  together  to  the  westward.     Through  a  misunderstanding  of  signals 
the  two  ships  became  once  more  separated,  and  never  met  again.    Let  us' 
l.;.ve  for  a  time  the  Germania,  sailing   under  the  orders   of  Capt.  Kol- 
dcwey,  and  follow  the  fortunes  of  the  ill-fated  Ilansa. 

Meeting  with  impassable  ice  to  the  west,  the  Ilansa  steered   to  east- 
ward ou'  of  the  ice,  and  began   afresh.     Having   reached   open   water  . 
second  attempt  was  made  at  penetrating  to  the  coast  \n  the  latitude  cor- 
responding  with  the  instructions.     Until  the  loth  of  August   the  H-xns. 
experienced  good  weather,  and  with  a  favorable  wind  sailed   alono    the 
edge  of  the  ice  in  a  northerly  direction,   until  reaching  the  desired^..ti- 
tude,  It  was  once  more  thought  best  to  attempt  the  desired  coast.     But 
disappomtment  again  met  the  crew.     After  sailing  westward  one  ni^ht 
they  found  themselves  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  hemmed  in  ac^aii^on 
all  sides;  fresh  ice  formed  between  the  floes,  besides  filling  up  every  pass- 
age,  so  that  the  Hansa  was  fast  again;  and  from  this  time  forward  until 
the  complete  blocking  up  of  his  vessel,  the  captain's  log-book  unfolds  a 
series  of  troubles,  dangers,  and  reverses. 

For  a  long  time  it  was  hoped  that  the  floes  would  part  and  allow  the 
unfortunate  craft  to  make  toward  the  coast.     Land  could  be  seen  at  a 
distance  of  not  more  than  thirty-five  miles,  and  a  boat  journey  over  the 
.ce  and  through  such  channels    as    occasionally  presented    themselves, 
seemed  to  confirm  for  a  time  that  slender  expectation.     In  the  meantime 
measures  were  taken  to  abandon  the  ship  if  it  should  become   necessary' 
The  sailors'  winter  clothing  was  distributed;  the  boats  were  made  ready 
and  their  respective  crews  told  off;  and   the  plan  of  their  winter  house' 
was  discussed  in  view  of  the  possibility  of  being  obliged  to  resoit  to  one 
Their  worst  fears  were  soon  realized.     On   the   19th  of  October  the 
pressure  of  the  ice  upon  the  Hansa  began  to  be  tremendous.     Hu<^e  ice- 
blocks  forced  themselves  under  her  bow,  and  though  these  were  cmshed 
by  the  iron  sheeting,  they  raised  the  forward  part  of  the  ship  seventeca 


038 


THE  HANSA  ABANDONED. 


feet  out  of  water,  or  rather  out  of  its  former  position   in   tiie  ice.    T" 
conviction  soon  seized  the  minds  of  the  crew  that  the  Hansa  must  break 
up,  and  the  clothinfj;,  nautical  instrum'^'^*'-  journals,  and  cards,  were  in  all 
haste  taken  over  the  landinjj-hridge. 

The  ship  soon  hegan  to  leak,  anil  it  was  plain  that  it  must  he  aban. 
doned.  All  the  provisions  that  could  he  secured  from  the  wreck,  together 
with  fuel,  medicine,  cigars,  and  whatever  could  he  easily  moved  in  their 
present  impoitunity,  was  dragged  over  the  ice  to  a  safe  distance  from  the 
sinking  vessel.  A  house  had  already  been  constructed  from  pieces  of 
coal,  and  to  this,  their  only  resort,  they  were  obliged  to  repair. 

In  the  meantime  the  floo  on  which  their  residence  was  built  was  drift- 
ing steadily  to  the  south.  The  routine  in  the  black  house  soon  became  es- 
tablished, and  as  it  closely  resembled  that  on  board  ship,  the  lonely  .sailor<i 
readily  adapted  themselves  to  it.  Care  was  taken  to  make  tbe  little 
settlement  as  conspicuous  as  possible  in  order  that  it  might  be  seen  by  am 
Esquimaux  who  should  happen  on  the  coast.  The  food  was  lengthened 
out  by  the  shooting  of  an  occasional  walrus,  and  free  use  of  this  article 
of  diet  was  effectual  in  preventing  scurvy,  from  which  the  party  continued 
remarkably  exempt. 

The  first  days  of  January  were  destined  to  bring  sad  changes  for  the 
exiles  on  the  ice.  "  On  the  nth,"  says  the  narrator,  "there  were  iieavy 
storms  from  the  northeast,  with  driving  snow.  At  six  in  the  morniiii; 
Hddebrandt,  who  happened  to  have  the  watch,  burst  in  with  the  alnrm, 
'  All  hands  turn  out!'  An  indescribable  tumult  was  heard  outside.  With 
furs  and  knapsacks  all  rushed  out.  But  the  outer  entrance  was  snowed 
up,  so  to  gain  the  outside  quickly  we  broke  through  ihe  snow  roof  of  the 
front  hall.  The  tumult  of  the  elements  which  met  us  there  was  beyond 
anything  we  had  already  experi»;nced.  Scarcely  able  to  leave  the  spot, 
we  stood  huddled  together  for  protection  from  the  bad  weathrr.  Sud- 
denly we  heard,  'Water  on  the  floe  close  by!'  The  floe  surroimding  us 
split  up;  a  heavy  sea  arose.  Our  fleld  began  again  to  break  up  on  all  sides. 
On  the  spot  between  our  house  and  the  piled  up  store  of  wood,  which 
was  about  twenty-five  paces  distant,  there  suddenly  opened  ■*.  large  gap. 
Washed  by  the  powerful  waves,  it  seemed  as  if  the  piece  just  broken  off 


ILL  UWLEK, 

u'iis  about  to  fall  upon  us,     •     ♦     *     The 


080 


two  parts.       We  bade  each  oth 
IkiikI,  for  the  next  moment  we 


t;i 


kcii  hold  of  our  scientific  friends;  the  crew 


community  was  divided  into 

good-bye  with  a  farewell  shake  of  the 

might  go  down.     Deep  despondency  iiad 


were  quiet,  but  desperate.   It 


was  a  miracle  that  just   that  part  of  the   floe   on  which  we  stood  shoulu 
I'loin  ics  soundness,  hold  together." 

As  it  was,  the  house  was  shattered  in  fragments,  and  a  temporary 
bl-.ouac  in  the  boats  had  to  be  experienced.  A  new  house  had  to  be  con- 
stmctcifortemporary  use;  the  boats  were  drawn  nearer  the  middle  of 
the  llocs  a.i.l  all  exigencies,  so  Hw  as  possible,  provided  for.  So  for  several 
mottths  the  <lrift  to  the  south  continued;  the  only  hope  of  release  being 
in  the  boats,  when  the  influence  of  the  now  rising  sun  and  the  southern 
latitiidL'  should  open  a  channel  in  the  ruggeil  pack. 

The  >nonth  of  May  at  last  arrived,  Ci  to  the  weary  watchers  on  the 
ice  rclc  .so  seeme.l  as  far  oflT  as  ever.  From  the  spot  where  the  Hansa 
had  fo.Hulered,  in  71°  north  latitude,  ^hey  had  moved  to  6i"_a  distance 
of  nearly  700  miles.  They  were  startled  to  And  that  only  six  weeks  of 
provisions  rc.nained,  and  that  unless  efforts  were  put  forth  to  reach  some 
inhabited  spot  they  must  expect  one  by  one  to  drop  away  from 
starvation. 

A  small  island  called  Illuidlek,  lay  about  three  miles  away,  and  to 
thts  .t  was  determined  to  remove,  unless  there  should  be  some  immediate 
and  unlocked  for  change  in  the  ice.     To  this  point,  with  much  labor  and 
many  stoppages,  they  succeeded  in  dragging  the  boats  and  scantv  stores 
Here  they  spent  some  days   looking  in  vain  for  traces   of  life, "and  the 
abttattons  of  the  Esquimaux  whom  the  old  voyager,  Graah,  had  found 
here.     Existence  could  not  be  sustained  here  for  any  protracted   period. 
Even  the  animals,  both  on  land  an  '  sea,  seemed  shy,  and  unwUling  to 
mmtster  to  their  necessities.     Moreover,  there  was  now  open  water  suf- 
'.cent  to  warrant  embarking  in  the  boats,  and  at  any  rate  death  upon  the 
sea  was  no  more  terrible  than  slow  starvation  upoti  a  rocky,  barren  islet. 
Acccdntgly,  on  the  6th  of  June  the  boats  were  launched,  sails  were  ex- 
-"portzed,  and  the  party  were  o.ice   more  in   motion,  glad  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  at  least  making  an  effort  to  save  their  lives. 


680 


/ir  FREDBRICUHTAHL. 


Their  aim  was  Frederichstalil,  the  nearest  colony  on  the  southwest 
coast  (.f  Greenland,  but  they  hoped  soon  to  meet  one  or  the  other  of  the 
Es(iui.naux  seal-hoats  searching  the  Fiord.  No  such  fortune,  however' 
awaited  them,  tliou-h  the  increasinj,'  warmth  and  signs  of  vegetation' 
along  the  coast  as  they  sailed  by,  gave  promise  of  comfort  and  plenty  in 
the  near  future. 

Rounding  Cape  Farewell  they  came  in  sight  of  the  long  wished-for 
Hay  of  Frederichstahl  on  the  13th  of  June.  The  little  settlement  situ- 
atcd  on  this  bay  was  the  seat  of  the  most  southerly  of  the  Moravian 
missions  of  (]Jrecidand.  In  this  far-away  place,  self-sacrificing  men  from 
the  Fatherland  had  settled  for  a  life  of  isolation  and  toil  among  the  igno- 
rant  and  almost  savage  natives  of  this  frozen  continent.  How  the  sight 
of  their  homely  red  houses  cheered  our  band  of  weary  voyagers,  and 
how  sweet  to  them  soumled  their  own  mother-tongue,  si^oken  by  wiirm- 
hearted  countrymen! 

From  this  point  the  troubles  of  our  voyagers  ceased.  They  were 
soon  able  to  procure  passage  in  a  Danish  vessel  to  Copenhagen.  From 
this  city  thcv  sped  homeward  by  rail,  and  once  more  trod  German  soil 
on  the  3d  of  September. 


|i 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

THE  (lERMANIA  IN  EAST  OHKKNLAND — TIIK  IIIENENKORB — CLAVER- 
INO  ISLAND — SHANNON  ISLAND — A  QUESTION — A  SLEDGE-JOUR- 
NEY — FLIGKLY  FIORD — KUHN  ISLAND — THE  GERMANIA  MOORED 
FOR  WINTER — ^RELICS  OF  A  DECAYED  COMMUVITY — ATTACKED 
BY  \  REAR  —  WIDE  EXPERIENCE  WITH  ANIMAL  LIFE  —  AN  EN- 
COUNTER   WITH    WALRUSES  —  THE    GERMANIA     BECOMES    FREE 

RETURN    TO    GERMANIA. 


1     „ 


I 


Let  us  now  retrace  our  steps  to  the  northward,  where  we  left  the 
Germania  struggling  with  the  ice  of  East  Greenland,  and  compare  her 
experience  with  that  of  her  unhappy  consort. 

To  be  separated  for  a  short  time  from  the  sister  ship  under  existing 
circumstances,  caused  no  uneasiness;  so  that  at  noon  of  the  day  that  the 
Hansa  disappeared  in  the  fog,  the  Germania  set  all  sail,  but  soon  striking 
upon  ice,  was  obliged  to  turn.  The  horizon  was  eagerly  scanned  for  the 
Haiisa,  but  without  success.  A  whaling  vessel,  however,  was  discovered, 
and  this  last  opportunity  of  sending  letters  home  was  eagerly  embraced. 
The  ship  was  found  to  be  the  Biencnkorb  of  Bremerhaven. 

"On  her  deck,"  says  the  narrative,  "confined  in  a  large  cage,  was  a 
bear  and  her  two  cubs;  fortunately  for  them,  on  board  a  whaler  they 
were  not  likely  to  want  for  food.  One  would  think  that  a  creature  so 
powerful  and  active  could  never  be  taken  alive,  but  on  its  hunting  expe- 
ditions among  the  drift-ice,  it  frequently  trusts  itself  to  the  water,  and 
here,  in  spite  of  its  endurance,  man  is  more  active  and  clever,  and  with  a 
well-managed  boat,  a  lucky  cast  of  the  noose  generally  falls  on  the  neck 
of  tlie  swimming  bear,  when,  half-dragged  and  half-swimming,  he  is 
hoisted  on  deck  like  any  other  animal,  the  noose  round  its  neck  being  a 
jfuarantee  for  its  good  behavior.  On  their  return  they  are  generally 
sold  to  some  menagerie  or  voolagica!   garden,  the  price  of  a   full-grown 


DC 


ar  being  loo  thalers  (75  American  dollars). 


631 


032 


THE  PENDULUM  ISLANDS. 


Partinor  company  with  the  Bienenkorb,  the  Germania  now  sought  to 
reach  the  coast  of  Greenland.  Her  path  was  a  tortuous  one,  and  full  of 
dan,^'er.  The  day-book  of  the  captain  shows  that  at  the  beginning  of 
the  journey,  after  leaving  the  Hansa,  strong  northwesterly  winds  "pre- 
vailed, which  of  course  delayed  the  vessel's  progress  toward  the  coast. 
The  easterly  winds,  on  the  other  hand,  drove  the  Ice  toward  the  shore 
which  thus  became  so  packed  that  it  was  impossible  to  reach  the  main- 
land. Several  weeks  were  spent  in  meeting  these  obstacles,  but  the 
efforts  of  the  ship's  company  were  at  last  rewarded,  and  on  the  5th  of 
August  they  planted  their  flag  on  Greenland  soil. 

The  group  of  islands  which  they  had  now  reached,  known  as  the 
Pendulum  Islands,  were  first  discovered  and  appropriated  by  Claveiinfr 
in  187,3.  [See  voyage  of  Clavering.]  Far  to  the  north  was  seen  Shan- 
non  Island,  the  largest  of  the  coast  islands  of  Greenland,  while  soutii- 
ward  lay  Sabine  Island,  only  a  few  miles  from  the  mainland.  Along 
these  islands  the  expedition  hoped  to  make  its  way  northward,  after 
having,  according  to  their  instructions,  sought  for  and  marked  the  posi- 
tion  of  Sabine's  observatory. 

The  condition  of  the  ice  was  here  first  distinctly  seen.  The  straits 
between  Sabine  Island  and  the  mainland,  and  also  between  the  several 
islands,  were  completely  blocked  with  what  appeared  to  be  all  land  ice. 
Further  on,  between  Shannon  Island  and  the  mainland,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  the  land  was  firm,  and  the  conclusion  was  soon  reached  that 
there  would  be  no  breaking  up  that  year.  Along  the  coast,  then,  ad- 
vance was  impossible,  and  the  only  practicable  way  remaniing  was  alon°' 
the  eastern  side  of  Shannon  Island. 

"The  question,"  says  Koldewey,  "has  been  raised  several  times,  es- 
pecially among  inland  people,  as  to  why,  being  unable  to  advance  along 
the  land-ice,  I  did  not  re-enter  the  pack  and  work  my  way  through  it 
northward,  and,  in  a  higher  latitude,  again  try  to  reach  the  coast.  This 
is  opposed  to  all  experience;  it  has  long  been  known  that  in  a  stream  of 
heavy  ice,  in  fact,  in  the  so-called  pack,  .ever,  nor  at  any  place,  with  the 
strongest  and  best  steamer,  has  any  considerable  progress  been  made 
without  the  support  of  the  <;oast,  or  the  coast  islands.     Had   I  wished  tp 


ULEDGE-yOUIiNBrS.  (5;};^ 

liaVc  rcachctt  the  coast  at  a  more  northerly  point,  I  should  have  ha.l  to 
piiietrato  the  ice-barrier,  again  to  steer  along  the  northern  border,  and 
lorcc-  my  way  into  the  pack  once  more  in  78°.  Such  a  proceeding 
wcul.l  certainly  never  have  been  followed  by  the  desired  result,  and  it 
v.r)i:M  have  been  inijustifiable  to  give  up  a  basis  reached  with  so  much 
troiil)le,  to  follow  a  phantom." 


A   VILLAIiB  IN   SOUTHEAST  OKKENLAND. 

After  some  fruitless  attempts  to  make  their  way  alon*  the  coast  in 
the  Germania,  the  party  returned  and  fouiul  winter  quarters  on  Sabine 
Island,  a  few  miles  to  the  south  and  west  of  Pendulum  lslan<l,  the  land 
which  they  had  at  first  reached.  It  was  now  planned  to  devote  the  winter 
to  slcdge-journeys.  The  first  of  these  was  organized  at  once,  and  was 
ready  to  start  on  the    14th  of  September.     As   on  the   departure   fr 


om 


634 


nLIGBLT  FIORD-KUHN  ISLAND. 


%i\\  K 


home  the  general  expectation  was  that  the  greatest  and  most  substantial 
discoveries  must  be  made  with  the  ship,  their  instructions  spoke  only  of 
probable  glacier  excursions  to  the  interior  of  the  country,  and  not  of 
extensive  sledge-journeys  along  the  coast  and  tiie  banks  of  the  Fiord. 
For  the  particular  necessities  of  these  journeys,  therefore,  no  provision 
was  made  at  the  outfitting  in  Bremen,  antl  the  sledge  apparatus  (tents 
coverings,  and  so  on)  was  not  quite  what  was  needed. 

They  had  learned  from  experience  during  the  summer  that  the  round 
tent  with  a  pole  in  the  center,  which  Uiey  had  brought  from  Bremen 
was  not  piactically  useful ;  it  was,  therefore,  changed  into  a  four-cornered 
one,  and  provided  with  a  roof.  At  each  corner  a  pole  was  placed  per- 
pendicularly, and  fastened  by  ropes,  held  and  propped  up  with  stones. 
Their  further  apparatus  consisted  of  necessary  woolen  coverings  (for 
they  had  not  yet  taken  to  furs),  provisions  for  eight  days,  of  instruments 
notably  the  theodolite,  that  essential  in  all  coast  surveys,  and  the  cus- 
tomary barometer  and  thermometer. 

The  sledges,  which  carried  about  six  hundred  weight,  were  drawn  by 
six  men,  the  Captain,  First  Lieut.  Payer,  Trauwitz,  Krauschner,  Kleutz- 
ner,  and  Ellinger,  traveling  with  comparative  ease  over  the  almost  snow- 
less  ice.     Fligely  Fiord  and  Kuhn  Island  were  to   constitute  the  objects 
of  their  investigations,  and  these  points  were  first   sought.     "The  shore 
of  the  Fiord,"  says  Copeland,  "  was  surrounded  by  beautiful  mountain- 
chains — to  the  nortli  gneiss — and  granite  cliffs  at  the  foot  of  which   were 
slopes  covered  with  soft  grassy  vegetation;  to  the  south  rose  ice-crowned 
rocks,  the  highest   of  which    (we   will   call   it   Domberg)    was  certainly 
more  than  3900  feet  high.      Reindeer  came  from   all   sides   of  the  strand 
in  a  state  of  wonder;  but  this  time  we  withstood  the  desire  to   b     ',  in 
order  to  lose  no   time.     Only   once   was   the  journey   interrupted  !)v  a 
slight  topographical  incident.     A  bear  which  came  near  us  we  frightened 
away  by  shouting,  after  which  Kleutzner  fell  through  the  ice;  he  was 
pulled  out,  and  had  to  cross  a  long  broad  breach." 

Fligely  Fiord  was  explored  and  surveyed  up  to  where  its  inland 
boundary  becomes  a  part  of  the  rugged  mainland  beyond.  On  Kuhn 
Island  Lieut.  Payer  noticed  a  stone  of  exceedingly  light  color,  which  on 


.  ^  '-!  ■  riawMJigy 


wi^i-tSieiV 


A  DECAYED  COMMUNITY. 


635 


the  soutli  side  of  the  island  formed  solid  overhanging  crystals,  to  at 
least  2000  feet  high.  Leaving  the  sledge,  to  his  great  astonishment  he 
stumbled  upon  a  layer  of  coal,  its  strata  alternating  with  sandstone. 
Further  investigations  proved  the  existence  of  the  carboniferous  deposit 
iu  large  quantities— possibly  a  useful  factor  in  the  future  development, 
or  subjugation,  of  East  Greenland.  The  party  soon  returned  to  the  ship, 
having  walked  a  distance  of  133  miles. 

The  months  of  September  and  October  were  spent  in  making  prep- 
arations for  the  coming  winter.  The  Germania  was  released  from  the 
icy  bands  which  the  early  fall  had  cast  about  her,  and  was  drawn  closer 
to  the  body  of  Sabine's  Island,  where,  moored  in  a  convenient  bay,  she 
could  fearlessly  withstand  the  shocks  common  to  vessels  wintering  with- 
in the  Arctic  circle.  On  the  nth  of  October  the  ship  was  surrounded 
with  a  wall  made  of  blocks  of  ic.  frozen  together,  and  a  sort  of  break- 
water or  boundary  to  the  little  harbor  was  constructed  of  the  same 
material. 

The  winters  spent  by  most  American  and  British  explorers  in  Arctic 
re<,aons  have  been  somewhat  ameliorated  by  companionship  with  natives. 
The  consciousness  that  other  human  beings  can  and  do  live  in  these  des- 
olated regions  is  a  great  source  of  comfort  to  sojourners  in  the  north,  es- 
pecially when  this  knowledge  is  gained  by  actual  contact  with  the  deni- 
zens of  the  ice.  Up  to  this  point,  however,  cur  explorers  had  seen  no 
trace  of  natives,  nor  indeed  any  signs  of  their  having  formerly  occupied 
this  portion  of  Greenland.  T!ie  conclusion,  therefore,  was  that  the  Es- 
quimaux had  either  deserted  their  former  abodes,  or  had  become  extinct. 
Clavcring,  in  1823,  had  found  an  Esquimaux  settlement  on  the  island 
bearing  his  name,  but  both  natives  and  their  habitations  had  now  disap- 
peared. A  few  skeletons  and  rude  implements  alone  remained  to  tell  the 
story  of  the  decayed  community. 

Fall,  winter,  and  spring  found  the  voyagers  usefully  employed  in  ex- 
ploring and  surveying  the  fiords  and  gulfs  of  East  Greenland,  in  takin.^ 
magnetic  readings,  and  in  compiling  tabulated  statements  of  their  scien- 
tlHc  discoveries.  The  absence  of  dogs  and  reindeer  made  their  labors 
very  severe.     Supplies,  tents,   instruments,  all  the  paraphernalia   of  an 


"Hi 


1 


686 


ATTACKED  BT  A   BEAR. 


Arctic  sledge-journey  had  to  be  dragged  through  the  snow  hy  the  men 
themselves,  the  officers  participating  in  this  labor  with  appropriate  en- 
thusiasm. In  this  way  several  degrees  of  the  eastern  wall  of  the  conti- 
nent of  Greenland  were  accurately  explored  and  laid  down. 

It  is  probable  that  no  exjjedition  has  had  so  varied  and  thrilling  an  ex- 
perience with  the  animal  life  of  the  north  as  the  party  of  our  present 
narration.  Almost  no  journey  was  undertaken  without  more  or  less 
danger  from  the  immense  bears  which  inhabit  these  regions,  and  some- 
times the  creatures  approached  the  vessel  itself  with  great  boldness.  An 
incident  occurred  on  the  6th  of  March,  in  which  a  valued  member  of 
tile  expedition  ne.»rly  lost  his  life  from  tiie  boldness  of  one  of  these 
beasts. 

"  We  were  sitting,"  writes  Lieut.  Payer,  "fortunately  silent  m  the 
cabin,  when  Koldewey  sudden!}-  heard  a  faint  cry  for  help.  We  all  hur- 
riedly tumbled  up  the  companion-ladder  to  the  deck,  when  an  exclama- 
tion from  BOrgen,  'A  bear  is  carrying  me  ofl','  struck  painfully  on  our  ears. 

"  It  was  quite  dark ;  we  could  scarcely  see  anything,  but  we  made  di- 
rectly for  tile  quarter  whence  the  cry  proceeded,  armed  with  poles, 
weapons,  etc.,  over  hummocks  and  drifts,  when  an  alarm  shot  which  we 
fired  into  the  air,  seemed  to  make  some  impression,  as  the  bear  dropped 
his  prey,  and  ran  forwai'd  a  few  paces.  He  turned  again,  however,  drag- 
ging his  victim  over  the  broken  shore-ice,  close  to  a  field  which  stretched 
in  a  southerly  direction.  All  dajDended  upon  our  coming  up  with  him 
before  he  should  reach  this  field,  as  he  would  carry  his  prey  over  the  open 
plain  with  the  speed  of  a  horse,  and  thus  escape.  We  succeeded.  The 
bear  turned  upon  us    for  a  moment,  and  then,  scared  by  our  continuous 

fire,  let  fall  his  prey. 

"  We  lifted  our  poor  comrade  upon  the  ice  to  bear  him  to  his   cabin, 

a  task  which  was  rendered  difficult  by  the  slippery  and   uneven   surface 

of  the  ice.     But  after  we  had  gone  a  little  way,  Borgen  implored   us  to 

make  as  much  hastii  as  possible.     On  procuring  a  light  tlie  coldest  nature 

would  have  been  shocked  by  the  spectacle  which  poor  Borgen  presented. 

The  bciir  !iad  torn  his  scalp  in  several  places,  and  he  had  received  several 

injuries  in  other  parts  of  his  body.       His  clothes  and  hair  were  saturated 


OBSERVATIONS   ON  ANIMALS, 


637 


with  blood.      We   improvised  a  couch   for  him   in  the  rear  of  our  own 
cabin,  as  his  own  was  not  large  enough. 

'•  The  first  operation  was  performed  upon  him  on  the  cabin  table. 
And  here  we  may  briefly  notice  the  singular  fact  that,  although  he  had 
been  carried  more  than  one  hundred  paces  with  his  skull  almost  laid 
bare,  at  a  temperature  of  —13  Fahrenheit,  his  scalp  healed  so  perfectly 
that  not  a  portion  was  missing."  Dr.  Burgen's  youth  and  vigorous 
constitution  soon  enabled  him  to  throw  off  the  evil  effects  of  the  shock 
to  which  he  had  been  subjected,  but  the  whole  party  from  that  time  were 
careful  not  to  wander  forth  alone  in  the  dark. 

The  observations  of  the  party  were  carried  on  with  the  characteristic 
German  accuracy.  Particular  attention  was  given  by  the  naturalists  to 
the  animal  life  both  of  land  and  sea,  as  weil  as  to  the  scanty  flora  exhibited 
among  the  barren  rocks  on  which  they  had  fallen.  Space  fails  us  to  give 
ill  detail  the  results  of  these  investigations,  but  they  form  a  very  important 
chapter  in  the  natural  history  of  the  north.  Actual  contact  in  the  hunt, 
with  much  of  the  animal  life,  gave  them  an  opportunity  to  generalize 
from  real  observation  upon  the  characteristics  and  habits  of  the  north- 
ern fauna.  Bear,  musk-ox,  hare,  fox,  lemming,  and  sea-horse— all  passed 
under  the  scientific  knife  of  Pansch  antl  Borgen,  and  the  fact  that  their 
little  stock  of  provisions  must  be  lengthened  in  some  original  way,  made 
tlic  opportunities  for  these  investigations  more  frequent  than  they  would 
otherwise  have  been.  Indeed,  these  animals  were  sought,  not  more  for 
scientific  purposes,  than  for  a  more  obvious  and  substantial  utility. 

The  encounters  with  many  of  these  animals  are  said  to  have  been  at- 
tended with  the  greatest  danger.  The  appearance  and  mode  of  warfare  of 
the  walrus  is  graphically  described  by  an  eye-witness:  "  If  any  creature 
deserve  the  name  of  monster,  it  is  the  walrus.  It  is  from  nine  feet  six 
inches  to  sixteen  feet  six  inches  in  length,  weighs  about  two  thousand 
pounds,  and  its  skin  is  three  and  a  half  inches  thick  (a  sort  of  massive 
coat  of  mail),  with  large  eye,  and  a  head  of  infinite  ugliness. 

"  Should  one  of  these  monsters  see  a  boat,  it  raises  itself,  astonished, 
abuve  the  surface,  utters  at  once  a  cry  of  alarm,  swimming  toward  it 
as  tjuicldy  as  possible.      This  call  brings  up  others,  awakens  the  sleepers 


\ 


■  '      ■  p 

HI 

Ti'  ■  1 

!,     : 

1,    1 

i     } 

i 
i 
i 

1 
I 

1  -1 

HAM*  j 

t 

638 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE    VOYAGE. 

which  the  boat  had  carefully  avoided,  and  in  a  short  tim<  the  vessel  is 
followed  by  a  number  of  these  monsters,  blustering  in  apparent  or  real 
fury  in  all  their  hideousness. 

"  The  creatures  may  possibly  be  only  actuated  by  curiosity,  but  their 
manner  of  showing  it  is  so  ill-chosen  that  one  feels  obliged  to  act  on  the 
defensive.  The  bellowing,  jerking  and  diving  herd  is  now  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  boat.  The  first  shot  strikes,  thus  inflaming  their 
wrath,  and  now  begins  a  wild  fight  mi  which  some  of  the  black  sphinxes 
are  struck  with  axes  on  the  flippers  with  which  they  threaten  to  over- 
turn the  boat."  On  the  ice,  however,  th  •  sea-horse  falls  an  easy  victim 
to  stratagem,  as  his  means  of  locomotion  on  this  element  are  veiy  limited. 

As  spring  advanced,  the  crew  of  uie  Germania  made  preparations  for 
their  homeward  journey.  The  vessel,  so  lonj--  a  prisoner  in  icy  chains, 
became  free  about  the  first  of  July,  and  the  engine  being  repaired  as  well 
as  circumstances  would  permit,  some  cruising  was  done  as  a  finishing 
touch  to  the  work  of  the  season.  After  examining  Shannon  Island  and 
vicinity  they  departed  for  Germany,  wheu  they  arrived  on  the  nth  of 
September,  after  an  uneventful  voyage  of  three  weeks.  They  found 
their  countrymen  at  home  ^vild  with  excitement  on  account  of  recent  vic- 
tories over  the  French,  but  none  the  less  glad  to  welcome  the  sailors, 
who  had  shown  perhaps  as  much  daring  in  racing  the  stern  weather  of 
the  north,  as  the  regulars  had  exhibited  before  the  guns  of  the  enemy. 

The  light  thrown  on  the  Arctic  question  by  the  voyages  of  the  Hansii 
and  Germania  seemed  to  justify  the  following  conclusions:  Uninterrupted 
open  coast  water  along  the  coast  of  East  Greenland  had  been  proved  not 
to  exist;  and  it  was  shown  that  the  coast  water  was  dependent  merely 
on  local  circumstances.  East  Greenland  was  proved  not  to  form  a  suita- 
ble basis  for  reaching  the  North  Pole,  even  setting  aside  the  possibility 
of  reaching  a  higher  latitude  by  ship  along  the  coast  in  more  favorable 
years.  On  the  other  hand,  by  inquiries  into  the  geology,  natural  history, 
and  climate  of  the  country  itself,  and  by  the  investigation  of  the  large 
fiords  and  their  extent  north  and  south,  a  new  basis  for  promoting  Arc- 
tic discoveries  had  been  created,  promising  rich  results,  which  may  even- 
tually assist  in  a  substantial  way  in  solving  the  Arctic  problem. 


»  '5'W 


i; 


CHAPTER   LXX. 

hall's  second   voyage— discovers    helics    of   franklin— the 

POLARIS— OFFICERS  SELECTED  FOR  THIRD  VOYAGE— EBIERUINg 
AND  TOOKOOLITO  — A  DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION  —  THE  HIGHEST 
POINT  — LAST  WORDS  PENNED  BY  HALL  —  SLEDGE-JOURNEY  TO 
THE  NORTH— SICKNESS  AND  DEATH  OF  HALL  —  COMMENTS  ON 
HALL— THE  POLARIS  IN  DANGER— NINETEEN  PERSONS  LEFT  ON 
THE    ICE A    DRIFT    OF    NEARLY    TEN    DEGREES. 

Hall  undertook  his  second  voyage  to  the  Arctic  regions  in    1S64,  sail. 
ing  from  New  London,  Conn.,  in  a  whaling  ship  commanded  by  Capt. 
Buddington.     His  only  companions  were  Ebierbing  and  his  wife  Tookoo- 
lito,  the  Esquimaux  who  had  accompanied  him  to  America  on  his  return 
from  his  first  expedition.     It  was  his  ambition  to  reach   King  William's 
Land  and  explore  it.     As  soon  as  Hudson's  Bay  was  reached  he  landed, 
pushed  north  as  far  as  Hecla  anr'  Fury  Bay,  after  which   he  entered  the 
land  of  his  search.     He  remained  four  winters  in  King  William's   Land 
living  with  the  natives  during  the  entire  time,  principally   near  Repulse 
Bay.     He  made  himself  familiar  with  their  habits  and  customs,  and  be- 
came proficient  in  their  language.     From  all  that  could  be  learned  from 
the  Esquimaux  he  became  thorouglily  convinced  that  the  greater  ])ortion 
of  Franklin's  party  had  died  of  starvation   in   tha«^   country,  but  lew  ql 
them  succeeding  in  reaching  the  mainland.     Many  relics  of  the   ill-fated 
Franklin  Expedition  were  found  by  him  and  brought  to  America,  but  the 
most  diligent    and    persistent  search  failed  to   discover  any  documents 
which  could  shed  any  light  upon  the  mystery,  from  which  it  is  supposed 
that  when  compelled  to  hastily  abandon  the  ships  the  records  were  left 
behind  and  lost;  and  that  the  ships  were  left  in  a  hurry,  is  evidenced  by 
the  f;ict  that  no  stores  or  provisions  have  ever  been  ibund.     It  did,  how- 
ever, appear  reasonably  certain  that  Franklin  hnJ'    succeeded  in  passing 


THE  POLAR  IS.  qj, 

as  far  westward  as  any  point  since  readied,  and   that  to  his  enterprise  is 
really  due  the  discovery  of  the  much  sought  Northwest  Passage. 

Of  Hall's  second  expedition  but  little  has  ever-  been  written'-noth- 
in^^  by  himself.  He  had  armed  himself  with  full  and  complete  notes 
which  he  intended  to  furnish  the  public  upon  the  completion  of  his  third 
voya-e  and  the  discovery  of  the  Pole,  of  which  he  felt  confident. 

After  his  return  home   he  worked   laboriously  to  prevail   upon   the 
government  to  fit  out  another  Arctic  expedition,  and  after  months  of  toil 
his  efforts  were  finally  successful;  then  was  placed  at  his  disposal  every- 
thin<r   which    thoughtful    humanity  could    devise    to  insure  the    success 
of  his  undertaking.     The  schooner-rigged  steamer  Periwinkle,  four  hun- 
dred tons  burden,  was  purchased,  and  fitted  up  in   such  a   manner   as  to 
make  her  equal  to  the  new  service  required  of  her.     To  her  sides  were 
added  six  inches  of  solid  oak  planking,  and  her  bows  were  transformed 
into  an  almost  solid  mass,  encased  in  iron  which  ended  with  a  sharp  cut- 
water.     In  order  to  better  avoid  the  dangers  sure   to  be  encountered  in 
the  .ce  the  propellor  wa.  so  arranged   that   it    could   easily    be   removed 
trom  its  place,  and  deposited  on  deck.     In  case  of  accident  extra    .na- 
ch.nery  and  rigging  were  provided.    To  meet  the  special  service  in  which 
tney  ^verc  to  engage  the  boats  were   built  of  superior  strength,  and  in 
order  that  it  might  be  easily   transported   over  ice  when    it   intervened 
between  open  waters,  one,  with  a'  capacity  of  four  tons,  was  built,  which 
wcghed  only  two  hundred  and  fifty   pounds.     Everything   which  could 
be  thought  of  was  provided  for  the  comfort,  safety,  and  success  of  the 
othcers  and  men  about  to  engage  in  so  difficult  and   perilous  an   expedi- 
t.on  .n  the  most  cheerless  and  deserted  region   ever  penetrated   by    nian. 
As  soon  as  the  vessel  had  been    refitted  she    was    verv    appropriately 
re-chnstened  the  Polaris— "The  Pole  Star." 

As  soon  as  the  expedition  became  a  settled  fact,  Capt.  Hall  at  once 
comme,iced  selecting  his  officers  and  crew.  The  expedition  was  to  be 
under  h,s  immediate  com.nand.  His  eight  years'  experience  in  the  Arc- 
tic regions,  a  knowledge  of  the  Esquimaux  language,  and  the  happy 
faculty  of  maintaining  strict  discipline  without  losing  popularity  among 
his  men,  certainly  qualified   him  for   the  position.      The  sailing-master, 


1 

1 

\j  |g^  ^  Jwil^H 

i: 
fi    : 

r  \fi 


ii  ?'^^n.^  ..-  h&  \ 


I'    Af»BS'    '  .'i 


64'i 


THE  SH1P\'S   COMPANr. 


Sydney  O.  Bu.l'lington,  hail  made  eleven  whaling  voya^^cs,  covcnn<,'  w 
period  of  thirty  \  ears,  and  was  in  t-oinmand  of  the  George  Henry  when 
Ilall  made  his  first  trip  in  her  in  searcli  of  Franklin,  (ieorge  K.  Tyson 
was  selected  as  assistant  navigator;  Hul)bard  Chester,  first  mate;  Will. 
Ham  Moiton,  secontl  mate,  wlio  twenty  years  before  had  been  Kiiic's 
best  man,  and  who  discovered  what  Kane  then  believed  to  he  an  open 
polar  sea,  but  which  has  since  proven  to  be  merely  an  expansion  of 
Smith's   Sound;   Emil   Besscl,  who  was  armed  with  high    te^imonials 


HIGHEST  POINT  ACHIEVED  BY  THE  POLARIS. 

from  Germany,  was  placed  in  chfirge  of  the  scientific  department,  a  posi- 
tion held  previously  in  an  expedition  sent  out  by  the  Prussian  (jovern- 
ment.  In  addition  to  these  were  Emil  Schumann,  chief  cMigineer; 
Frederick  Meyer,  meteorologist;  R.  D,  W.  Bryan,  astronomer  and  ch;ip- 
lain;  the  Esquimaux  Ebierbing,  his  wife  Tookoolito,  and  their  child 
"  Puny,"  who  was  born  to  them  after  the  death  of  "  Butterfly  "  '»  i^'^ 
country.  Ebierbing  was  to  act  as  interpreter  and  hunter.  In  all  capaci- 
ties the  crew  numbered  seventeen,  about  one-half  of  whom  were  Ger- 
mans or  Scandinavians.  To  this  number,  upon  their  arrival  at  Greenland, 


IlK.HEiiT  I'OIXT  OF  POLARIS 


was  :Kl(le<I  a  .lofr-drivor,  the   Ha.,s  Christian   of  Kane  and   Hayes,  with 
his  wife  and  three  children. 

On  June  39,  1871,  the  Polaris  steamed  out  of  Nc  w  York  harbor,  and 
on  the  13th  of  J,dy  reached  St.  Joim's,  Newtoundlaad,  where  the  gov- 
ern, r  and  citizcus  extended  )  the  expedition  a  licarty  welcome.  From 
St.  John's  they  proceeded  np  Davis'  Straits  and  arrive<l  at  Holsteinborg, 
^M-ec-nland,  on  the  31st.  Tliey  re.na.ned  there  purchasing  dogs,  nrs  and 
other  articles  necessary  nniil  the  arrival  of  the  transport.  Congress,  with 
additional  stores  and  supplies;  after  which,  on  Aug.  17,  the  journey  to 
the  Pole  was  fairly  commenced.  Stops'  were  made  at  U)  rnavik  and 
Kong.i-toke,  for  the  purchase  of  more  dog.,  a.ul  on  the  22U,  Tessuisac 
v/as  reached,  the  most  north.  „  permanent  settlement  on  the  globe,  being 
ii  latitude  70°  30'. 

When  they  were  in  HolsteinlKH-   th^re  was   a   differenr.   of  opinion 
netween  Hall  and  'us  scientific  associates  as  to  the  course  ,e  pursued. 

Hall's  objc.  t  was  to  reach  tli.  Pole,  and  to  this  he  determined  that  all 
else  should  be  subordinate.  The  di.spute  was  adjusted,  and  Hall's  view 
prevailed.  During  the  three  days  they  remained  at  Tessuisak  he  wrote 
a  lengthy  dispatch,  showing  that  all  the  partv  were  in  excellent  spirits, 
and  full  of  hope,  but  this  disj  ,tcl.  did  not  reach  the  United  States  for 
nearly  a  year. 

On  the  34th  of  August,  187 1,  the  Polari.  entered  the  regions  of  per- 
petual  ice  and   snow,  and  from  that  time  until   the   30th   of  .     )ri  ,  1873, 
not  a  word  Nvas  heard  from  the  expedition  by  the  civilized  w-      i.    \v  hen' 
the  I'  .laris  left  Tessuisak  she  crossed   the  Jiead  of  Melville  Bay;  passe  1 
Northu.nberland    Island,  going  through  Smith's  Soimd.     Meeting   with 
veiy  little  obstruction  from     ic  ice,  she  proceeded  until  si,  ■  entered  what 
Kane,  Morton,'and    Hayes  pronour.ccd  the  Open  Polar  Sea,  but   which 
proval  (o   be  but   an  expansion  of  the  sound,  and  to  whir'    the  .lame  of 
Ka,u  Sea  has  since  been  given.     In   a  Nveek  they  reached  their  hi-hest 
"onhern   point,  83°  39'  by   Hall'     reckoning,  and  82°  16'    by   iMc^yer's 
calculation,  a  difference  of  about  fifteen  miles.     On  Aug.  30  the  channel 
whu-hhad  been   named    Rubcson   Strai     became  blorked  with  floating 
'CO,  through  which  it  was  found  impossible  to  make  a       ssage.     A  small 


..•I 


% 


tfl  \ 


mf^" 


644 


/.A.sr   H'O/WS   PENNED  IW  HALL. 


bay  was  fouiitl  close  by  named  Refu;,'e    Harbor,  in  which  Hall  desired  lo 
take  winter  quarters.     A  consultation,  however,  decided  against  this,  mikI 
soon  after  the  ice  became    master  of  the  situation,  driftinjjj  the  Polaris  in 
a  southerly  direction  for   four  days.      The  pack  opened   on    Sept.    ^,  and 
a  cove  was  made  to  the  eastward,  which  set   into  the   (rreenland  shore. 
An  immense  iceberjj  sheltered  its   month,  and  here  it  was  determined  to 
pass  the  winter.     Tlie  cove  is  in  latitude  So'  38',  and  was  named  rojaris 
Hay,  while  the  hnj,'e  island  of  ice  was  desi^niated  iVovidencehert;-.    This 
p(»int  is  about  two  hundred  miles  north  of  Kane's   famous   winter  quar- 
ters,  and  about  three  miles  norlli  of  the  farthest  point  reached  b\   Haves. 
The   iceberj;  was  used  as  a  moorinj,'  place  for   the   Polaris,  an  oliscr- 
vatory  was  at  once  established,  scientific  work  was  commenced  itnniedi- 
ately,  and   Hall  l)e<,'an    preparations  for  a  sled<,'e    journey  in   the  direc- 
tion   of  the   Pole,  which    were    soon    completed.     On    October    10  he 
started  with    four  sledj^es  and   fourteen  doijs,  accompanied    bv  Chester, 
the    mate,   and    tiie   ICsquimaux,    Ebierbinj,^     and    Hans.      The    expedi- 
tion  was  planned  to  last   two   weeks,    one   to  <jo    north,  and   the  other 
in  which   to  return.     On   the  eveninj,^  of  the  3oth   Hall   wrote  the  last 
words  ever  penned   by   him,  which   were  a   communication   to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the   Navy.      It   was  a  description   of    their   voya^re  up  to  the 
time  of  setthnj,'  down   hi  their  winter  quarters,  and  was  full  of  words  of 
hope  and  confidence  in  the  success  of  the  expedition.     A  copy  of  the 
dispatch   was  placed   in  a  pillar   at   IJrevc.ort    Cape,  the  northern  iicad- 
land  of   the  bay,   where   the    encampment    was    made    on  the    jist  of 
October,   1S71.      The    orij^inal,  which    was  fust    read    in    Washiu'noii 
nearly  two  years  after  it  was  written,  showed   conclusively  that  he  was 
confident  of  success,  and,  taken  in  comiection  with  the  one  written  form- 
erly, refuted   the  charges  that  the  equipment  of  the   Polaris  was  incom- 
plete.     The  expedition  advanced  north  ten  days,  makinjj  six  encamp- 
ments and    progressinf^  seventy  miles,  or  about  83"  5'  north.     At  that 
point  there  was  an  appearance  of  laiul  still  north  of  them,  but  a  cloud 
prevented   iiny  observation    which  would    definitely  settle    the    mutter. 
With    the  exception  of  a  glacier  on    the  east  side  of   the  strait,  com- 
mencing in  latitude  80°  30'  north,  the  mountains  on  all  sides  of  Kennedy 


a/CA-JVEHS  OF  HALL. 


045 


Channel  tmd  Robeson  Strait  were  free  from  snow  and  ice.  Live  seals, 
^acst,  (iucivs,  musk  cattle,  rabbits,  wolves,  foxes,  bears,  partridges, 
leininiiigs,  etc.,  were  found  in  abundance.  On  the  13th,  three  days  after 
tluy  started,  the  Arctic  night  set  in,  tlie  thermometer  then  being  7°. 

Tlic  return  trip  was  made  rapidly,  the  party  reaching  tlie  Polaris  in 
four  (lays.  Hall  was  anparently  in  his  usual  health,  but  the  change  from 
.in  open  air  temperature  of  from  15"  to  20°  below  zero,  to  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  cabin  of  60"  or  70°  above,  had  a  bad  efTect  upon  him,  and 


UUKIAI     OI-   HALL. 


ho  partook  of  no  refreshment  except  a  cup  of  coffee.  After  indulging 
in  a  hot  sponge  bath,  he  retired  for  the  night.  In  the  morning  his  con- 
<lition  h-M\  changed  for  the  worse,  and  he  suffered  much  from  a  burning 
in  the  throat,  and  vo.iiiting.  He  steadily  grew  worse  for  a  week,  and  to 
the  complications  were  added  partial  paralysis  :,nd  delirium.  He  par- 
tially recovered  and  made  an  attempt  t<.  resume  his  work,  believing 
that  ill  a  few  days  he  would  be  completely  restored  to  healtli.  In  this  he 
was  doomed  to  disappointment,  as  on  the  night  of  Nov.  S  he  had  a 
iresh  attack,  and  was  found  in  his  cabin  by  Tyson,  insensible,  and  breath- 


H 

li, 

1 

B 

1 

■ 

MHI 

1 

-  ^M 

640 


CUA/MHyi'S   ON  HALL. 


m 


v\%  heavily.  That  night  ho  died,  and  three  days  later  he  was  laid  in  a 
shallow  grave  in  the  frozen  ground.  The  doctor  pronounced  the  caiisi- 
of  death  to  he  apoplexy,  hut  Hall  helicvcd  that  poison  had  heen  placed 
in  the  cup  of  colFee  which  he  drank,  and  in  the  delirium  which  preceded 
ills  death  he  imagined  that  every  person  who  went  near  him  was  en- 
deavoring to  kill  him.  In  regard  to  tlie  matter,  the  commission  reported 
v/ithout  a  dissenting  voice  that  "  the  death  of  Capt.  Hall  resulted  natii- 
rallv  from  disease,  without  fault  on  the  part  of  any  one." 

l*hysically,  Hall  was  ai\  exceptional  man.  His  tenacity  of  life  and 
powers  of  endurance  were  far  ahovo  tliose  of  ordinary  men.  Ah  ,-c 
medium  lieight,  he  was  powerfully  liuilt,  with  hroad  chest,  muscular 
limhs,  and  a  large  head.  Ho  was  romarkahlo  for  his  temperate  habits 
and  after  his  return  from  his  second  expedition,  after  passing  through  the 
ordeal  of  an  Arctic  winter,  a  more  rohust  man  could  not  have  heen 
found.  In  the  event  <.>''  Hall's  death  the  command  was  to  fall  upon  IJud- 
dington.  The  winter  was  passed  in  the  usual  manner  in  that  region, 
but  no  trouhle  was  experienced  from  cold  or  want  of  food.  The  scien- 
tific ohservations  were  made  constantly,  and  whenever  it  was  possible  tc 
do  so,  tlio  coast  was  survovod.  Whenever  the  opportunity  was  favorable, 
the  Esquimaux  hunteih  with  success,  and  in  this  manner  an  ahundaiice  of 
skins  was  procured.  The  storerooms  were  also  well  filled  with  the 
-skeletons  of  animals  and  hirds,  eggs,  and  many  other  curiosities  of  natural 
history.  Nets  and  lines  were  set,  hut  no  fish  could  ho  caught.  Con- 
siderahle  driftwood  was  picked  up,  which  had  evidently  found  its  vvav 
there  from  a  warmer  climate. 

A  fierce  gale  from  the  northeast,  ahout  two  weeks  after  the  death  of 
Hall,  drove  the  Polaris  from  her  moorings,  and  she  dragged  her  anchors" 
until  she  landed  against  the  iceherg  at  the  mouth  of  the  cove,  where  she- 
was  secured,  and  romainetl  there  until  ]\y\\^  following.  Later  she  was 
driven  further  on  tiio  herg  hy  pack  ice,  where  her  prow  remained  fast, 
while  the  stern  moved  u[)  and  down,  as  influenced  hy  the  tides.  This 
position  strained  the  stern-piece  and  started  a  jjortion  of  the  planking,  so 
that  when  she  once  more  settled  in  her  native  element  it  was  lound  that 
she  leaked   considerahly.     However,  when  t  inptied  once   In'   the   steam 


A    BOAT  EXPEDITION. 


64T 


pui 


nps  ii  w;|.<  ;m  easy  matter  to  keep  tlie    liold   clear   by  work 


in<r 


fe 


w 


minutes  each  hour. 

Ciiester  and  Tyson,  under  orders  from  Buddhigton,  undertook  a  boat 
expedition  early  in  June.  The  orders  were  to  <go  as  far  as  they  could  up 
the-  shore.  The  expedition  was  a  failure.  One  l)«)at  was  crushed  by  the 
ue  almost  at  the  hour  of  starting,'.  Its  place  was  supplied  by  the  canvas 
i)():it,  but  tiiey  failed  to  reach  a  point  as  fir  north  as  that  reached  by  Hall 
ill  his  sled<^e-journey.  They  remained  there  until  the  middle  of  July, 
1872,  but  before  the  ice  opened  they  were  recalled   by    Buddin<,'ton,   and 

the  party  was  compelled 
to  abandon  the  boats  and 
make  their  way  back  to 
the  steamer  overlatid. 
Buddington  had  deter- 
mined to  return  home  as 
soon  as  the  ice  would 
lea^'e  him  at  liberty  to  do 
-.  so,  and  under  existing 
circumstances  this 
seemed  the  wiser  course, 
althouj^h  it  is  not  believed 
that  had  L'all  been  living 
he  would  have  consented 
to  it. 

The  ice  left  the  Polaris  free  early  in  August,  and  she  steamed  slowly 
down  the   western  shore.     At  the  close  of  the  first  day  she  was  fastened 
in  the  ice,  and  was  in  a  very  dangerous  position.     In  latitude  80°    2'  she 
was  made  fast  to  a  floe  on  thi;    i6tli,  which  drifted  her  hither  and  thitlier 
ill   Smith's   Sound   for   two   months,  during   which  time  not  more  than 
twelve  miles  were  gained  to  the  south,  bringing  her  in  the  neighbcjrhood 
of  Northumberland  Island,  in  latitude  79°  53'.     Apprehending  danger, 
provisions  were  carried  on  deck,  a  canvas  shelter  was  erected  on  the  ice, 
nnd  every  preparation   made   for  a  speedy   abandonment  of  the    vessel 
should  it  become  necessary. 


OKAVE  OP    IIAI.L. 


M"^"^^ 


W8  OjV  tne  ice. 

A  very  severe  gale  set  in  from  the  south  on  Oct.  15.  The  ice  pressed 
in  under  the  ship,  md  she  was  actually  lifted  out  of  the  water  and  thrown 
on  her  beam  end*  on  the  ice.  Provisions  and  stores  were  thrown  over 
and  under  orde:s  about  half  the  crew  proceeded  to  carry  them  to  a  morese- 
cure  place.  The  boats  had  been  lowered,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  in  the  midst  of  a  terrific  storm,  the  Polaris  broke  loose  and  imme- 
diately dsappeared,  leaving  on  the  ice  the  nineteen  persons  who  had 
gone  there  to  save  tlic  provisions,  at  which  they  labored  all  night.  In  the 
morning  tliey  attempted  to  reach  the  shore,  but  failed.  The  Polaris  was 
seen  during  the  day  under  sail  and  steam,  but  soon  changed  her  course, 
and  disappeared.  Another  glimpse  of  her  was  caught  a  few  hours  later, 
but  she  again  disappeared,  and  they  very  naturally  believed  that  they  had 
been  purposely  abandoned. 

The  hardships  endured  by  those  who  were  left  upon  the  ice  are  be- 
yond description.     For  one  hundred  and  nirM^-'y-five  days  the«e  nineteen 
men,  women,  and  children  drifted  on  floating  ice  through  an  Arctic  wir> 
ter,  at  the  mercy  of  wind  and  water.     The  floe  upon  which  they  found 
themselves  on  leaving   the  ship  was  soon   shatteied,  and  the  party  found 
themselves  distributed  on  different  pieces  of  ice.     They  had  two  boats, 
with  which  they  finally   succeeded  in   gathering  all    upon   the  principal 
floe,  where  they  remained  more  dead  than  alive,  all   night.     Several  at- 
tempts were  made  to  reach  the   shore.     The  dogs  and  sledges  were  put 
in  readiness,  and  each  attempt  to  escape  proved  a  dismal  failure.     When 
it  was  seen  that   there   was   no   prospect   of  reaching  the   shore  snow 
houses  were  built,  and    everything  possible    was  done  to  make   the  time 
pass  comfortably  and  pleasantly.   Land  Avas  seen  for  several  days,  but  as  the 
weather  was   unfavorable  for  taking  observations,  it  could  not  be  recog- 
nized.    Sometimes  they  were  in  a  condition  bordering  on  starvation,  and 
saw  death  staring  them  in  the   face.     Cannibalism   was  thought  of,  but 
each  time  food  was  furnished  in  time  to  save  them. 

Meyer  succeeded  in  taking  an  observation  on  New  Year's  Eve,  and 
found  they  were  in  latitude  72°  10',  longitude  60"  40' ;  showing  that  in 
nine  weeks  they  had  drifted  southward  about  ^\vq  hundred  and  twenty- 
five   miles.       This   was   cheering   news,  though   the  thermometer  stood 


A   PERILOUS  POSITION.  649 

39=  l,elow  zero.  This  was  early  in  January.  In  February  they  en- 
countered several  storms,  and  very  cold  weather.  The  close  of  the 
mouth  found  them  nearly  out  of  provisions,  but  early  in  March  they 
cau-ht  some  seals,  and  had  food  in  abundance.  Immense  icebergs  sur- 
rouiided  the  floe,  and  it  was  soon  cracking  and  splitting  with  as  much  noise 
as  is  made  by  artillery  and  musketry  in  battle.  Everything  was  broken 
in  pieces,  and  the  party  stuck  to  the  largest  piece.  On  the  last  day  of 
March  an  observation  showed  them  to  be  in  latitude  59°  41 ',  and  that 
(luring  the  last  five  days  they  had  drifted  at  the  rate  of  twenty-three 
miles  per  day.  At  that  time  their  piece  of  ice  had  grown  much  smaller, 
and  they  were  in  clear  water,  no  other  ice  being  in  sight. 


<«5^J-^ 


Iff 


CHAPTER    LXXI. 

ADVENTURES     OF    TYSON    AND     PARTY     ON    THE     ICK  —  MEYER    SWEPT 

AWAY AN      AGONY      OF      SUSPENSE  THE      INEVITABLE      GALE 

AGAIN A    SIGHT    OF    THE    STARS RESCUED    AT    LAST EXPERI- 
ENCES   OF    THE    POLARIS    CREW THE    SHIP  ABANDONED ON    THE 

OCEAN    IN    BOATS PICKED    UP ARRIVE    AT    DUNDEE. 

The  month  of  April  came  in  with  a  terrific  storm,  and  it  became  evi- 
dent to  our  adventurers  that  they  must  leave  the  ice  and   take   refuse  in 
the  boat.       They  got  under  way  early  in  the  morning,  but  found  their 
craft  leaking  badly,  and  loaded  too  deep  to  carry  them.   Meat  and  clotlies 
were  thrown  overboard,  and  nothing  was  carried  but  a  tent,  a   few  skins 
for  covering,  and  a  little  bread  and  pcmmican.     About  fifteen  miles  were 
made  in  a  southerly  direction,  when  a  landing  was   made   to  lighten  the 
boat.     The  tent  was  pitched,  and  the  party  remained  all  night,  although 
the  ice  was  cracking  and  breaking  up  all   around  them.       The  voyage 
was  resumed   again    in  the  morning,  but  had  oidy  proceeded  about  two 
hours  before  they  encountered  a  gale.       They  had  a  number  of  narrow 
escapes  before  a   piece  of  ice  large  enough  to  land  upon  could  be  found; 
upon  landing,  the  boat  was  rapidly   making  water,  and  when  cleared, 
a  great  hole  was  found  in  her  side.     Repairs  were  made  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, and  they  took  to  the  water,  only  to  find  themselves  again  surrounded 
by  ice  in  such  a  manner  that  they  were   compelled   to   seek    refuge  on  a 
Hoc.       Gale  succeeded    gale,  and  as  the  ice  continued  to  break  thev  were 
constantly  removing  their  things  to  a  new  center.     On   the   night  of  the 
7th  it  broke  again,  carrying  with  it  tlie  boat,  the  kayak,  and  Mr.  Meyer. 
For  a  time  it  seemed  as  though  all  were  lost.       The   ice  kept  closing  in 
on  them  and  they  were  without  hope  of  saving  the  boats  or  tlieir  unfor- 
tunate comjaanion.     When  daylight  arrived  an  attempt  was  made  to  res- 
cue them,  all  the  party,  except  two,  venturing  away  on  the  ice.    All  who 


AN  AGONr  OF  SC/SPBATSE. 


661 


ventured  reached  the  boat  in  safety,  and  with  much  difficulty  she  was 
taken  hack,  and  Meyer  was  saved.  The  kayak  was  then  secured 
in  :!  similar  manner.  The  tent  was  taken  down  and  erected  again 
on  the  center  of  what  had  the  i  become  a  small  piece  of  ice,  and 
a  snow  hut  was  constructed  at  iis  side.  Again  the  wind  commenced 
blowini,^  a  gale,  and  preparations  were  made  to  take  to  the  boat. 
They  were  literally  washed  out  of  the  tent  and  snow  hut.  The 
women  and  children  were  placed  in  the  boat  without  a  dry  spot, 
ami  without  so  much  as  a  piece  of  fresh  water  ice  to  eat.  The  storm 
soon  abated,  however,  and  the  tent  was  pitched  once  more.  The 
six  months  of  the  voyage  on  the  ice  were  completed  April  i6.  At  that 
time  they  were  still  without  any  prospect  of  a  rescue,  and  starvation  was 
staring  them  in  the  face.  Seals  were  in  sight  all  around  them,  but  none 
conhl  lie  caught.  Only  a  few  days'  provisions  were  left,  and  cannibalism 
was  staring  them  in  the  face.  On  the  i8th  a  small  hole  was  discovered 
in  the  ice  some  distance  off,  from  which  a  seal  large  enough  for  three 
days'  provisions  was  secured,  and  divided  equally  among  the  party.  On 
the  20th  a  sea  struck  the  ice,  ami  carried  away  everything  which  was  loose 
upon  it.  This  was  repeated  every  fifteen  minutes,  and  it  kept  all  busy 
looking  for  a  place  which  w&ald  enable  them  to  successfully  withstand 
the  next  shock. 

The  agony  of  suspense  continued  ten  days  longer,  and  in  that  brief 
space  were  crowded  many  perilous  adventures,  which  were  a  severe  tax 
on  the  endurance  of  the  sufferers.  An  observation  showed  that  they 
were  in  latitude  53'  57',  a  distance  of  1,875  miles  in  a  straight  line  south 
from  the  jioiut  where  they  started.  Each  day  passed,  as  did  its  predecessor, 
thesulFercrs  lieing  all  wet  and  Inmurv.  Sometimes  thev  came  within  si<>-ht 
of  land,  l)ut  were  always  driven  off  again.  Meyer  seemed  to  fare  worst 
ot  all,  and  his  chance-;  tor  surviving.-;  more  than  a  tew  davs  longer  were 
considered  slender,  although  al!  wr,-,;  m  a  deplorable  condition,  and  had 
suffered  'ndescribable  tortures.  Skms  th.it  had  been  tanned  and  saved  for 
clothing  weie  devoured  as  a  dainty  morsel,  but  even  this  did  not  last  long, 
and  on  April  26  they  fjunl  themselves  without  a  morsel  of  food.  On 
that  day  a  bear  was  disc  >vei;'  1  on  the    ice,  mv.ing   toward   them.      The 


652 


THE  Sl'ARS   IN   SIGlir. 


I 


Esquimaux,    Joe    ami    Hans,    took    their    guns,  and     at  once    went  to 
meet  it,  the   result  being   that  the  bear,  which  came   after  a   meal,  was 
soon  the  substance  of  one.     That  night  another  gale  sprung  up,  ac'com- 
panied  by  heavy  rain  and  snow  squalls.     By  morning  the  ice  upon  which 
they  had  taken  refuge  had  so  wasted  away  that  it  became  evident  it 
would  not  outride  the  gale,  and  they  were  coinpellel  to  take  the  ,lt>s,xT- 
ate  chance  of  a   stormy  ocean,  ia   a    light  boat,   insecurely  patchcl,  .n,! 
overloaded.     The  danger  was  great,  but  the  boat  survived   the  storin,  its 
occupants  being  thoroughly  drenched,  without  any  chance  to  dry  them- 
selves,  having  seen  neither  sun,  moon,  nor  stars,  for  a  week.      Tiiey  soon 
struck  a  scaling  ground,  wiiere  they  found  m.)ro  seals  than  they  had  ever 
seen   before,  but  for  some  time   were  unable  to  secure  any.      Thev  were 
however,  at   last  saccessful,  and   had  seal    food    in  abundance.      The  ice 
soon  became  very  thick  arounci   them.      They  again  started   in  the  hoat, 
but  were  soon  compelled  to  la,u'    on  the  ice   again,  where   they  repaired 
the  boat,  and   dried   their    clothing   to    some    extetit.      On  the  28th  of 
April  the  inevitable  gale  commenced  again,  and  all    night  they  stood  by 
the  boat,  launching  her  in  the  morning,  but  were  compelletl  to  haul    her 
upon  the  ice,  where  icebergs  threatened  her  destruction,  l)ut  which  they 
fortunately  escaped   by   taking  to  a  floe.     The  ice   became   slacker,  and 
during  that  afternoon  they  caught  sight  of  a  steamer  ahea.l  of  them  and 
a  little  to  the   north.      Thev  hoisted    their  colors,  and    endeavored   b)  cut 
her  off,  but  she  disappeare<l  without  seeing  them.      Wearied  with  hard- 
ship and  disappointment,  they  landed   for  the    night  on  a   small   piece  of 
ice. 

For  the  first  time  in  many  nights  they  beheld  the  stars,  and  the  new 
moon  also  made  her  appearance.  A  fire  was  kei.t  up  all  night  in  tlic 
hope  that  they  would  he  seen  by  tlie  steamer;  though  in  this  they  were 
disappointed.  In  the  morning  they  started  early,  and  at  daylight  ag-ain 
sighted  the  steamer  about  ^wc  miles  off.  The  boat  was  launched,  and 
for  an  hour  they  gained  on  her,  but  in  another  hour  they  became 
fastened  in  the  ice,  and  could  proceed  no  further.  Landing  on  a  piece  of  ice 
they  hoisted  their  colors  upon  the  mo.t  elevated  point  they  could  lind,and 
then  fire.l  three  rounds  from  their  rides  and  pistols,  wiiich  were  answered 


Im 


THE    TIGRESS. 


I     at  once    went   to 
e   after  a    meal,  was 
sprung   up,  accom- 
the  ice  upon  which 
became   evident  it 
to  take  the  (les|XT- 
curely  patciied,  xm\ 
vived   the  storm,  its 
hance  to  dry  them- 
weeiv.     They  soon 
than  they  had  evor 
any.      They  were, 
uidance.      The  ice 
started   in  the  hoat, 
here   tliey  repaired 
On   the   28th  of 
ligiit  they  stood  l)y 
ipelled  to  haul    her 
m,  but  whieh  ihey 
L'came   slacker,  and 
ahead  ot"  them  ami 
endeavored    to  cut 
/"earied  with  hard- 
n  a   small   piece  of 

stars,  and  the  new 
up  all  night  in  the 
.  in  this  thcv  were 
at  dayli;riit  again 
^vas  laiuu-hed,  and 
our  they  hccame 
ij^  on  a  piece  of  ice 
hey  could  lind,  and 
ch  were  answered 


653 


by  three  shots  from  the  steamer.  She  was  again  seen  the  same  evening, 
and  while  looking  for  her,  another  steamer  hove  in  sight,  on  the  other 
side. 

The  morning  of  Wednesday,  April  30,  was  thick  and  foggy,  but 
when  the  fog  broke  a  glorious  sight  met  the  eyes  of  the  drifting  party. 
A  steamer  was  seen  close  to  them,  and  as   soon  as  they  were   discovereci 


C.MT.    f.tO.    E.    TYSON. 


she  bore  down,  and  soon  all  were  on  board  the  staunch  little  craft 
Tijrrcss,  ending  their  perilous  journey  in  latitutle  53'  35'  north.  The 
Tij^ress  was  in  commaml  of  Capt.  Bartlett,  and  was  owned  in  New- 
fouiidlaad.  Some  time  after,  the  party  was  landed  in  safety  at  St.  Jolm's, 
Newfoundland,  and  a  few  days  later  tiie  tidings  of  their  rescue  reached 
the  United  States.     A    steamer  was  dispatched  bv  the  government  from 


TUB  POLARIS  ABANDONED. 


665 


New  York  to  bring  the  party  to  Washington,  wliere  they  arrived  early 
in  the  month  of  June. 

Thus  closes  what  is  probably  the  most  remarkable  voyage  in  the  his- 
tory  of  navigation.  It  is  marvelous  that  nineteen  persons,  two  of  whom 
were  women,  and  five  children,  one  of  them  only  two  months  old, 
should  have  drifted  almost  two  thousand  miles,  for  one  hundred  and 
ninety-five  days  through  an  Arctic  winter  of  extraordinary  severity, 
alive,  and  in  good  health.  The  harmony  which  existed  among  the  party 
was  striking.  No  one  had  a  word  of  blame  for  any  of  his  fellows,  and 
the  men,  gathered  as  they  were  from  nearly  all  nationalities,  always 
thought  first  of  what  could  be  done  for  the  Esquimaux  women  and 
children.  In  his  testimony  before  the  commissioners,  one  of  the  men  said: 
"Capt.  Tyson  had  command  on  the  ice;  but  he  never  seemed  to  take 
much  of  a  lead.  Everything  seemed  to  go  on  very  well.  There  was- 
not  a  great  deal  of  commanding;  it  was  not  wanted.  When  we  did 
not  do  as  he  directed,  it  turned  out  wrong." 

Let  us  now  return  to  that  portion  of  the  expedition  remaiiing  on  the 
Polaris  after  the  sudden  separation  on  the  15th  of  October,  1872.  For  a 
long  time  she  had  been  leaking  so  badly  that  it  was  evident  slie  could 
not  float  many  days,  and  it  was  resolved  to  abandon  her.  Everything 
which  could  possibly  be  of  use  in  a  sojourn  in  that  wilderness  of  ice  and 
snow,  was  taken  out.  The  hawsers  which  held  the  steamer  to  the  ice- 
floe parted,  and  she  drifted  away  in  a  helpless  manner.  The  lives  of 
those  on  board  were  in  great  danger.  It  was  clear  she  was  in  no  con- 
dition to  reach  port,  so  it  was  determined  to  keep  her  afloat  and  beach 
her  at  some  point  where  the  stores  could  be  saved.  Her  engines  were 
useless,  having  evidently  frozen  up.  Fortunately  the  ice  cracked,  and  an 
opening  was  made  through  which  a  favorable  wind  blew  her  to  the 
shore,  distant  about  twelve  miles.  The  beaching  was  successfully 
accomplished,  and  the  work  of  providing  shelter  for  the  winter  was  im- 
mediately commenced  The  ship  was  stripped  of  all  her  material  a5> 
rapidly  as  possible,  and  soon  became  a  mere  hulk.  The  timbers  between 
•ieclv  were  taken  out,  and  all  the  planking  and  boarding  removed.  From 
thrs  material  a  hut  was   built  and   roofed  over  with  sails.     A  party  of. 


a 


in 


'..;'.  i 


r 


ii ..» 


em 


BUILDING    BOATS. 


\h   il 


!       ,UA 


m 


J^JI 

1 

1 

wS^^SSSk 

Wi  9B^^^Bli 

wI|mj 

H^^^B 

vliw 

f! 

■ 

Esquimaux  made  their  appearance,  and  for  some  strips  of  iron  helpedto 
carry  tlic  provisions,  coal  and  stores  from  the  dismantled  Polaris  to  the 
hut.  Havin«^  been  extremely  successful  in  their  hunting  expeditions  they 
had  a  large  surplus  of  skins  which  they  disposed  of  to  the  party,  and 
from  which  was  manufactured  warm,  though  odorous,  clothing.  Durin" 
the  long  winter  they  suffered  little.  The  snow  which  fell  haidved  up  the 
hut  and  protected  its  inmates  from  the  cold,  while  the  Polaris  formed  a 
convenient  wootl  pile,  where  they  ohtaincil  all  the  fuel  they  needed. 
Their  provisions  were  ample  for  a  time,  but  they  knew  they  would  soon 


PERILOUS  SITUATION  OF  THE  POLARIS. 

be  exhausted,  and  became  fearful  of  their  fate.  They  knew  that  for  at 
least  a  year  no  news  of  the  probable  loss  of  the  Polaris  would  reach  the 
United  States.  "  How  should  they  escape,"  was  the  great  question  pro- 
pounded by  each.  There  is  always  a  man  for  every  emergency,  and  in 
the  present  instance  Chester,  the  mate,  proved  the  hero.  Assisted  by  the 
carpenter,  Coffin,  he  set  about  building  some  boats,  or  scows,  from  the 
boards  which  had  been  used  as  a  lining  for  the  cabin.  The  work  was 
patiently  persevered  in,  and  as  summer  drew  near,  the  boats  were  finished. 


AIUU\  r.    AT  DUNDEE. 


607 


Sci 


.led 


Ihc  .\ 


fi  .iilcd  disease  ol 
-    t  ic  teaching-,  ut'  tlu      jad  Hall,  the  men  abandoned 
h1,  lived  on  raw     valrns  liver,   uul   soon  the  malady  was 


.•nrvy,  tl 
anco,  but  folli 
tnc  use  of  salt 
eradicated 

A  fortunate  thin-   lor  the   pari y  w..  itisually  early  appearance 

of  i,^ond  weather.  Bv  the  middle  of  June  the  ice  commenced  trivin.-- 
way,  and  at  the  carl  .t  i  hie  moment  thereafter  they  took  to  the 
boats,  and  commenced  their  voyage  in  search  of  transportation  home 
with  the  odds  fearfully  against  their  success.  While  they  were  on  their 
way  the  Tigress  and  Juniata  were  being  litted  out  to  go  in  search  of 
them. 

The  frailty  of  their  boats  compelled  a  to  proceed  slowly  and  cau- 
tiously.  During  the  day  they  rowed  along,  and  each  ni;^,.  the  boats 
were  hauled  up  on  the  ice,  where  the  only  warm  meal  )r  the  day  was 
enjoyed.  Their  stove  was  a  slight  improvement  on  the  Esquimaux 
lamp,  and  their  fuel  was  oil,  while  their  wicks  were  strips  of  rope,  and 
the  fire-place  a  remnant  of  an-  i.on  kettle.  A  snowstorm  delayed  them 
several  days  at  Ilakluyt  Island,  a  breeding  place  for  the  auks,  which 
were  at  that  time  Iiatching  their  youi]g,  and  which  supplied  them  an 
abundance  of  food  limited  only  by  their  2Jowers  of  consumption  and  the 
means  of  carrying  it  away. 

After  leaving  the  island  their  progress  through  the  slush  was  very 
slow  and  laborious.  They  skirted  the  solid  ice-floes  until  July  20,  and 
just  two  days  before  the  Tigress  left  New  York  in  search  of  them,  they 
sighted  a  vessel,  which  soon  discovered  them,  and  took  them  on  board. 
She  proved  to  be  a  Scottish  whaler,  the  Ravenscraig.  Not  having  se- 
cured a  full  cargo,  and  wishing  to  do  so  before  he  returned  home,  the 
captain  of  the  Ravenscraig  transferred  the  party  to  another  steam 
whaler,  the  x\rctic,  homeward  bound,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  Sept.  17 
they  landed  at  Du.ulee,  Scotland.  Their  arrival  was  at  once  telegraphed 
to  London,  and  the  safety  of  the  crew  of  the  Polaris  was  announced  the 
following  morning  in  the  American  papers. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  wonderful  voyages  on  record.  Out  of 
the  forty  men,  women  and  children    comorising  the  expedition,  only  one 


I 


Aj 


v^> 


o^A^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


m 


*XAIVv  * 


^ 


W^O 


{./ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


f '-    _ 

li     fl^      11111^= 

t   %&    1112.0 


2,2 


u  mil  1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBST:R,N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


0 


i/.j. 


'« 


658 


REGHEIS   FOR   THE  DEATH  OF  HALL. 


death,  that  of  Capt.  Hall,  occurred,  a  most  marvelous  preservation  of  life 
amid  the  greatest  danger  to  w^hich  mariners  were  ever  subjected.  Tiie 
unfortunate  decease  of  Hall  in  the  infancy  of  the  enterprise  prevented  the 
accomplishment  of  such  results  as  were  desired  and  expected.  With  the 
commander  died  the  hope  and  heart  of  the  expedition,  and  no  further 
attempt  at  discovery  or  original  exploration  was  inade.  The  lo.^s  of  so 
brave  and  skillful  a  navigator  may  well  be  an  occasion  for  the  deepest 
sorrow  and  regret  amongst  all  who  reverence  and  admire  American 
prowess  and  heroism. 


JiiasESET  ja 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN  KXPEDITIOX  _  A  PIONEEU  EXPEDrTIOX  -  TirE 
ISBJORN- INFERENCES -THE  TEGETTHOFF  _  ARCTIC  SCENES- 
BESET-THE  FLOE  CRACKS-A  TERRIBLE  WATCH-A  HOUSE  ON 
THE     ICE -GREAT     DISCOVERIES  _  FALL    OF    A    SLEDGE  -  FRANZ 

JOSEF'S    LAND-A  NECESSARY   CONCLUSION-MARCH    TO    THE    SEA 

—SAVED    BY    A    RUSSIAN    WHALER. 

The  failure  of  the  second  German  Expedition  of  Koklewev  directed 
the  attention  of  after  navigators  .way  fron.   the   ice-packs  of  Greenland 
to  the  more  open  seas  of  Nova  Zembla.      Although   for  many   reasons, 
among  them   her  comparatively  inland  position  and  political  relations, 
the  government  of  Austria   had   been  prevented  from  talcing  any  act.ve 
part  ni  the  great  geographical  problems  of  the    times,   an    interest  in 
polar  researches  gradually  developed   into  a  determination  to  send  her 
flag  upon  the  peaceful  quest  of  new  discoveries  i.i  the  frozen  north      A 
large-hearted  nobleman  contributed  40,000  florins  to  such  an   e.iterprise 
thus  not  only  confirming  but  endowing  the   resolution.       In  order  how' 
ever,  not  to  waste  a  large  amount  of  money  and  labor  upon  an  impracti- 
cable  scheme,  it  was  determined  to  send  out  a  so-called  pioneer  expedition 
under  the  joint  command  of  Lieuts.  Payer  and  Weyprecht.    The  k.iowl- 
algo  and   experience  thus  gained  induced   the  government,  as  we  shall 
see,  to  send  out  another  vessel  with   a  more   extensive  outfit  to  spend, 
as  the  need  might  be,  two  or  more  winters  in  the  Arctic  seas. 

Both  of  the  officers  in  whose  charge  the  enterprise  was  'oiven  were 
■nen  of  sterling  qualities  and  undoubted  ability.  Weyprecht  had  been 
g.ven  the  command  of  one  of  the  German  expeditions,  but  a  fit  of  sick 
ness  had  prevented  his  carrying  out  the  plan  which  made  him  the  com- 
n.mder  of  the  party.  Lieut.  Payer  has  already  been  mentioned  as  a 
participator  in  the  German  expedition  which  returned  in  1S70.      Ilavin,. 


660 


A   PI  ONE  Eli  EXPEDITION. 


also  been  previously  employed  in  the  survey  of  the  peaks  and  glacic-rs  of 
the  Alps,  he  was  the  better  prepared  to  enter  upon  a  life  of  active  scr 
vice  .n  the  snows  .:nd  hummocks  of  Nova  Zemhla.       He  shines   as  the 
historian  of  the  expedition,  his  descriptions  of  Arctic  scenes  and  experi 
ences  beinj^  excelled  only  by  those  of  Kane  in  vivid  and  graphic  character 
The  pioneer  expedition  was  to  sail  in  June,  .S71,  and   return   in  Sep 
tember  of  the  same  year.     It  did  not  ain.   to  reach  high  latitudes,  nor  to 
make  great  discoveries.       The  attention  of  the  commanders  was  directed 
to  the  temperature  of  the  air  and  water,  to  the  position  and  condition  of 
the  ice,  and  to  all  observable  phenomena,  as  connected  with  the  probable 
success  of  the  expe<Iition  proposed  for  the  next  year.     In  order  to  reduce 
expenses,  so  far  as  possible,  a  light  sailing  vessel,  the  Isbjorn,  was  char- 
tered  and  manned  at  a  trifling  cost.       This  vessel  war,  fifty.five  feet  lon.r 
seventeen  feet  broad,  and  had  a  draught  of  six  feet,  with  a  capacity  of  fifty 
tons.     She  was  owned  and  commanded  by  the  skipper,  Kjelsen,  and  had 
as  a  crew  a  harpoo.ier,  four  sailors,  a  carpenter,  and  a  cook-all  of  whom 
were  Norwegians. 

The  voyage  of  the  Isbjorn,  though  without  thrilling  incident,  or  in- 
dependent  geographical  results  of  importance,  formed  the  foundation  of 
several  important  inferences  bearing  upon  the  propriety  of  another  and 
more  pretentious  voyage.  The  following  are  the  most  important  of  the 
conclusions  reached: 

I.  The  Nova  Zembla  sea  was  not  filled  with  impenetrable  ice,  like 
that  part  ..f  the  ocean  contiguous  to  Greenland;  on  the  contrary,  obser- 
vation and  report  showed  it  to  be  open  every  year,  probably  up  to  78^ 
north  latitude,  and  connected  with  the  Sea  of  Kara,  which  was  also 
thought  to  be  unusually  free  from  ice. 

2.  The  time  most  flivorable  for  navigation  in  this  sea  falls  at  the  end 
of  August,  and  lasts  during  the  month  of  September-this  period  beinir 
considered  as  embracing  the  minimum  of  ice. 

3.  The  Nova  Zembla  sea  was  found  to  be  shallow  — geologically, 
a  connection  with,  and  a  continuation  of,  the  great  plains  of  SibeHa.  In 
its  extreme  north  its  depth  was  only  100  fathoms. 

4.  The   expeditions  of   the  past   and    present  centuries,  which  at- 


THE   TBGETTHOFF. 


661 


te.nptecl  to  penetrate  by  the  northwest  coast  of  Nova  Zembla  failed  be- 
cause  tliey  were  upon  the  place  of  observation  before  the  time,  and   also 
because  they  lacked  steam.  * 

5.  How  far  the  Gulf  Stream  had  any  share  or  influence  in  the  fa- 
vorable  concMtion  for  the  navi^ration  of  the  Eastern  Polar  Sea,  could 
not  yet  be  positively  determined,  but  the  state  of  the  ice,  the  observations 
upon  >ts  temperature  and  color,  and  the  character  of  the  observed  animaJ 
hfc,  seemed  to  testify  in  favor  of  the  action  of  this  current  in  those 
reg-ions. 

These  conclusions  seemed  to  justify  the  determination  to  push  the 
proposed  project  of  a  prolon,.ed  voyage  of  discovery,  and  it  was  thus 
that  the  Austro-Hungarian  expedition  originated. 

It  was  the  plan  of  those  who  had  the  expedition  in  hand  to  penetrate 
east  and  north  during  the  latter  half  of  August,  when  the  north  coast  of 
the  great  island  of  Nova  Zembla  is  free  from  ice.     T,..  places  for  win- 
tcnng  were  left  undetermined;  they  were  to  be  chosen  according,  to  cir- 
cumstances of  need  or  progress.     In  case  of  the  loss  of  the  ship,^he  ex- 
pcdmon  was  to  endeavor  to  reach  the  .oast  of  Siberia  by  means  of  boats 
•nKl  then  to  gain  the  interior  by  one  of  the  gigantic  water  courses  o^ 
Northern  As.a.     No  connection  with  Europe  was  to   be  depended   on. 
P.yer  well  says:     "The  motives  of  an  undertaking  so   long  and   labo- 
nous  cannot  be  found  in  the  mere  love  of  distinction  or  adventure.     The 
object   must  not  be  the  admiration  of  men,  but   the  extension  of  the  do- 
.na,n  of  knowledge.     The  grandeur  of  one's  purpose  alone  can  support 
h..n,  for  otherwise   the  dreary  void  of  things  without   can  only  be  an 
nnage  of  the  void  within." 

The  ship  chosen  for  this  principal  voyage  was  the  TegetthofF-a 
steamsh.p  of  330  tons  burden,  carrying  an  engine  of  zoo-horse  power 
It  was  fitted  with  provi.ons  and  fuel  for  two  years  and  a  half,  but  was 
overloacied  by  about  thirty  tons,  so  that  the  available  space  was  much 
a.v.-..  up.  It  was,  however,  as  Payer  says,  "  Far  more  commodious 
than  the  miserable  hole  in  which  eight  of  us  had  been  crowded  to^^ether 
on  ou.  Greenland  tour."  On  the  X3th  of  June,  ,873,  the  expediti;.  set 
out  to  cross  the  North  Sea,  and   reach  the  coast  of  Norway,  where   the 


602 


ARCTIC  SCENES. 


last  repairs  were  to  be  made,  and  the  last  adieus  exchanj^ed  with  Euro 
peaa  brethren.  Th.  crew  numbered  twenty-four,  and  embraced  Ger 
mans,  Italians  and  Flun-arians,  though  Italian  was  the  language  in 
which  the  orders  were  given. 

After  a  stop  of  some  days  on  the   Norway  coast  and  the   LofToden 
Islands,  the  TegetthofT  was  at  last  fairly  on  her  way  to  her  lon^  abode 
among    the    icebergs   of    Nova  Zembla.     The   Vessel  soon   came  upo„ 
scenes  strange  and  unfamiliar  to  mo.t  of  the   crew  on  board  the  Te^a-tt 
hofF.     As   they  came  into    the    region    of  ice  the    temperature  rap.dlv 
lowered.     Fogs  arose  in  the  distance  from  the  leads  in  the  ice-field    md 
snowstorms  alternated  with  cloudless  skies  and  genial  sun.     Far  to  the 
north  was  observed   the   "  ice-blinl<,"_a   shining   band   of  light  in  the 
honzon,_always  a  faithful    monitor    of  solid    ice,    of  whose     r.diatinc 
power  ,t  is  a  portrayal.     There  is  said  to  be  no  more  solemn  sound  than 
that  made  by  the  action  upon  the  ice  of  the  elements  of  thaw  and  frost 
and  no  pictures  more  sad  and   ghostly    than   the  procession  of  icebercr^ 
floatmg  "  like  huge  white  biers  toward  the  south."     Great  falls  of  thiw 
water  flowed  down  the  sides   of  the   icebergs,   sometimes   rending  them 
with  a  noise  as  of  thunder  by  tlieir  constant  wearing. 

But  when  the  sun  came  out,  the  fogs  disappeared" toward  the  horizon 
and  the  whole  scene  was  bathed  in  rosy  and  golden  splendor,  the  ice^ 
crystals   flashing  like  diamonds  in    the   flood   of  light.     Occasionally  a 
whale  would  rise  out  of  the  water,  like  a  great  black  mountain,  and  then 
divmg  deep  beneath  the  surface,  make  the   ocean   tumultuous   wit>  his 
awkward  gambols.     The  icebergs  presetted  some  curious  shapes.    Sorae 
were   chiseled   as  if  by  a  trained  sculptor  into  fantastic  forms  of  Gothic 
architecture,  with  quaint  little  peaks   and   towers,  and   grotesque   gables. 
Others  represented  mammoth  structures  supported   by  regular  cokmins 
apparently  of  solid  glass.     Rarely  were  the  regular  prisms,  so  rom.noJ 
in  the  North  Atlantic,  observed  in  these  Arctic  Seas.     Such  were  some 
of  the   sights   which  greeted   our  voyagers  as  they   entered  the  Polar 
Ocean. 

They  had  sailed  over  one  ice-hole,  and  now   again  a  broad   and  lofty 
barrier  loomed  ud  before  them.     They  succeeded   in  forcing  their  way 


.-•'  JUIil'Ii/SE. 


663 


.nto  ,t,  but  after  usin.^  all  steam  of  which  their  vessel   was  capable,  thus 
found  the  Tegetthoffactually  beset,  and  the  floes  crowding  tc-ther  ^ave 
an    unbroken    field  for  miles  around.     On  Aug.  i   the  vesrel  was^'still 
beset,  and  there  being  a  complete  calm,  no  efforts  to  release  her  were 
avaihng.     They    were' now    in    latitude    74^    39',    longitude  53°.     At 
Icn.^th,  on  the  2d,  they  broke  through  the  ice  which  separated   them 
tro.n  the  open   water  around   Nova  Zembla,  and  penetrated  about  20 
miles  toward  the  coast.     A  belt  of  ice  105  miles  broad  lav  behind  them 
wh.le  before  them  rose  the  mountainous  coast  of  Nova  Zembla.     Sailing 
aiul  steaming  on  along  the  coast  of  Nova  Zembla  toward  the  north,  thej 
came  on  the  9th  of  August  to  another  ice-barrier  in   latitude  about   75° 
30'  north.     In  the  neighborhood  of  the  Pankratjew   Islands,  the  crew 
of  the  Tegetthoff  were  surprised  to  descry  a  ship  on  the  horizon,   which 
they  soon  recognized  as  their  old  friend,  the  IsbjOrn.     It  was  a  matter  ot 
Ihe  greater  astonishment  that  a   sailing   vessel  should   have  followed  a 
ship  whicii,  only  with  the  aid  of  steam,  and  even   thus  with  great  d-ffi- 
culty,  had  been  able  to  penetrate  so  far  in  the  icy  seas  of  the  friend  zone 
The  object  of  the.r  friends   of  the   Isbj«rn   was   to  establish  a  "depot  of 
provisions  at  Cape  Nassau,  at  whatever   risk  to   themselves.     The   two 
ships  remained  together  until  the  3oth  of  August,  the  iSth  bein-  celebra- 
ted  as  the  birthday  of  the  King  and  Emperor  of  Austria,  Frands  Joseph 
I.     On  the  20lh  the  two  ships  parted  company,  the  Tegetthoff  steamino- 
away  to  the  north,  and  the  IsbjOrn  soon  disappearing  in   the   mist   tha^t 
arose  from  the  more  southern  water. 

The  Tegetthoff  was  now  well  toward  the  north  of  Nova  Zembla, 
the  navigable  water  was  becoming  narrower  every  day,  and  the  ice' 
seemed  to  increase  in  solidity,  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
coast.  On  the  evening  of  this  day,  the  30th,  a  barrier  of  ice  stopped  all 
fnr'.her  progress.  As  usual,  the  ship  was  anchored  to  a  floe,  and  awaited 
the  parting  of  the  ice.  "Ominous,"  says  Payer,  "were  the  events  of 
that  day,  for  immediately  after  we  had  made  the  Tegetthoff  fast  to  that 
floe,  the  ice  closed  in  upon  us  from  all  sides,  and  we  became  prisoners  in 
Its  grasp.  No  water  was  to  be  seen  around  us,  and  never  again  were  we 
destined  to  see  our  vessel  in  water.     From  dav  to  day  we  hoped  for  the 


604 


THE  FLOE   CRACKS. 


hour  of  our  deliverance.  At  first  we  expected  it  hourly,  then  daily,  then 
from  week  to  week;  then  at  the  seasons  of  the  year  and  change  of  the 
weather,  then  in  the  changes  of  new  years!  But  that  hour  never  came, 
yet  the  light  of  hope  which  supports  man  in  all  his  suflTerings,  and  raises' 
him  above  them  all,  never  forsook  us,  amid  all  the  depressing  influences 
of  expectations  cherished  only  to  be  disappointed." 

Sei^tember  came  on  with  its  increasing  cold;  October  opened  with  its 
really  wintry  weather,  and  yet  no  signs  of  release.     The  ship,  as  firmly 
fastened    as    with  iron    bands,  drifted    northward  with   the    floe   which 
formed  its  prison.     Many  signs  indicated  the  insecurity  of  their  position. 
A  little  way  oflE"  fields  of  ice   cracked  and  split  asunder,    and   huge 
masses  moved  about  them,  speaking  warning  volumes  of  the  terrible  po^s- 
sibilities  of  ice-pressure.     Thus  far  no  harm  had  immediately  threatened 
the  TegetthoflT  and  her  crew,  but  the    13th  of  October  was  destined  to 
bring  new   and  exciting  experiences.     To  those  among  the  crew  at  all 
inclined  to  be  superstitious,  the  number  "13"  had  a  profound  significance. 
The  committee  of  the   expedition  had  been  chosen   on  Feb.  13;  on  the 
13th   of  January    the  keel   of  the  TegctthofF  had   been    laid;  she  was 
launched  on  the   13th  of  April;  on  the  13th  of  June  the  expedition  em- 
barked from   Bremerhaven;  on  the   13th  of  July  from   Tromsoe.     After 
a  voyage  of  thirteen  days  they  had  arrived  in  the  ice;  and  now  on  the 
13th  of  October  the  temperature  marked   16""  below  zero  (Centigrade), 
and   the  ship  and  crew   were  threatened  with  most  terrible  danger,     hi 
the  morning  of  that  day  as  the    men  sat  at  breakfast,  the  floe  to  which 
the  vessel  was  attached  burst  asunder  directly  below  them. 

"  Rushing  on  deck,"  says  Payer,  "we  discovered  that  we  were  sur- 
rounded and  squeezed  by  the  ice;  the  after  part  of  the  ship  was  already 
nipped  and  pressed,  and  the  rudder  which  was  the  first  to  encounter  its 
assault,  shook  and  groaned;  but  as  its  great  weight  did  not  admit  of  its 
being  shipped,  we  were  content  to  lash  it  firmly.  Noise  and  confusion 
reigned  supreme,  and  step  by  step  destruction  drew  nigh  in  the  crushing 
together  of  the  fields  of  ice.  *****  About  1 1  .-30  in  the  fore" 
noon,  according  to  our  usual  custom,  a  portion  of  the  Bible  was  read  on 
deck,  and  this  day  quite  accidentally,  the  portion   read  was  the  history  of 


m^,.i 


Its 
nly 


665 


G06 


BUILD  I  mi  A   HOUSE 


Joshua;  but  if  in  his  clay  the  sun  showed  any   i>iclination  t.,  stand  still  it 
was  more  than  could  be  said  of  the  ice  at  this  time." 

The   Ion-  ni-ht  and  its   fearful  cold  was  before  them,  and  they  were 
driftinor,  they  knew   not  whither.     Daily-with  slight   abatements,  it  i, 
true-but  daily,  for  one  hundred   an.l  thirty  days   they  were  destined  to 
experience  those  terrible  oncomings  of  the  ice.     They   kept  everythin^r 
in  readiness  for  retreat  from  the  ship  in  case  the  worst  came  to  the  worst' 
Their  sledges  were  loa.led,  their  boats  were  manned,  and  their  clothin- 
and  provisions   were  distributed.     They   slept   in   their  wet,  frozen  ^r^,. 
ments  expecting  to  be  called  up  at  any  time  and  driven  forth  on  thc"cc 
But  whither  should  they  go?    The  sea  about  them  was  lifting  and  grind- 
ing far  beyond  the  view.     Great   hummocks  danced   and  whirled,''over. 
turning  at  times  with  tremendous  force,  while  chasms  opened  on   every 
hand,  threatening  to  swallow  up  any  sledge,  or  boat,  or  person,  venturin-r 
on  the  uncertain  surface.     It  was   fortunate   that  these   first  encounters 
with   the  ice  occurred   while  it    was  yet  light.     Had  these  assaults  sur- 
prised  them  amid  the  polar  darkness,  confusion  and  disorder  would  have 
•     taken  the  place  of  the  calm  preparations  they  were  now  able  to  make. 
The  pressure   meanwhile  continuing,  it   was   thought    best  to   make 
some  kind  of  a  habitation  upon  a  firmer  floe  to  which  they  might  betake 
themselves  in  an  emergency.     Armed  and  provided   with  lanterns  they 
removed   two   boats,  one   hundred   and    fifty  logs  of  wood,  fifty  phmks, 
and  a  supply  of  coal,  to  the    port  side  of  the  vessel,  and  there  built  their 
house  of  refuge.     But  eve.i  this  hope  might  fail  them.     A  storm    mi?ht 
carry  away  the  planks   which  formed  its   roof,  fire  might   consume  die 
combustible  substance  of  its  walls;  and  at  any  time  a  fissure  might  open 
from  beneath,  and  swallow  up  the  whole  community.     So  days"  weeks, 
and  months  passed  by,  and  the  first  day  of  1873  dawned   upon  the  he' 
nighted  party,  if  a  day  without  sun,  or  light,  or  warmth,  may  be  said  to 
dawn.     Every  eflTort  was  made  to  keep  up  the  usual  festivities  on  Christ- 
mas  and   New    Year.      Wine  and   grog   were  distributed,  games  were 
played,  and  a  box  of  gifts  was  apportioned  by  lot.     On  the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary,  too,   they   allowed  the  dogs   the   long  wished-for  privilege  of  tlie 
cabin.     "The  poor  animals,"  says  Payer,  "were  so  dazzled  by  looking  at 


THE  DOGS  IN  THE   CABIN.  (,(,7 

our  lamps,  that  they  ahnost  took  it  for  the  sun  itself;  but  by  and  by  their 
attention  was  directed  exclusively  to  the  rich  remains  of  our  dinner,  the 
si,rht  of  which  appeared  completely  to  satisfy  their  notions  of  the  won- 
-lers  ,>f  the  cal,in.  After  behaving,  themselves  with  j^reat  propriety,  they 
a,t,^un  qu.etly  withdrew,  all  except  'Jubinal,'  who  appearc.l  to  be  indig. 
na.Uatlhe  .leceitfulness  uf  .uir  conduct,  inasmuch  as  we  had  allowed 
him  to  starve  so  long  on  dried   horseflesh   and   on  crushed  bear's  head 


TKANSPORTIN-G   WOOD   FOR   THE   HOUSE. 

While  we  reveled  in  luxury.  He  accordingly  made  his  wr.v  into  Lieut. 
Brosch's  cabm,  where,  discovering  a  mountain  of  macaroni,  he  immedi- 
ately attacke.1  it,  and  warned  us  off  from  everv  attempt  to  rescue  it,  by 
growling  fiercely  till  he  had  finished  it.  .Sumbu,'  however,  with  much 
lev,ty,  suffered  himself  to  be  made  drunk  by  the  sailors  with  rum,  and 
everythmg  which  he  had  scraped  together  for  weeks  and    buried  in  the 


«i8 


/I.V    UXliXPECTHD  D/SCOVEhT 


snow   and  so   carefully   watched,  was  stolen  fn. in    him  hy  other  do^rs  in 
one  nif^ht." 

The  winter  of  1873-3  slowly  crept  away,  ami  the  sun,  by  his  reap. 
pearancc,  j,'avc  promise  of  sum  nor.     Srmmer  came,  but   the  montiis  of 
May  and  June,  in  temperate  climates  the  jjlad  harbinjfers  of  {growth  and 
life,  brought  no  relief  to  the  waitin;;  travelers.     "  Nichtc  als  Els"  (noth- 
iiijj  but  ice),  was  tlie  oft-repeated  answer  of  those  who  ea«jerly  scanned 
the  hori/on  in  every  direction.     Tiie  second  summer  of  the   voya,!^e  had 
now  come   and   nearly  j^o.ie.     It  had  bcfjun  witli  promise  of  liberation 
but  the   time  of  jjreatcst  heat  had  j^one  by,  and  no  siLfn  of  the  predicted 
release  had  come.     The  iflea  of  discoveries  had  utterly  passed  out  of  tlie 
minds  of  the  explorers,  and  yet  discoveries  beyond  their  utmost  expecta- 
tions were  awaitin<;  them. 

Au;,'.  30  brought  th-'m  in  latitude  nearly  80",  a  joyful  surprise.    "At 
midday,"  says  Payer,  '•  as  we  were  leaning  on  the  bulwarks  of  the  ship 
and  scanning  the  gliding  mists,  liirough  v/hich  the  rays  of  the  sun  broke 
ever  and  anon,  a  wall  of  mist,  lifting  itself  up  suddenly,  revealed  t  >  us 
afar  off  in  the  northwest  the  outlines  of  bold  rocks,  which  in  a  few  min- 
utes seemed  to  grow  into  a   ridiant  Alpine    land.     At  first   we  all  stood 
transfixed,  and  hardly  believing  what  we  saw.     Then,  carried    awav  hy 
the  reality  of  our  good  fortune,  we  burst  forth  into  shouts  of  joy— 'Land, 
land,  land  at  last!'     *     *     *     For  thousands  of  years  this  land  had  lain 
buried  from  the  knowledge  of  men,  and  now  its  discovery  had  fallen  into 
the  lap  of  a  small  band,  themselves  almost   lost  to  the    world,  who,  far 
from  their  home,  remembere  1   the  homage  due  to  their  sovereign,  and 
gave  to  the   newly-discovered   territory  tiie  name,  Kaiser  Franz-Josefs 
land." 

The  fall  and  winter  of  the  present  year  were  ociuipied  in  determining 
more  fully  the  extent  and  configuration  of  the  island  or  Arctic  continent 
just  found.  This  work  was  conducted  chiefly  by  m^- ins  of  sledge-jour- 
neys to  and  over  t'ne  rougli  surface  of  the  country  which  thev  had  digni- 
fied with  the  name  of  their  Emperor.  Space  forbids  to  give  more  than 
a  brief  account  of  this  exploration,  though  the  dangers  and  adventures 
with  which  it  was  attendeil  are  equaled  by  those  of  few  Arctic  explorers. 


FALL   OF    I   SLEDdE. 


660 


lacier  i» 


O.K-  experience  in  tlie  fissures  (,f  what  was  named  MitUlendor 
especially  worthy  of  ndtc. 

The  party  after  a  brief  halt  were  just   setting   out   again,  when   the 
M,ow  gave  way  h.Mieath  the  »le<lge.runners,  and  driver,  dogs,  and  vehicle, 
were  precipiiatod  into  sonic   unkn<nvn  depth   below.      Payer  first  heard 
the  confused  shouting  of  the  man,, ningled  with  the  barking  and  howl- 
in-  of  the  dogs  from  the  bottom  of  the  crevasse,  many  feet  hclow.    "All 
this,"  says  he,  "  was  the  impression   of  a   m,.ment,  while  I  felt  ryself 
d-agged  backward  by  the  rope.       Staggering  back,  and  seeing  the  dark 
abyss  beneath  me,  I  could  not  doubt  that  1  should  be  precipitated    into  it 
the  next  instant.     A  wonderful  providence  arrested  the  fall  of  the  sledge; 
at  a  .Icpth  of  about  thirty   f.-.t   it   struck  just   betw-.n   the  sides  of  thj 
crevasse,  just  as  I  was  being  dragged  to  the  abyss  by  its  weight.      The 
slcHigc  having  jammed  itself  in,  I  lay  on  my  stomach  close   to"the  awful 
hrink,  the  rope   which  attached   n.e  to  the  sledge  tigntly  strained,  and 
cutting  deeply  into  the  snow." 

By  incre<Hblc  tact  and  perseverance  Payer  at  last  freed  himself  frorr> 
the  sledge,  and  set  about  recovering  the  store    of  lost    provisions,    the 
manuscripts,  which  could  never  be  replaced,  and  above  all,  about  the  res- 
cue of  the  fallen  comrade  who  was  the  "  pride  and  gem   of  the  party.'" 
Being  the  only  one  of  the  party   accustomed   to  glaciers,  Payer   was  of 
necessity  almost  alone  in  his  exertions.     Rushing  back  to  the  tent  where 
most  of  the   men   had   re.nained,  he  hurriedly  explained  what  had  hap. 
pcncd,  and  all  hastened  to  the  spot  of  the  disaster,   leaving  the  tent  and 
•stores  unwatched.    They  found  their  poor  comrade  nearly  dead  from  the 
cold,  but  sufficiently  conscious  to  be  pulled  to  the  top  of  the  ice-clilF  over 
wh-ch  ?  e  hud  fallen.      The  dogs  were  found  uninjured  and  quietly  sleep- 
ing near  him,  but  celebrated  their  release  by  joyful  demonstrations.     "  It 
was  a  noble  proof,"  continues  Payer,  -  how   duty  and   discipline  assert 
themselves  even  in  such  situations,  that  the  first  word  of  the  sailor  saved 
from  being  frozen  to  death,  was  not  a  complaint,  but  thanks,  accompanied 
vv.th  a  request   that  I  would    pardon    him  if  he,  in  order  to  save  himself 
frcn  being  frozen,  had  ventured  to  drink  a  portion  of  the  rum    which 
hid  fallen  down  in  its  case  with  the  sledge  to  his  ledge  of  snow." 


:,ij^'j  ;.K'.f(^tr  R-" '.«>?n»tifi-™;««;f  ftai-iaTT-T^ , 


m^..^^ 


! 

670 


PALL  OP   A   SLEDOE. 


vh 


A   JVECESSA/fl'  CONCLUSION.  ^71 

Franz  Josef's   Land  was  found  to  be  almost  as  large  as  Spitzber<.en 
and   to  consist    of  two  main    masses- Wilczek    Land    on    the  east  ^.nd 
Z.chy  Land  on  the  west-between  which  runs  a  broad  stretch   of  sea  of 
>,  called  Austria  Sound.    At  the  time  of  this  exploration  the  sound  vlas 
covered  with  ice  for  the  most  part  not  more  than  a  year  in  ..rowth 
crossed    in   many   places  by  fissures,  and  piled  up  with  huge  hummocks! 
The  fact  that  here  many  icebergs  were  seen,  which  had  not  been  the  case 
m  the   Nova  Zembia  seas,  warranted  the  supposition   that  they  floated 
away  from  the  ice-packs  in  a  northerly  direction.    The  map  made  by  the 
present  expedition  was   designed  and   constructed  from  fifteen  observa- 
tions of  latitude,  from  drawings  made  on  the  spot,  and  from  a   system  of 
tnangulation  planned  and  perfected   by  Weyprccht,  the  commander-in- 
ch.ef  of  the  expedition.       In  the  northernmost  regions  surveyed,  the   re- 
sults made  no  pretensions  to  complete  exactness.     Though  the  discoveries 
made  were  likely  never  to  become  important  to  the  material   interests  of 
manktnd,  the  land  and  its  parts  were  named  after  the  chief  patrons  of  the 
expedition  as  the  most  fitting  way  in  which   the  gratitude   of  the  party 
could  be  shown. 

The  experience  of  two  winters  in  the  ice  had  forced  the  party  to  ti.e 
conclusion  that  the  liberation  of  th.  Tegetthoif  was  too  remote  for  them 
to  hope  to  save  themselves  by^vigating  the  path  over  which  they  had 
come  by  its  aid.     Her  abandonment  therefore  was  universally  agreed  on 
and  the  3oth  of  May,  the  very  day  on  which,  in  1854,  Kane  had  left  the' 
Advance  on  tue  coast  of  Greenland,  was   chosen   for  the  first  steps  of 
then-  present  enterprise.     The  day  was  hailed  with  joy  by  all,  for  while 
the  commg  days  were  to  be  darkened  with  much  danger  and  many  hard- 
sh.ps,  even  these  were  preferable  to  the  life  of  monotony  and  inaction  to 
wh.ch  they  had  been  reduced  on  board  the  Tegetthoff.     It  was,  however 
only  wuh  the  deepest  emotion  that  they  could  part  with  the  spot  which 
i-1  been  their  home  so  long.     Their  stock  of  instruments,  which   had 
done  them  sucli  good  service,  together  with  the  little  museum,  which  all 
liacl  taken  so  much  pride  in  enlarging,  had  to  be  abandoned,  as  the  jour- 
ney southward  to  the  open  sen  could  only  he  made  by  relieving  the   uk. 
and  doers    of  a-..o.-„fi,:.,,-    .      ,      , 


dogs    of  everythi 


n\ 


# 


nft. 


nsf 


except    absolute    essentials.     Th 


e    pictures    of 


''m- 


672 


A    yOYFUL   DAT. 


It      H 


friends  and  acquaintances  were  hung  up  on  the  frozen  walls  of  the  land 
for  the  thought  of  their  perishing  with  th«  inevitable  destruction   of  the 
ship,  was  unbearable. 

Boats,  sledges,  everything  that  could  be  taken,  were  at  last  removed 
and  the  march  begun.  For  the  first  few  days  the  burdens  had  to  be 
dragged  over  hummocks  and  through  fissures,  without  even  the  variety 
of  water  upon  which  to  launch  the  boats,  in  a  short  time,  however, 
narrow  leads  appeared,  produced  by  the  advancing  summer  and  a  fortu- 
nate combination  of  other  circumstances,  into  which  the  boats  were  placed, 
and  a  sort  of  doubtful  navigation  was  begun.  But  these  leads  were 
limited,  and  great  masses  of  ice  must  be  continually  thrust  out  of  the 
way.  Moreover,  a  south  wind  arose  which  tended  to  destroy  what  prog- 
ress they  had  been  able  to  make,  so  that  after  a  lapse  of  nearly  two 
months  of  indescribable  efforts,  the  distance  between  them  and  the  ship 
was  not  more  than  nine  English  tniles.  Another  month,  iowever, 
gave  promise  of  better  things.  The  leads  became  of  greater  length;  the 
swell  of  the  ocean  became  jaerceptibly  greater;  and  the  thickness  and 
extent  of  the  ice  was  evidently  rapidly  diminishing.  It  was  a  joyful  day 
for  our  brave  explorers  when,  on  the  15th  of  August,  in  latitude  77°  49', 
they  bade  farewell  to  the  frozen  ocean,  and  launched  their  barks  on  the 
more  genial  waters  of  the  Nova  Zembia  Sea.  There  being  no  room  for 
the  dogs  in  the  boats,  nor  other  possible  means  of  conveying  thein,  it 
was  thought  humane  to  kill  them,  which  was  done  to  the  infinite  sorrow 
of  the  entire  party. 

The  problem  of  their  rescue  was  now  simple  compared  with  the  diffi- 
culties which  they  had  just  successfully  combated.  They  shaped  their 
course  by  Barentz  Islands,  Cape  Nassau,  where  the  store  of  provisions 
had  been  deposited,  and  iie  Admiralty  Peninsula,  hoping  that  they 
might  in  this  latitude  look  for  whalers  or  other  fishermen.  It  was  not, 
however,  until  they  had  reached  and  passed  the  Admiralty  Peninsula,  on 
the  west  coast  of  Nova  Zembia,  and  were  nearing  Ganse  Land  toward 
its  soutliern  border,  that  the  welcome  sight  of  a  ship  greeted  their  long- 
ing eyes.  Here  they  met  on  the  34th  of  August  two  Russian  vessels 
cruisinsr  for  fish  and  reindeer  on  the  shores  of  Nova  Zembia.     The  ser- 


EMBARK  FOR  HAMBURG.  g^g 

vices  of  one  of  these  vessels  were  readily  engaged,  and  the  long-suffering 
crew  were  soon  on  their  way  to  Norway,  after  a  ninety-six  days'  experi- 
ence in  the  open  air.  On  the  3d  of  September  they  landed  at  Vardo  on 
the  Norwegian  coast,  and  on  the  5th  embarked  for  Hamburg,  where 
they  arrived  amid  the  congratulations  and  applause  of  thousands  of 
friends  and  countrymen. 


CHAPTER    LXXIIL 

ENGLISH     EXPEDITION'     UNDER     NARES THE    ALERT    AND    DISCOVERY 

BORING    THROUGH    THE    PACK  —  THE    ELYSIUM    OF    THE    ARCTIC 

REGIONS MAXIM     OF     ROSS THE     DISCOVERY      FINDS      WINTEU 

QUARTERS  — THE    SEA    OF    ANCIENT    ICE WINTER    AMUSEMENTS 

DEATH    FROM    EXPOSURE EXEMPTION    OF    OFFICERS    FROM    DIS- 
EASE  MARKHAM's    SLEDGE-JOURNEV REACHES    THE    HIGHEST 

POINT   EVER  ATTAINED— PAL.EOCRVSTIC    ICE NARES  CONCLUDES 

TO    RETURN    TO    ENGLAND EPITAPH    OV    THE     GRAVE    OF    HAM,. 

One  of  the  recurring  intervals  of  indifference  or  hopelessness  in  rela- 
tion  to  Arctic  exploration  had  succeeded  the  great  activity  of  the  Frank- 
lin search  voyages  in  England.     The  field  was  left  to  German,  Austrian, 
Swedish  and  American  navigators,  until    England  was  in  danger  of  los- 
ing  the  prestige  acquired  in  that  line  by  many  generations  of  brave  mar- 
iners, and  at  great  expense  of  life,  energy,  and  money.     Other  nations, 
stepping  in  at  the  eleventh  hour,  had   actually  won  the  laurels  of  more 
northern  land  discovery,  than  had  been  made  by  the  representatives  of 
the  nation  whose  previous  efforts  had   largely  contributed  to  make  such 
success   practicable.    A    '/(merous    and  wortliy   rivalry  now    seized  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society,  under  the  inspiration  of  Admiral   Sherard 
Osborn,  himself  an  Arctic  navigator,  as  will   be  remembered;  Sir  Rod- 
erick  I.  Murchison,  the  eminent  geologist  and  geographer,  and  president 
of  the  society,  who,  however,  died   in    187 1,  before  definite   action  had 
been  taken;  Lady  Franklin,  wliose  interest   in  Arctic   exploration  never 
flagged  up   to  her   last  illness   and  death   in    1875,  and  other  influential 
persons. 

The  government  gave  its  sanction  to  the  movement,  and  an  expedi- 
tion was  duly  organized  and  commissioned.  It  consisted  of  two  vessels, 
the  Alert   and   Discovery.     The  former   was  a  steam  sloop  of  the  roval 

674 


7 HE  ELYSIUM  OF  THE  ARCTIC  REGIONS.  675 

navy,  of  751    tons  burden,  and  100  horse  power;  and   was  now  specially 
strengthened  for   her  new  destiny.     The   Discovery  had   been  a   steam 
whaler,  and  was  purchased   by  the  government  of  her   Dundee  owners 
and  fitted  out  for  this  voyage.     The  commander  of  the  expedition  and  of 
the  Alert    was    Captain,  afterward  Sir  George  Nares,   a   n.an  of  con- 
sKlerable  experience,  and  who  had   been  \n  the  Arctic  service.     As  chief 
assistant  he  had  Commander  A.  H.  Markham,  who  also  had  seen  Arctic 
lite,   and    Capt.    H.    F.   Stephenson,    as    immediate   commander  of  the 
Discovery.     The  officers  and   men  of  both  vessels  numbered  ,20,  manv 
of  whom  had  seen  Arctic  service  as  whalers  or  explorers.    The  Valorous 
accompanied  them  to  Disco   Island  as  store-ship,  and  having  there  trans- 
ferred  her  surplus   stores  to   the  other  two,  she   left  for  home  Julv  16 
1S75.     On  the  voyage  to  Disco  they  had  encountered  much  loose  ice  off- 
Cape   Farewell,  and    many  heavy  gales,  in  which  they  lost  two  of  their 
whale  boats. 

Leaving  Disco  on  the  22d,  the  Alert  and    Discovery   steamed  across 
Baffin's  Bay  to  the  northwest,  instead   of  hugging  the  Greenland  shore 
through  Melville  Bay,  and   struck   the  great  central  ice-pack  July    -.4 
In  thirty-four  hours  they  had  succeeded  m  boring  through  the  pack  into 
open  water_a  foat  never  before  performed,   and   which   the   Greenland- 
masters  declared  "  would  ne'er  be  credited  at  Peterhead."     It  helped  to 
prove  the  superiority  of  steam-power  for  Arctic   navigation.     Reachinc. 
the  vicinity  of  Cape  York  many  icebergs  were  seen  aground  and  closely 
crow.Ied,  indicating  that  they  would  perhaps  not  ha^•e  fared  so  well   h.d 
they  taken  the  old  route   through   Melville  Bay,  and   around   that  c-ioe 
Pushing  north  they  soon  arrived  at  Carey    Islands,   where  they   landed' 
and  established  a  depot  of  supplies,  depositing  the  usual    record   under  •.' 
can-n.     Passing    Littleton    Island,    where    they    left   a    record,  and  Port 
Foulke,  which  Nares  styles  "The  Elysium   of  the  Arctic  regions,"  they 
«";.cle    for  Cape   Sabine,   the   easternmost  promontory  of  the  Ellesmere 
Land  of  Inglefield,  in  78^  45'.     QfTthat  nohu,  July"  30,  they   saw   the 
.ce  m  great    quantities,  but    in    the  middl-       f   Smith's   Sound   it    con- 
..sted  of  .letached  floes,  five  or  six  foct   thick,   with   occasionally   an  old 
floe  of  twice  that  thickness,  but  much  decayed,  and  presenting  no  serious 


m 
If 


'^w 


(ni't 


LAD}'  F/iAJVh'L/uV  SOUND. 


obstacle  to  ,.hci>-  onward  progress.     At  length,  however,  their  way   u-., 
blocked  by  impenetrable  ice,  and  they  were  detained  three  days  in  Payer 
Harbor,  awaiting  a  practicable  opening.      Several  fruitless  attempts  wtre 
made  to  bore  through,  but  at  last  success   crowned   their   efforts,  and   „u 
the  4th  of  August  they  forced  their  way  through  twenty  miles  of  Hayes 
Sound.     Soon,  however,  they   got   entangled  in   the  pack,    making   i,„t 
little  headway,  and   finally   were   completely   beset,  barely   escaping  col- 
lision  with  a  huge  iceberg,  and  finding  it  necessary    to   unship  their  rud- 
der.^.     With  great  labor,  and  amid  many  dangers  for  three  weeks  longer 
in  Kennedy  Cha.inel,  having  constant  occasion  to  apply  the  advice  of  Sir 
John  Ross-"Never  to  lose  sight  of  the  two  words  cautio.i  and  patience'L 
they  reached  Cape  Lieber,  Hayes'  limit  of  iS6o,  on  the  24th  of  August, 
and  entered  Lady  Franklin  Sound. 

Here  in  the  shelter  of  an  island  was  fotmd   a   good   harbor,   perfectly 
suitable  for  winter  quarters;  and  to  enhance  their  good  fortime,  ihey  saw 
on  the  next  morning  a  herd  of  nine  musk-oxen  peacefully  cropping  the 
fresh  an<l  short-lived  Arctic  vegetation,  all   of  which    were    killed,   Lm- 
ing  a  very  seasonable  addition  to  their  stores,  nothwithstanding  th'e  flavor 
-was  so  very  musk."      Before  the  lotii  oC  Octol>er  thes   had  Jliot    thirty- 
two  of  them,  and  had  at  one  time  over  3,000  pounds  of  their  frozen  lle.sh 
hanging  up.      The  Discovery  was  left  here,  remaining  frozen   in  for  ,o> 
months.      Their  first  care  was  to  take  ashore    and  deposit    pnn  isions  for 
six  months  to  guard  against  the  contingency  of  disaster   to    the   ship   l,y 
fire  or  otherwise   during    her    detention.      Snow-walls    were    then    en- 
structed  around  her,  after  the  r.ow    well-known    typo,    l)ut    heavier   th.n 
usual,  being  ma<le  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  thick.      These  precautions,  with 
the  ordinary  provisions  fbr  heat,  kept  the  ten.perature  of  the  lower  .kck 
«t  48°  to  56%  throughout  the  winter.      The  period   of  darkness,   that  is 
absence  of  sunlight,  set  in  on  the  loth  of  October,  and  lasted  135  days.    ' 
Leaving  Stephenson  and    his   men   busy   with    their  preparation's  for 
wi.itcr,  Nares  pushed  on  in  the  Alert,  and  on  the  31st  of  August  reached 
latitude  82'^  24',  in  Robeson    Channel-the    highest   point  e^ver  attained 
by   ship,   and  only   21'    short  of  Parry's  sledge   limit,  82"  45'  north   of 
Spitzbergen.     In  this  chaimel  the  sea  ice  approached  the  land  ice  so  close 


^JSisKtttttiteii 


AROUXD  CAPE   yoSEPU  IIENRr.  „„ 

a...,  loavc  l,„,  „  narrow  ^vater  way,  and  off  Cape  Sherida,,  ihey  closed 
.oge.heroo,„ple,ely  locking  .„e  northern  entrance,  or  exit  into  the  Polar 
boa.      Along  the  coast  a  jaj.ed  parapet    of  ice  fringed   the  shelvin,. 
le  .e.  ns,ng  to  an  average  height  of  about  twenty  fee,,  Interrupted  a". 
...tervab  hy  ravntes.      Having   roundel  the  northeast  point  of  Grant 
l-and,  he  found  h^self  where  Hayes  had  bean  so  anrions  to  reach,  but 
,n,.ead  o    the  Ope,,   Polar  Sea  of  that  navigator  he  found  tl,e  "Sea  of 
Aacent  Ice,    ,n,penetrable  and  forbidding.     The  ice  was  of  unusual  a^e 
and  thtckness;   or  instead  of  the  five  or  si,  feet  of  the  common  floe,  a^d 
K.    en  or  twelve  of  the  old  Hoes  hitherto  encountered,  it  presented  a 
o„    of  fitteen  or  ,nore  feet  above  water,  and  a  total  of  eighty  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  feet_rese,nbling  a  connec.e.1  chain   of  Tow  icebergs 
.ather  than  the  floes  or  pac.s  of  ,nore  southern  latitudes.     In  the  shel  : 
o.  such  ,ce,  where  the  sub,nerged  portion,  extending  to  the  land,  left  a 
sulhcent  water  way  for  the  ship,  Nares  fonn.l    safe  though  not  invitin. 

r,'rir""°"' ""' '""  ""•' '"" '°°" '™''-"'  "■  •'>•  "■"  -"'^  f-™'^^ 

XV'hiL.  ,nost  of  the  ship's  co.npany  were  briefly  engaged  in  the  usual 
labors  lor  secunng  the  safety  of  the  ship  and  stores,  Llent.  P.  Aldrich 
accompanied  by  Adan,  Aylcs,  s.t  out  Sept.  .,,  with  two  dog-sled^esJ 
Jogs  and  sledges  for  the  expedition  had  been  secured  at  Disco-t^nder 
orders  to  p.oneer  a  route  round  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  on  the  north  side  of 
Grant  Lan.l,  for  a  larger  party  which  was  to  follow.      Four  days  later, 
tounnantler  Markbam,  with   Lieuts.  A.  A.  C.  Parr  and  W.  H    Mav 
s.arte.1  with  three  sledges  to  establish  a  depot  of  provisions  as  far'.o  the' 
.northwestward  as  would  be  fonn.l  practicable.    On  the  37.h   Al.lrich  and 
Ayles,  (rom  a  mountain  top  2000  feet  high,  in  latitude  83°  48',  descne,! 
■he  WKle-extending  land  to  the  northwestward  as  far  as  S,°  ,'    with 
lolty  mountains  to  the  south.      They  returned  to  the  Alert  on  the  ith  of 
Octobe.,  afler  an  absence  of  fourteen  days.       A  week  later  they  entered 
on  the  Arctic  night,  the  sun  having  disappeared  below  the  hori.on-  and 
on  .  e  ,4,h  Markham  returned  after  a    trip  of  nineteen  days,  hiving 
estab hshed  the  depot  at  S-  +,',  and  tracing  the  coast  two  n,iles  farther 
to  what  mtght  be  regarded  as  the  exact  latitude  reached  by  Parry  else 


j0 


<J78 


/tOrAL   AJiCTlC   THEATER. 


where,    nearly    half    a    century    before.      Markham's    party    comprised 
iwenty-one  men  and  three  officers,  of  whom  seven  men  and  one  officer 
returneii  liadly  frost-bitten,  three  so  severely  as  to  require  amputation, 
the  thermometer  ranging  through  the  trip  from  15°   to  22°  below  zero. 
Meanwhile,  from  the  3d  to  the  i3th,  Lieut.   Rawson   had   made  an  un- 
successful attempt  to  open  communication  with  Capt.  Stephenson  in  Lady 
Franklin  Sound.     The  ice  was  found  impassable  within  nine  miles  of  the 
ship,  being  rotten  and  unsafe  in  the  channel,  and  piled  up  thirty  feet  hi<rh 
on  the  shore,  while  the  deep  snowdrifts  in  the  ravines  made  the  overland 
route  equally  impracticable. 

The  usual  effiarts  to   amuse  and   instruct   the   ship's    company   were 
inaugurated  under  the  auspices  of  the  commander,  who  says  that  of  fifty. 
five  men  who  composed  the  crew  ..f  the  Alert,  only  two  were  found  who 
could  not  read.       Besides  the  school  for  instruction  there  were  lectures, 
readings,    concerts,   and    theatrical    representations,    Thursday    of  each 
week   being  devoted    to  these  entertainments.       The  first  theatrical  per- 
formance was  given  on  the  iSth  of  November,  and  was  thus   formally 
announced:      "  The  Royal  Arctic  Theatre  will  h^  opened  on  Thursday 
next,  the  iSth  inst.,  by  the  powerful    Dramatic  Company  of  the  Hyper- 
boreans, under  the  distinguished  patronage  of  Capt.  Nares,  the  members 
of  the  Arctic  Exploring  Expedition,  and  all  the  nobility   and   gentry  of 
the    neighboriiood."     On   the    Discovery    similar   entertainments   were 
given,  its  theater  being  opened  Dec.  1,  and  the  plays  being   rendered  al- 
ternately  by  officers  and  men.       Each  vessel   had  a  small  printing  press 
which  was  used  for  issuing  programmes  and  bills  of  fare  on  occasions  of 
great  dinners.    On  the  anniversary  of  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  Nov.  5,  they 
had  a  bonfire  on  the  ice,  and  burnt  Guy  Fawkes  in  the  approved  style, 
Christmas  was   thus  observed:  "First  of  all,  in  the  morning  we  have 
Christmas  waits  in  the  usual  manner.       A  sergeant  of  marines,  the  chief 
boatswain's  mate,  and  three  others,  went  around  the  ship  singing  Christ- 
mas carols  suited  to  the  occasion,  and  made  a  special  stay  outside  thecap- 
tam's  cabin.     On  the  lower  deck  in  the  forenoon  there  were  prayers,  and 
after  that  captain  and  officers  visited  the  mess  in  the  lower  deck,  tasted 
the  pudding,  inspected  the  decorations  which  had  been  made,  and  so  on. 


■S  UCCES^FUL    /H;XTL\(i. 


679 


Then  the  boxes  of  presents  by  frien.ls  in  En<,.lancl  were  bnn.jrht  cut 
the  n..me  of  h.m  for  whom  it  was  intended  havinj.  been  already  fixed  to 
each  box,  and  the  presents  were  then  distribi.te.l  by  the  captain.  Rin<r. 
inj,^  cheers,  which  sonnded  stran<.e  cnouj,.h  in  that  lone  place,  were  give^n 
for  the  donors,  some  of  liicm  very  dear  indeed  to  the  men  who  were  so 
far  away  from  their  homes.  Cheers  were  also  jjiven  for  the  captain,  and 
tor  absent  comrades  on  the  Alert.  A  choir  was  then  formed,  and  "  The 
Roast  Beef  of  Old  En^Man.l  "  had  its  virtues  praised  again.  The  men 
had  their  dinner  at  12  o'clock,  and  the  officers  dined  together  at  5. 

An  observatory  had    been   erected  on    Discovery   Bay;  and  careful 
notes  of  the  changes  of  temperature  were  kept  on  both  ships.     One  day 
early  in  March,  the   thermometer  on  the   Alert  showed    73°  7',  and  on 
the  Discovery  72°  30'  below  zero;  while  on  the  former  a  mean  tempera- 
ture  of  66°  29'  for  five  days  and  nine  hours,  and    on  the  latter,  of  58° 
17'  for  seven  consecutive  days,  was  reached.     At  one  time  the  variation 
ranged  60°  in  a  few  hours.     In    February  the  mercury   was  frozen  for 
fifteen  days  in  succession;  and   again,  later  in   the  season,  for  about   the 
same  length  of  time.     Notwithstanding  the  cold,  which  was  not  only  a 
direct  hardship,  but  also  often  rendered   their   breech-loading  guns  tem- 
porarily  useless,  the  hunting  parties  were  quite  successful  in  both  camps. 
Those  of  the  Alert  secured   six  musk-oxen,  twenty  hares,  seventy  geese, 
twenty-six  ducks,  ten  ptarmigans,  and  three  foxes,  while  the  men  of  the' 
Discovery  had  still   better  success  in    musk-oxen  and  hares,  and   also  a 
piece  of  special  good  fortune  in  killing  seven  seals.  They  had,  moreover, 
brought  from   England  fish,  beef,  and  mutton,  which   they  hung  up  on 
the  masts,  where  they  were   soon   frozen  hard,  and  perfectly    preserved. 
They  had  also  brought  some  sheep,  which  they  killed  from  time  to  time. 
"  The  sun  re-appeared  on  the  last  day  of  February      From  November 
till  February,  with   the  exception  of  the  starlight  and  occasional    moon- 
light, we  had  been  in  darkness,"  says  the   chaplain,  "not  by   any  means 
dense,  but  sufficiently  murky  to  excuse  one  for  passing  by  a  friend  with- 
out   knowing  him."     And  now  the  time  for  sledge-exploration  was  near 
at  hand;  and  it  became  important  to  est.iblish  an  understanding  between 
the  two  ships,  so  as  to  secure  concert  of  action.    Accordingly,  on  the  1 2th 


"*«•-*•   I! 


Hil"  \' 


680 


ffli'A  UAfOXT  'S   yo  UliNE  T. 


«>»   March,    1876,    sul)-lieutoii;iiit    I';i<;ert(m  and    [Jeut.     Rawsoii,   accom- 
panied   by   Christian   Petersen,  interpreter,   were   dij-patched   to   attempt 
once  inore  to  open  coinninnicatiot.    with   Capt.   Stephenson.      I-'onr  days 
later  they    retiuned   to    the   Alert,    Petersen    havinjjr   completely    broken 
down.      His  hands  were  paralyzed,  and  his  feel  so  badly  frozen  as  to   re- 
<inire   amputation,  which,  iiowever,  did    not  save    him,  as,  despite  all  ijio 
care  and  attention  of  Dr.  Colan,  tlie  ship's  sur<,'con,  lie   died   some   three 
months   later.      E^erton    and  Rawson,  accompanied    hy  two  serunen,  rc- 
snincd    the  attempt,  and  were   successful ;  and    communication  as   well  as 
co-operation  between  the  sledjjfc-parties  of  both  vessels  were  established. 
Lieut.  Beaumont  of  tl^-.'  Discovery,  in  command  of  eij^ht  men,  crossed 
Robeson  Channel  with  <(reat  ditliculty    over  llie  broken  and   movinj^  ice, 
and  explored  the  Greenland  coast  to  latitude  S2  '  iS'.     Scurvy  broke  out 
amonj?   his  men,  and  two- died  before  reachin;j;  Polaris    Bav.      Bcauinor.t 
pushed  on  to  his  limit,  but  four  others  succumbed  soon  after  turnin;,'  their 
faces  to  the  s'lips.      The   three   that    were   not   disabled    hauled    the   sick 
with   the    provisions   on    the  single  sledi^e,  always    makin<^  the    journey 
twice,   and   often    thrice,   over  the  rouf^h,  hummocky  ice.     "The   <>allant 
band,"  saj's  Nares,  "stru<,'<rled    manfully   onward,  thankful  if  they  made 
one  mile  a  day,  init  never  losinj?  heart."      Wliile    tliey    were  thus   labor- 
injr  on  in  the  heart  of  a  frozen  desert,  a  search  parly  consistiti'j^  of  Lioiit. 
Rawson,   Dr.    Coppinoer    and    Hans,    the    Escpiimaux,   was   dispatched; 
and   had  the  j^ootl   fortune  to  fall  in   with  them  when   the   remaininj,'  as- 
sistants of  Beaumont    were    on    the  point  of  also  succumbin;^  to  tlie  dis- 
ease.     The  three  officers  had  now  for  a   time  a  monopoly  of  the  hauling- 
business,  but  no  more  lives    were  lost,  and  the  party   reached  their  ilcpot 
of  provisions    on    Polaris    Bay,    where   the   well   succeeded   in    siiootiiiir 
jjame,  and  the  invalids  soon   recruited.      Includinj,'  a  Ien<^thened   slay  at 
that  point,  they  were  absent  fiom  the  ship  one    hundred   and   thirty-two 
days.       Lieut.   Archer  surveyed    Lady   Franklin    Sound,   and    found   its 
head,  sixty-five  miles  inland,  surrounded  by    lofty  mountains  and  glacier- 
filled  valleys.      Lieut.  Fulford  and   Dr.    Coppinger  explored   Peterinanii 
Fiord  or  liay,  which  also  was  found  to  terminate  in  a  steep  glacier-front. 


So 


me  good  coal  was  found  on   Discovery    Bav.      These    local   trips  and 


BXE^fPTfo^r  of  officers  from  disease.  ^^ 

Haumonfs  Greenland  Division  of  Arctic  exploration  constitute  ti,e 
Discovery  s,uota;  the  Alert's  nK.  took  ciutr.e  of  .he  NVe..,,,  ,,, 
Northern  D.v.sions.  Lieut.  Aldrich,  with  seven  n,e:,,  explored  two  hun- 
.ired  and  twenty  n.Ies  to  the  west  side  of  Grant  Land,  .hulin.  noth.n-. 
.n  s.^dU  beyond  but  the  wide-expanded  sea.  On  his  return,  when  n,c^ 
hy  a  rehef  party  under  Liet.t.  May,  only  one  of  his  men  was  i.  ..  condi 
tion  to  assist  in  hnulin^  four  .lisable.l  comrades,  while  tiie  other  .  >  feobl  v 
strujrjrled  aionfr  by  the  side  of  the  sled<'e. 


J« 


i 


lil^tdVKKV    ll.W. 


It  was  noticeable  that  the  officers  in  all  these  sled-re-journey.  escaued 
the  sctnvy,  while  nearly  all  the  men  were  attacked.  Cap,,  y  -,.  was 
severely  criticised,  on  the  return  of  the  expedition  to  En<,.land,  for 
allej^ed  nej^lm  of  sanitary  precautions,  in  ndlin^  to  provide  liberal 
st.ppl.es  of  anti-scorbutic  remedies  on  these  trips;  but  it  was  learned  that 
the  same  dirtbronce  in  health  hotwee.  o.lleer,  and  n.en,  wa.  n,anitl:.t  on 
the  vessels.      Men    who    had    tuH    bee.t    detailed    tbr   :.uv    of  thes.    cxpe- 


i: 


't 


Qii'i 


St  ARK  HAM  'vV  SLElHiE-yoUIiNHr. 


..: 


II 


y 


ilifions,  but  had  all  alou^'  been  within  reach  of  hyjjieiiic,  medical,  aiul 
anti-scorbutic  treatment,  were  also  attacked,  there  beinj,'  no. less  than 
thirty-s.x  cases  at  one  time  on  the  Alert.  It  was  therefore  probably  due 
to  the  «fenerally  superior  physical  condition  and  tho  {^reate-  self-helpful- 
ness  of  the  t)tficers,  that  the  disparity  was  due;  and  the  same  phenomenon 
may  be  noticejl  in  any  epidemic.  The  better-kept  men,  intellectually 
morally  and  physically,  alwjiys  show  the  smallest   percentage  of  deaths. 

MARKHAM'S     SLEDGE-JOURNEY. 

The    frreat    exploring     feat    of    the    expulition    was    performed   by 
Commander  Markham's  party.     Accompanied  by  Lieut.  Parr,  Dr.  Moss 
and  Mr.  White,  one  of  the  en,5,nneers,  and  twenty-eij^ht  men,  he  set  out 
for  the  north  on  the  3d   of  April.     The  equipment   consisted  of  four 
eight-men  sledges— so  called  because  each   was   manned    by   seven   men 
and  an  officer,  two  boats  for  possible  navigation  in  northern  waters-  four 
lents,  eleven  feet  long,  and  about  seven  wide;  and  between  1700  and  iSoo 
pounds  of  provisions  to  each  sledge.     The  sledges   were   named    Marco 
Polo,  Victoria,  Bulldog,  and  Alexandra.     The  costume  of  the  men  was 
composed  of  a  thick  woolen,  blanket-like  material,  under  a  suit  of  duck 
to  repel  external   moisture.     On   their  feet,  besides   thick   woolen    hose 
were  worn  blanket-wrappers  and  moccasins;  and  all  wore  spectacles  as  a 
protection  against  snow-blindness.     Each  slept  in  a  separate  bag  of  the 
same    heavy  woolen  material  as  the  ('  /-clothing,  and   the  eight,  in  the 
compass  of  the  eleven  feet  of  tent,  which  again  was  of  tht    same  warm 
material.     Breakfast  was  taken  before  quitting  the  bags,   and  consisted 
of  a  pannikin  of  cocoa,  some  pemmican  and   biscuit.     After  five  hours' 
travel  a  lunch  of  biscuit,  with  four  ounces  of  bacon  and  a  pannikin  of  hot 
tea,  was  taken;  and  at  the  close  of  the  day's  journey,  varvinty  from  te.'  j. 
twelve  hours,  when  the   tents   were  pitched,  and   all,  except   the  acting 
cooks,  were  snugly  ensconced  in  their  bags,  a  supper  of  pemmican  and 
tea  was  served.     Willi  the  pemmican  was  always   mixed  a   certain  pro- 
portion  of  preserved  ptj^;;;X<, 

For  the  first  few  d. -,  s  .W'  progress  was  made,  though  from   the  out- 
set the  way  was  rough  uid  difficult,  and  the  temperature  rather  low  for 


THE  SKA   OF  .i.yc/H.\r  ICK. 


tlMH 


comr<.rt-un  the  6th  it  was  35'  hdow  zero.     () 


provision 

vious 

sled 


H  at 


Capo  Joseph  Ilciiiy,  estabiishcl  1 


u   rcachiiijr   thr   .U«p,,t   „f 


!»soii,    the    party    Wiis    re- 


irra 


,'es,  and  ii  total  \vcij,'ht   in 
ed  Markhain  and  V. 


'»«' 


)ef()re  the  clone  ot  the  pre- 


Fift 


pi 


fen     inen,    with    three 


ovisions   aiK 


....     ,  ,  supplii.s   „f  6079   pounds, 

accompanied  Markhain  and  Pair  over  the  hi,h,  .-ou.h  lunn.nocks  of  the 
"Sea  of  Ancient  Ice."     On  the  loth,  ^  Distance  ina.le  ,..od,"  sav-  M,,k 
ham,  "one  mile;  .listance  mar.he.!,  seven."     On   tl,e    i.th    it    wis    . ./ 
made  .oo<l  to  nine  travele.!;  the  .7th,  .  .^  to  nine;  an.l  <,n  the    .Sih    one 
to  ten,  and  takin,.  ten  hours  to  do  it."    ^Course  an.l  distance  made  cn.od 
nortn,  four  miles;  distance  marche.1,  thirteen  miles,"  and   simil-ir  entries 
mark  the  most   favorable   proportions.     But  often  only   a  single  sled.^e 
could  be  dragged  over   the   hummocks   at  a  time   with    their   combined 
force,  thus   requirin,.  five  successive   trips  to   cover    the   same  piece  of 
{(round;  and  this  was  sometimes  varied  by  two  additional   trips   to   cirrv 
forward  a  few  disabled  comrades.     On    the    ,9th   it   was  deemed    advi- 
sable to  lighten  the  burden  by  leaving  one   of  the  boats  behind-it   wis 
not  likely  they  should  nee.l  m<.re  than  one  tor  all  the  '^  Open  Pol-.r  Se.'- 
th.y  would  fall  in  with.     This  weighed  about   Soo  pounds,   but   two  of 
the  men  were  prostrated  by  the  scurvy,  and  had  to  take  its  place      »  Be 
fore  quitting  the   boat,  an   oar  was    lashe.I   to   its   mast,  and    the    mast 
stepped,  yard  hoisted,  and  <lecorated  with  some  old  clothes,"  to   serve  '.s 
a  signal  whereby  to  reach  it  on  their  return. 

With  the  hummocks  recurring  every    hundred  yards  or  so,  varying 
only  ni  height,  and  the   intermediate   spaces  covered    with  <lrifted  snow 
ndges,  and  the  temperature  almost  constantly  below  .ero,  their  pro-^ress 
was  necessarily  slow-very  slow,  snail-like,  and  tortuous.     "The  Jour 
ney,'  says  Nares,  "was    consequently  an   incessant   battle  to  overcome 
ever-recurring  obstacles,  each  hard-worn  succes.  stimulating  them  for  the 
next  struggle.      A    passage-way    had    always   to   be   cut    through    the 
squee^ed-up  ice  with  pickaxes,  an  extra  one  being  carried  for  the   pur- 
pose, and  an  incline  picked   out   of  the  perpendicular  side    of  the   hi^h 
Hoes  or  n>adway  built  up,  before  the  sledges-generally  one  at  a  timel 
could  be    brought  on.     Instead   of  advancing  with  a  steady  walk,  the 
-uai  means  of  progression,  more  than  half  of  each  <lay  was  expended 


-n^^n 


ff 


n 


':     •;{' 


L!i.. 


'331 


6vJ4 


r//E  HIGHEST   LATITUDE  EVER  REACHED. 


by  the  whole  party  facing  the  sledge  and  pulling  it   forward   a    few  fuet 
at   a    time."      On   the  last  day  of  April   they   were   compelled  to  halt  in 
the   presence  of  a  new  enemy,  the   fog,  which  endangered    their  becom- 
ing entangled  in  a  labyrinth  of  hummocks.     This  wearv  work  was  con- 
tinued  through   the  first   ihird  of  May,  with   a  constant    increase  in  the 
number  of  the  sick,  when  it  was  decided  to  leave  them  behind,  while  the 
stronger  ones  were  to  make  a  final  push  for  the    highest  point  attainable. 
.\  camp  was   established  for  the  invalitls,  provisions  and  supplies  on  the 
1 1  til,  and   left   in   charge   of  the  cooks.     On    the    morning   of  the    lith, 
Markham  and  Parr,  with  such  of  the  men  as  were  still  in  a  condition  to 
venture  forward,  set   out,  encumbered   only  with  a   few   instruments  and 
the  national  colors,      Markham  thus  relates  the  last  advance:     "We  had 
some    very   severe    walking,    through    which   the    labor  of  dragging'  a 
sledge    would    l)e    interminable,    and    ()ccasionally    almost   disappe;inni,r 
through  cracks  and  fissures,  until  twenty  minutes   to   noon,  when   a   halt 
was    called.     The   artificial   horizon    was   then  set  up,  and  the  fiags  ami 
banners  displayeil,  these  fluttering  out   bravely  before  a  southwest  wind, 
which  laticr,  however,  was  decitledly  c(jld  and  unpleasant.     At  noon  we 
obtained    a  good  altitude,  and   proclaimed  our  latitude   to  be  83^  20'  26' 
north,  exactly  three  hundretl   and    ninety-nine   and    ()iie-half  miles  tVoin 
the    North    Pole.     On    this   being   duly    announced,  three    cheers   were 
given,  v/ith  one  more  for  Capt.  Nares;   then  the  whole  party   in  the  ex- 
uberance of  their  spirits  at  having  reached  their  turning-point,  sang  'Tlie 
Union  Jack  of  Old   England,'  by  the   grand  Paheocrystic  sledging  cho- 
rus, winding  up  like   loyal  subjects,  with   Kiod    Save    tlie   Queen.''  "     In 
the   camp   they  celebrated   the  event    with    increased   spirit,  even  the  in- 
valids growing  more  cheerful  in  the  prospect  of  a  speedy  return.     vSotne 
extra  refreshments,  reserved  for  the  occasion,  were  distributed,  adding  to 
tiie  general  exhilaration.     The  leaders,  Markham  and  Parr,  though  they 
had  reacheil    the   highest   point   ever  attained,  were    no    more   than  half 
content  at  the  meager  result  of  so  many   hardships.      But  thev  were  des- 
tined soon  to  find  that   the  decision   to   return   was   the   salvation   of  the 
party,  as  almost  all  the  men  were  stricken  down  with  icurvv  befnre  teach- 
ing Depot  Point,  near  Cape  Joseph  Henry.      By  forced  marches  mul  in- 


% 


ACHED. 

forward  a  few  feet 
;ompelletl  to  halt  in 
jifered  their  beconi- 
;ary  work  was  con- 
aiit  increase  in  tiic 
1  behind,  while  the 
est  point  attainable, 
md  supplies  on  the 
rning  of  the  i3th, 
ill  ill  a  condition  to 
w  instruments  and 
dvance:  "We  had 
bor  of  dragrsfin"-  a 
Imost  disappearing 
noon,  when  a  halt 
),  and  the  flags  and 

a  southwest  wind, 
sant.     At  noon  \vc 

to  be  83''  3o'  26' 
le-half  miles  tVoni 
three  cheers  were 
le  party  in  the  ex- 
ig-point,  sani;-  'The 
ystic  sledj^inij  cho- 
the  Queen.'"  In 
spirit,  even  the  iu- 
w'dy  return.  Some 
tributed,  adding  to 
Parr,  though  they 
10  more  than  half 
Hut  thev  were  dcs- 
le  salvation  of  the 
curvy  before  reacii- 
-'d  marches  aiul  in- 


THE  POLE  /MPRACTICABLE 

085 

<lo,mnu.e  energy  they  succeeded  in  getting  the  n.en  to  camp  on  June  7; 
and  whde  :,Iarl<han.  watched  and  labored  for  their  comfort,  Parr  se.  out 
for  the  Alert,  thirty  miles  away.     Equipped  with    only   a   walking-stick 
anu  1.   couple  of  light    rations,  he  trudged  ofT  alone  to  hurry    up  T  relief 
party,  stimulated  by  the  consciousness  that  on  his  exertions  depended  the 
Ide-chances   of  those   he   had   left  behind.      Fortunately  he  proved  equal 
to  .ne  en.cr:....y,  and  in  twenty-,^>ur   hours    reached  Ihe   ship.      BeLe 
midnight  of  the  Sth,  Capt.  Nares  was  on   the    way   to    Depot    Point,    at 
.he  head  .^  a    relieving   party.      Lieut.    May,  Dr.    Moss,  and   a    seaman, 
w.h  a  hght  dog-sledge,  were  sent  f;,rward  as  a  lightly-equipped  advance 
party,  and  reached  the  camp  in  fifty  hours  from  Parr's  departure.     Short 
a^  had  been  the    interval,  one  of  the  sick,  George    Porter,  had   died,  and 
was  already  In.rie.l  in  the  snow;  '.ut  no  other  life   was   lost.     Of  the  fif 
teen  men  wh.  left  Depot   Point  two  months   before  with  Markham   and 
Parr.on,y  three  were   able  to  assist  in  .Iragging  the  sledges  back;  three 
other,  struggled  along  behind,  often  falling,  and  sometimes  faintin<.;  while 
nuK.  had  been  utterly  prostrated  an.i  had   to  l,e  carried  on  the  sledges  in 
the  ted.ous  manner  already  described.      They  nad  reached   seventv  miles 
north  of  Grant  Land  over  the  Pala^ocrystic  ice,  as  Nares  called  it" 

Capt.  Nares  concluded  to   return  to   England.     The   condition  of  his 
crews  much  enfeebled  by  disease,  and   the   results   obtained    bein-   sub 
Mant.ally  equal  to  any  he    was  likely  to   secure  by  a  prolonged   stay   de- 
ternnned    him    to    abandon   all   further  attempts.      While    he   could    not 
.iouht  that  another   season's    work   ^vould    extend   the   area  of  land    ex 
plorcd  „n  either  side  of  Robeson  Channel,  he  was  firmly  convince.!  that 
"-Hvanc.  to  th..  north,  sufikient  to   compensate  f;>r  the  exposure  of  his 
men  and  sh.ps,  was  attainable-that  in  a  wor.l,  "The    Pole  was  impracti- 
cable.'     There  can  be  no  question  that  such  is  the  fact  in  that  direction 
nnless  u  will  ],e  found  that  some  seasons  are  more  favorable  than  the  one 
of  ..S7^>.     It  is  possible  that   the  more   extended    meteorological  observa- 
t.on.now  [,SS2]  being  prosecuted  in  Arctic  regions  and  elsewhere   may 
lea<l  to  the  detection  of  regular  cycles  of  temperature,  with  their  period's 
of  greatest  and  least  cold,  an,'  tbn.  enable  Arctic  explorers  to  .hoose  the 
most  favorable  season  for  the   coming  attempt  to    traverse  the  remaining 


M. 


I.  .    ■ 

^^n'^                                   ^^^^1 

*i*     B 

ifitmar 


M 


,Mt,  ;,',{ 


h.''  ■"■* 

a^^lji  ' 

J 

m. 

^ 

6-ir, 


TRIBUTE    TO  HALL. 


four  huiulrcd  miles  to  the  Pole.  But  with  the  "Sea  of  Ancient  Ice"  as 
Nares  found  it,  no  amount  of  human  energy  or  heroic  daring  could 
achieve  the   feat  of  reachinjr  it. 

Among  the  acts  performed  by  this  expedition,  one  of  inter.jational 
courtesy  is  worthy  of  mention.  It  was  a  pleasing  and  graceful  act  to 
the  memory  of  a  great  navigator  who  has  been  undeservedly  under- 
rated by  some,  because  his  methods  were  peculiar.  These  foro-ct  that 
each  fresh  advance  is  made  possible  only  by  the  departure  of  each  new 
pioneer  from  the  beaten  track  of  his  predecessors.  On  the  13th  of  M;iy 
1876,  Capt.  Stephenson,  in  the  presence  of  twenty-four  officers  and  men 
of  Nares'  expedition,  erected  at  Hall's  grave  an  appropriate  brass  tablet 
prepared  for  the  purpose  i:i  England. 

And  later,  in  his  report  to  Parliament,  Nares  bore  testimony  to  the 
accuracy  of  Hall's  observations,  thou<Th  with  confessedly  defective  in- 
struments, in  these  words:  "The  coast  line  (west  from  Kennedy  Chan- 
nel) was  observed  to  be  continuous  for  about  thirty  miles,  forming  a  bay, 
bounded  toward  the  west  by  the  United  States  range  of  mountains,  with 
Mounts  Mary  and  Julia  and  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  agreeing  so  well  with 
Hall's  description  that  it  was  impossible  t(j  mistake  their  identity.  Their 
bearings,  also,  although  differing  upward  of  thirty  degrees  from  those  of 
the  published  chart,  agreed  precisely  with  his  published  report." 

Capt.  Nares  now  concluded  to  retiu-n  to  England;  and,  cncounterin<>^ 
many  difficulties  from  storm  and  ice,  arrived  home  on  the  27th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1876,  after  an  absence  of  sixteen  months,  with  his  ships  uninjured, 
and  with  onlv  the  loss  of  life  already  mentioned.  Notwithstanding 
some  adverse  criticism  from  stay-at-home  navigators,  closet  theorists,  and 
paper  philosophers,  the  expedition  was  properly  regarded  as  a  great  suc- 
cess, and  its  heroes  were  deservedly  honored  by  theii  country  with  sub- 
stantial tokens  of  regard,  as  well  as  with  the  hearty  plaudits  of  the 
people. 


CHAPTER    LXXIV. 


SC.IVVATKA  KXPEDXTIOX-THK  EOTHEX  _  OPPrCERS  AVD  CUEVV_lv 
KING  Wri^OAM's  I.AXD_CO.VKrHMATrOV  OP  KAE's  TESTrMOVV- 
ORAVE  OP  r^XEUT.  IRVrVO-HOMAOE  PROM  AMERrc.V  AVO  OREAT 
KRITAIN. 

The  fate  of  Franklin's  crew  and  ships  has    continued  to  interest  iu- 
<,u.rmg  and  sy„.pathetic  minds  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  even  up  to 
the  present.       The  public  suspense  regarding  Franklin's  individual  de- 
cease had  been  relieved  by  M'Clintock  in  1859;  but  there  still  remained 
the  mystery  of  the  ships,   of  the   fate  of  their  companies,  and  of  the 
record  of  their  achievements.    Some  idea  of  their  general  course  could  be 
gathered  from  the  scanty  records  of  Gore  and  Crozier,  but  this  was  unsat- 
-sfactory  and  vague,  and  left  a  deep  want -a  demand   for   knowledc^e 
unsupphed.    The  information  gained  by  Hall  on   his  second  voyage  a>n 
firmed  the  hypothesis  of  Rae.  that   the   most  of  the   partv  had  died  by" 
starvahon;  though  concerning  the  actual  course  of  Franklin  and  the  f.te 
of  h.s  ships,  Hall  left  the  world  no  wiser  than  before. 

Early  in   the  summer  of  ,878,  Lieut.  Schwatka,  U.  S.  A.,  who  h.l 
taken  an  active  interest  in  the  subject  from  boyhood,   asked   for  leave  of 
absence  from  his  place  of  duty  on  the  plains,   came   to  New  York    and 
asked  permission  to  organize  a  search  party,  for  the  purpose  <.f  discover- 
.n,.  the  supposed  records  of  Franklin's  last  voyage.       After  listenin  .  t,. 
l-propo.sition,Judge  Daly,  of  the  Geographical  Societv,   gave    him' all 
the  .nformation  in  his  possession  concerning  the  probable  \vhereabouts 
<'»thom,ssn,g  treasures;  commending  him   also   to    Gen.    Sherman   and 
-orsn.g  his  application  to  be  detailed  to  command  the  exploring  party 
The  heutenant  also  conferred  with  Messrs.  Morrison  &  Brown,  of  South 
street,  concerning  the   u.e   of  a   whaling  vessel  for   the   transportation 
^^  the  party  to  the  scene  of  their  labors.      Their  only  available  ship  the 


'  'f* 


H 


6r<8 


I  HE  EC)  7  J I  EX. 


Eothen,  was  at  sea,  but  ujion  her  arrival  in  New  Yori^  lier  owners 
offered  her  for  the  use  of  the  expedition,  and  she  was  refitted  in  the  Itost 
manner  for  the  comfort  of  the  part}-. 

Prior  to  his  departure  Lieut.  Schwatlva  received  instructions  for  his 
procedure  as  follows,  from  Mr.  Morrison:  "  Upon  your  arrival  at  Re- 
pulse Bay  you  will  prepare  tor  your  inland  journey  by  building  your 
sletlges  and  takin«.^  such  provisions  as  are  necessary.  As  soon  as  suffi- 
cient  snow  is  on  the  grountl  you  will  start  from  King  William's  LiukI 
and  the  Gulf  of  Boothia.  Take  daily  observations,  and  whenever  vou 
discover  any  error  in  any  of  the  charts  you  will  correct  the  same,  mark- 
ing  thereon  also  any  new  discoveries  you  may  be  fortunate  enou<rh  to 
make."'  He  was  further  a  Imonisheil  to  carefully  preserve  all  records 
found,  and  kec])  them  safely  in  his  own  possession  or  to  intrust  them  to  his 
Esquimaux  interpreter.  Finally,  he  was  advised,  even  though  his  expe- 
dition jjroved  a  failure  in  its  particular  end,  to  make  it  a  geographicnl 
success,  as  his  facilities  for  doing  so  would  be  excellent. 

The  Eothen  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  19th  (jf  June,  1S78,  lieiii"- 
accompanied  down  the  bay  by  several  tugs  containing  the  friends  and 
relatives  of  the  explorers.  Her  officers  an<l  cre\\-  were  as  follows:  Cap- 
tain, Thomas  F.  Barry ;  Jeremiah  Bomepus,  chief  mate;  James  Pieppcr, 
seconti  mate;  James  Kearney,  boatswain;  H.  Omenheuser,  cooper; 
Frederick  Woern,  blacksmith;  Charles  Budley,  carpenter,  and  ten  sea- 
men.  The  exploring-  party  was  composed  of  '^wc  persons:  Lieut. 
Frederick  Schwatka,  commander;  Col.  W.  H.  Gilder,  a  Nev,-  York  cor- 
respondent; Joseph  Ebierbing,  Esquimaux  guide  and  interpreter;  Henry 
E.  Klietchak,  civil  engineer,  and  Frank  Mellers,  assistant  engineer. 

After  leaving  the  investigating  party  at  the  scene  of  their  adven- 
tures, the  Eothen  cruised  al)out  .*"or  whales  a  short  time,  and  tinally  re- 
turned to  New  London. 

Schwatka  and  his  comrades  spent  the  winters  of  iSyS-gand  1S79-S0 
in  investigating  King  William's  Land,  the  supposed  last  resting  place  of 
most  of  Franklin's  men.  In  this  work  they  were  greatly  assisted  by  the 
activity,  intelligence  and  willingness,  both  of  their  native  interpreter 
whom  they  had  brought,  and    also   of  the    Esquimaux   of  the   neighbor- 


'■*^,jij 


■  York   licr  owners 
refitted  in  the  liest 

nstructions  tor  liis 
your  arrival  at  Re- 
y  by  l)uildin<^  your 
As  soon  as  suffi- 
g  William's  Lund 
and  whenever  vou 
:t  the  same,  mark- 
rtunate  enouj^h  to 
(reserve  all  records 
)  intrust  them  to  his 
II  though  his  expo- 
it  a  geographicni 
it. 

June,  1S7S,  being 
g  the  friends  and 
"e  as  follows :  Cap- 
x-;  James  Pieppcr, 
cnheuser,  cooper; 
ntcr,  and   ten  sea- 

■  persons:     Lieut, 
a  New  York  cor- 

interpreter;  Henrv 
ant  engineer, 
le  of  their  adven- 
le,  and    fnially  rc- 

178-9  and  1S79-S0 
>t  resting  place  of 
tlv  assisted  by  the 
natix'e  interpreter 
of  the   neiirhbor- 


JiAE\S    TESTlMO.yr  CONFIRMED.  ggg 

hood  whieh  they  were  examining.  !n  the  summer  of  1880  many  inter 
cstn,g  relies  of  Franklin  and  his  party  were  diseovered.  There  were 
n.any  pieees  of  wood,  iron  and  other  material,  whieh  by  names  marked 
upon  them,  or  by  other  signs  were  proved  to  have  belonged  to  one  of 
the  two  sh.ps.  Many  artieles  with  private  marks  |^vere  diseovered.  The 
general  testimony  borne  by  Rae  in  .854  receive'  ample  confirmation, 
and  n.any   add.t^onal   proofs  of  the   fate   of  Franklin  and  his  men  were 


GRAVK  OK  MKlT.    IKViNG, 


unear,hc,l.  No,  only  „as  the  recnni  „f  M'Clintock's  dkcoverv  in  ,S,g 
™n  whe,.o  ,K.  ,.  ,  .,„„„„„,  ,,  ,„,  .,^  ^„^_^  „^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^  J9^ 
h»l  hoc,  f„„„,  „„,,  „„,,„,„  ^^   1,;^    ^,,^,^  ^^^_^^^    ^^_^  ^^,^  ^^^^ 

.n..,v  ,cl,c.,.,f  interest.       There  were  scverni   eooking.stoves  with  their 
»coon,,„„„„^  ,„pp^,.   ,^^,|^^_   ,__^^.  j^^  ^^^^^^^^^^^ 

ami  brass  iiistniinents.  and  an  open  "rivt-  wh»r,  ,    .     i- 

f"--' ■•■"".  where  was  discovcrej  , I  quan- 
tity o.  bine  eloth,  par.  of  which  was  wrappe,!  aronn.l  a  body. 


i 


f»    1 


I 


■h' 


'"S^Ji^T^ 


ii'.H) 


//OAJAGE  FROM  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


Upon  one  of  the  stones  at  the  foot  of  this  ijrave  a  medal  was  found, 
whicli  was  thickly  covered  with  jj^rime,  and  so  much  the  color  of  the 
clay  stone  on  which  it  rested  as  nearly  to  escape  detection.  It  proved  to 
he  a  silver  medal,  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  portrait  of 
Georj^e  IV,,  surrounded  hy  the  words:  "Georgius  IIII.,  D.  G.  Brittamii- 
arum  Rex,  1S20;"  on  the  ohversc,  a  laurel  wreath  surrounded  hy  "  Scc- 
oiul  Mathematical  Prize,  Royal  Naval  College;"  these  words  inclos- 
ing tlic  following  inscription:  "  Awarded  to  John  Irving,  Midsummer, 
1830." 

This  place,  then,  was  proved  without  a  doubt  to  he  the  grave  of 
Lieut.  Irving,  third  olficer  of  the  Terror.  The  body,  as  well  as  all  the 
skeletons  found,  was  buried  decently  and  the  best  tombstones  whicii 
could  be  improvised  were  set  up  to  mark  the  spots  occupied  by  the  Urit- 
ish  dead.  Every  endeavor  was  used  to  discover  the  grave  of  Sir  John 
Franklin,  but  without  success.  The  search  for  the  records  confirmed  tl.e 
generally  accepted  theory,  that  those  imjjortant  documents,  if  any  existed, 
had  been  irrecoverably  lost  or  destroyed. 

On  his  return  late  in  the  summer  of  iSSo  Schwatka  received  great 
homage  from  the  American  Government  for  his  discoveries,  and  also 
from  the  English  nation,  for  his  delicate  and  humane  service  to  the  re- 
mains of  the  lost  English  subjects.  This  found  voice  in  the  expressions 
of  many  distinguished  Eng'-.hmen,  among  them  Capt.  Snow,  Sir  Geo. 
Nares,  Mr.  Clements  R.  Marknam,  Sir  Leopold  M'Clintock,  and  others 
of  Arctic  fame.  All  agreed  that  Lieut.  Schwatka  had  performed  a  val- 
uable service,  and  one  whose  performance  by  an  American  should  call  for 
the  utmost  gratitude  from  all  Britain. 


CHAPTER    LXXV. 


i-or.AK   vovAo.s-,.„K  SO..A  ..   kino's    .av-vovaok  to  th. 

MOUTH    OK   T„K    Onr-SAMOVK»    TKXTS-A    PHOnr.KM    TN    NAV.OA- 
TIOX      SO.VKO-.OKOKNSKUWs       PK  K.AK  AT.OX  -  -  .„s     SLEDGE- 

JouKx,.:vs_KUN,>s  ..KovinK„__,,rK   vkc;a  purchased. 

Though  Sweden  was  late  to  take  part  in  A.ctie  exploration,  she  has 
already  reached  an  nnportant  position  amon.  the  nations  in  the  seale  of 
results  actually  achieved.     Fo,-  this   she  is  largely   indebted   to  the   skill 
an    cnterpnse  of  her  adopted  son,  Adolf  Eric   Nordenski.Ul,  a  native  of 
Hclsn.gtors,  the  capital    of  Russian   Finlan<l.      I„   consequence   of  a   pa- 
tnofc  toast  given  by  hin.  at  a  supper  party  in  .855,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three,   he   was   deprived   by   Count    Von    Berg,    the   Russian  governor- 
general,  o    .  small  official  position  he  held  in  the   museum   of  his    native 
cty.      I  o      ,s  was  added  the  insult  of  being  declare<l   incapable   of  hold- 
.n.oihcen.  the    university,   where    he    nad   conn-nue.l   his   studies   since 
gnKlua,n>g  with  distinguished  honor  some   years    bef^>re,   and  where   he 
ha<l  entered  as  a  stu.lent  in  ,849.      He  was  an   ardent    nationalist,   and  a 
tHorn  ,n  the  side  cf  the  paternal  government  of  the  representative  of  the 
c^ar.     1  he  ancient  constitution  had  been  guaranteed   to   Finland   at   the 
-on  with  Russia,  in  tSo9,  but  the  guarantee   has   proved  illusory,   and 
the  people  are  ruled  almost  as  autocratically  as  in  Russia 

Nordenskiold  left  the  country  and  took  service  with  Sweden,  becom- 
ing State  n.ineralogist  in  ,858,  and  evincing  from  the  first  an  active  in- 
erest  n.  Arctic  exploration.  The  very  next  year,  ,859,  he  is  found 
ngaged  m  the  expedition  fitted  out  at  the  expense  of  Otto  Torell-  and 
fron.  that  year  to  1878,  he  took  part  in  no  less  than  seven  .Arctic 
ex-Fd.t,ons,  in  all  of  which  he  was  either  the  leader,  or  held  an  impor- 
tant place.     The  expenses  of  these  were  defrayed  in  part  bv  private  sub- 

091  -    I 


^^^  VAJilOUS  POLAR    VOrAGKS. 

scription,  and  in  part  by  the  Swedish  government,  Dr.  Oscar  Dic'cson 
a  wealthy  merchant  of  Othenburg,  hein-  a  liberal  contributor  to  five  of 
them.  These  expeditions  were,  to  Spitzbergen  in  1861  and  -.864;  an 
attempt  to  reach  the  Pole,  in  186S;  to  Greenland,  in  1S70;  to  Spitzber-ci 
again,  in  iS;::-^;  to  the  Yenisei  River  in  Siberia,  in  1S75,  and  again"  i>, 
1876.  Besides  these  there  were  two  Arctic  voyages,  in  1868  and  iS-i, 
by  Baron  Von  Otter,  Swedish  Councillor  of  State,  and  Minister  of  Ma- 
rine. By  all  these  voyages  the  stock  of  information  in  relation  to  Spitz- 
bergen  and  Greenland  and  the  adjoining  seas,  was  largely  increased;  and 
the  intervals  were  devoted  by 
Nordenskiyld  to  studies  and  in- 
vestigations relating  to  what  he 
had  from  his  first  arrival  in 
Sweden  made  a  life-work. 

In  the  polar  voyage  of  1868, 
with  the  steamer  Sofia,  latitude 
Si''  43'  was  reached,  and  the  at- 
tempt to  push  farther  north  from 
the  Seven  Sisters  of  the  Spitz- 
bergen  group  is  thus  described  by 
Nordenskiold  :  "  Northward  lay 
vast  masses  of  ice,  as  yet  broken, 
it  is  true,  but  still  so  closely  packed 
that  not  even  a  boat  could  pass 
forward,  and   we   were  therefore 

oliligcd  to  turn  to  the  southwest,  and  seek  for  another  opening  ii. 
the  ice;  but  we  found  on  the  contrary,  that  the  ice-limit  stretched  itsdf 
more  and  more  to  the  south.  On  the  way  we  iiad  in  several  places  met 
ice  that  was  black  with  stones,  gravel,  and  earth,  which  would  seem  to 
indicate  the  existence  of  land  still  farther  north.  Moreover,  the  ice  itself 
had  a  very  different  appearance  from  that  which  we  had  met  in  these 
tracts  at  the  end  of  August.  It  consisted  now,  not  only  of  larger  ice- 
fields, but  also  of  huge  ice-blocks.  Already  in  the  beginning  of  Sep- 
tember the  surface  of  the  ocean,  after  a   somewhat  heavy   fall   of  snow, 


PHOP.   A.    E.    NORDENSKIOLD. 


yorAGE   TO   TUB   OBI  AA'D   rENISEl.  C93 

had  shown  itself  between  the  ice-masses,  covered  with  a  coatin..  of  ice 
wh.ch,  however,  was  yet  thin,   and  scarcely  hindered  the  vessel's  pro..' 
rcss.     Now    (toward  the  close  of  September)    it   was  so  thick   that  \i 
was  not  without  difficulty  that  a  way  could  be  forced  throu<.h  it  " 

In  a  jjale,  a  few  days  later,  the  ship  was  dashec.  against""  an  iceber.. 
and  began  to  leak  so  badly  that  on  reaching  Amsterdam  Island  on  the 
4th  of  October,  after  eleven  hours  at  the  pumps,  there  were  two  feet  of 
u'atcr  on  the  floor  of  the  cabin.  Fortunately  the  engine-room  was  pro- 
toctcl  by  water-tight  bulkheads,  and  by  great  exertion  the  overflow  was 
kept  from  reaching  the  fires.  The  leak  was  temporarily  stopped,  and 
they  succeeded  in  reaching  a  more  secure  harbor  in  King's  Bav,  where 
at  ebb-tide  they  were  able  to  make  more  permanent  repairs,  and  render 
the  ship  once  more  completely  water-tight.  It  was  found,  however,  that 
she  was  radically  hurt,  two  of  her  ribs  having  been  broken  in  the  col- 
lision with  the  iceberg;  and  it  was  deemed  prudent  to  return  home.  The 
voyage  showed  that  the  ice  of  the  Spitzbergen  seas  to  the  north  was  still 
as  impracticable  as  Parry  had  found  it  forty  years  before. 

In  the  voyage  of  1875   to   the   mouths  of  the  Obi  and  Yenisei,  Nor. 
denskinkl  landed  on  the  8th  of  August  on  the  peninsula  of  Yalnial,  that 
is,  in  Samoyed,  Land's  End,  separated  from  Beli  Ostrov  or  White  Island 
by  Malygin  Sound.      It  had  been  reached  in  1737  by  Selifontov  in  a  rein-' 
dcer-sledge,  and  was  first  mentioned  in  the  narrative  of  Skuratov's  jour- 
ncv  nf  the  s.me  year.     A  more  southerly  portion  of  it  was  traversed  bv 
M.|c.(F  m  h;s  overland  journey   from   Obdorsk  to  the  Kara  Sea  in  1771"'. 
In  the  second  voyage   of  the  younger   Krusenstern   (Paul)   in   the   Kara 
Sea  ,n  .S62,  when  the  Yermak  was  abandoned  on  the  coast  of  this  groat 
Samoyed  peninsula  far  to  the  south,  in  latitude  69°  54',  the   commander 
ami    crew    escaped    to    the   land,   destitute   of  everything,   but   had   the 
good  fortune  to  fall  in  with  a  Samoyed  elder,   the   owner   of  2,000  rein- 
<lcer,  who  took  them  to  Obdorsk  about  600    miles  distant   by   the   route 
take.     »  We  saw  no  inhabitants,"  says  Nordenskiold,  "but  everywhere    • 
alo.,^^  the  beach  numerous  tracks  of  >ncn-some  of  them  barefoot-rein- 
^lecr,  dogs,  and  Samoyed  sledges  were  visible.     On  the  top  of  the  strand- 
bank  was  found  a  place  of  sacrifice,  consisting  of  fortv-five  bears'  skulls 


I  H' 


y  *1  f  I 


% 


■^»r^v  "u. 


i.  I.. 

If 


604 


SAMOTED  ENCAMPMENT, 


1!I       ' 

i 


of  variou'.  ajjcs  placed  in  a  heap,  a  large  number  of  reindeer  skulls    thf 
lower  ;avv  of  a  walrus,  etc.     From  most  of  the  bears'  skulls  the   canim; 
teeth  were  broken  out,  and  the  lower  jaw  was  frequent/  f  entirely  waiit- 
in<^.     Some  of  the  bones  were  ovcrj^rown  with  moss,  and   lay  sunk   in 
the  earth;  others  had,  as  the  adherinjif  flesh   showed,  been  phiced  there 
during  the  present  year.     In  the  middle  of  the  heap  of  bones  stood   four 
ercct  pieces  of  wood.     Two  consisted   of  sticks  a   metre  (3.38  feet)  in 
length,  with  notches  cut  in  them,  serving   to  bear   up   the   reindeer  and 
bears'  skulls,  which  were  partly  placed   on   the  points   of  tiie   sticks,  or 
hung  up  by  means  of  the  notches,  or  spitted   on   the   sticks  by  four-cor- 
nered holes  cut  in  the  skulls.     The  two  others,  which   c.early  were  the 
proper  idols  of  this   place   of  si.criflce,   consisted   of  driftwood   roots,  on 
which  some  carvings  had  been  made,  to  distinguish  the  mouth,  eyes,  aiid 
nose.     The  parts  of  the  pieces  of  wood   intended  to   represent   the  eves 
and  mouth,  had  recently  been  besmeared  with  blood,  and  there  still  lav 
at  the  heap  of  bones  the  entrails  of  a   newly-killed  reindeer.     Close  Iic- 
side  were  found  the  remains  of  a  fire-olace,  and  of  a  midden,  consisting- 
of  reindeer  bones  of  various  kinds,  and  the   lower  jaws   of  bears.     Sail- 
ing on  at  some  distance  from  the  coast,  and  at  one  place  passing  between 
the  shore  and  a  long  scries  of  blocks  of  gnnnul-ice,  which  had  stranded 
along  the  coast  in  a  ilepth  of  nine  to  sixteen  metres   (39^  to  52 J^  feet), 
during  the   night  we   passed   a   i^lace   where    five  Samoyed  tents  were 
pitched,  in  whose  neighborhood  a  large  number  of  reindeer  pastured." 

The  results  of  those  several  voyages  are  thus  summed  up  by  Nonlun- 
ski()ld:  "The  exploring  expeditions,  which,  during  the  recent  decades, 
have  gone  out  from  Sweden  toward  the  north,  liave  long  ago  ac([nirc(! 
a  truly  national  importance,  through  the  lively  interest  that  has  km 
taken  in  them  everywhere,  beyond  as  well  as  within  the  fatherland; 
through  the  considerable  sums  of  money  that  have  been  spent  on  tluMii 
by  the  State,  and  above  all  by  private  persons;  through  the  practii.;d 
school  they  have  formed  for  more  than  Miirty  Swedish  naturalisls; 
through  the  important  scientific  and  geographical  results  they  ha\c 
yielded;  and  through  the  material  for  scientific  research,  which  by  tlicin 
has  been  collected  for  the  Swed 


lish  Royal  Museum,  and  whicli  1 


las 


made 


In  /^' 


695 


,i'« 


h.U 


i}M»fm 


6!)« 


N()tiDtii\Sh'/OL/>\S  PUEPAfiA  7*/ONS. 


it,  in  respect  of  Arctic  iintitnil  objects,  the  richest  in  the  world.  To  Uiis 
should  he  added  discoveries  mul  investigations  which  are,  or  promise  in 
the  future  to  become,  of  practical  importance;  for  example,  the  meteoru. 
loj,'ical  and  hydroj^raphicai  work  of  the  expeditions;  their  comprehensive 
inquiries  rcgardinjjf  the  seal  ai\d  whale  fisheries  in  the  Polar  seas;  tlic 
pointing  out  of  the  previously  unsuspected  richness  in  fish  of  the  coasts 
of  Spit/.bc'r<>;en;  the  discoveries  on  Bear  Island  and  .Spitzberj^en  of  con- 
siderable strata  of  coal  and  phosphntic  minerals,  which  are  likely  to  W 
of  fjreat  economic  importance  to  neij^hborinj^  countries;  and,  above  ;ill, 
the  success  of  the  two  last  expeditions  in  reachin<;  the  mouths  of  the 
large  Siberian  rivers — the  Obi  and  Yenisei — navi{i;able  to  the  confines  of 
China,  whereby  a  problem  in  navif^ation,  many  centuries  old,  has  at  last 
been  solved.'' 

Thwse  experiences  and  labors  had  prepared  Nordenskiold  for  the 
great  triumph  he  was  to  achieve  a  few  years  later,  makin<jj  his  unpar- 
alleled success  the  hard-earned  and  well-deserved  result  of  constant  en- 
deavor, not  a  hap-bazard  achievement  or  lucky  hit.  lie  fouj^ht  a  iiard 
and  long-continued  series  of  battles  with  the  ice  king,  ascertaining  Ijoth 
his  strong  and  his  weak  points.  JSix  times  he  had  met  the  enemy  on  laiul 
and  sea,  in  Greenland  and  vS<|5itzbergen,  before  encountering  him  nil'  the 
north  coast  of  Siberia.  With  the  two  voyages  thitherward  in  1S75  and 
1876,  Nordenskiold  himself  connects  his  seventh  voyage  in  1S7S,  which 
was  destined  to  make  liim  one  of  the  most  famous  navigators  the  world 
has  ever  seen.  "After  my  return  from  the  voyage  of  1S76,"  he  say^,  '•  I 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  on  the  ground  of  the  experience  thereby 
o-aineil,  and  of  the  knowledge  whicii,  under  tlie  light  of  that  experience, 
it  was  possible  to  obtain  from  old,  especially  from  Russian  explorations 
of  the  north  coast  of  Asia,  I  was  warranted  in  asserting  that  the  open 
navigable  water  which  two  years  in  succession  had  carried  me  across  the 
Kara  Sea — formerly  of  so  bad  repute — to  the  mouth  of  the  Yenisei,  ex- 
tended in  all  probability  as  far  as  Bchring's  Straits,  and  that  a  circum- 
navigation of  the  Old  World  was  thus  within  the  bounds  of  jiossihility." 

The  great  navigator,  Hudson,  270  years  before,  had  satisfied  himselt 
that  the   Northeast   Passage  could   never  be  found  an  ;  ,    liable  route  for 


COMMERCIAL   RESULTS.  o(>7 

the  oinmcrcc  of  the  East.    Yet  the  earUcr  efforts  in  that  direction,  under 
WillouKhby  and  Chancellor,  in  1853-56,  had  opened  commercial   rela- 
tions with  Russia,  on   the  Wliite   Sea.     It  was   therefore  rijrhtly  jud<jetl 
l>y  Nfordenskiold  that,  besides   the  geographical    and    scientific'  interest 
iittachin-  t.)   navigation  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  from   the  Atlantic   to  the 
I'acitic,  no  trilling  commercial  results  would  accrue  from  openng  a  way 
to  tilt-  mouths  of  the  great  rivers  of  Siberia.     He  knew  that  a  northeast 
n.utc-  to  "Cathay"  was  no  longer  a  necessity  to  the  trade  of  North  Eu- 
lopo,  since  the  Suez  Canal  had  become  the  highway  of  trade  to  the  East, 
In.l  he  also  recognized  "  that  a  practicable   route  of  maritime  intercourse- 
ktueen  the  gulfs  and  estuaries  of  the  Obi  and  Yenisei  and  the  Atlantic, 
Oil  <.nc  hand,  and  the  mouths  of  the  Lena  and   the    Pacific  on  the  other,' 
would  open  half  a  hemisphere  to  commerce,  render  possible  the  exporta- 
tion of  agricultural  and  forest  products  from  immense  regions  of  remark- 
able   fertility,  and   thus   furnish  the   inhabitants   with  the   means   of  ex- 
chiinging  the  products  of  the  soil  with  the  industrial  products  of  Europe 
aiul  America,  those  conveniences  so  necessary  to  the  comfort   and  weU 
tare  of  the   poorest  denizens  of  more  tavo    \  climes.     It  will  always  be 
(litlicult  to  introduce  on  a  large  scale,  by  any  other  route,  the  heavy  ma- 
chiiKiy,  farm-engines,  steamboats,  etc.,  which  constituie  in  our  day  the 
levels  of  a  country's  civilization." 

Besides  tiic  very  practical  and  indispensable  education  which  Nor- 
(Icnskiold  had  thus  acquired  in  the  very  best  school,  he  had  made  him- 
self familiar  with  all  tliat  had  been  done  by  Russian  navigators,  explorers 
and  surveyors  along  tlic  north  coast  of  Siberia,  as  well  as  with  the  re- 
suits  attained  and  the  experiences  gained  by  the  great  navigators  of  every 
land.  He  had  made  sledge-journeys  like  Wrangell  anil  Parry  over  the 
sea,  ;nul  like  Middciidorf  and  Simpson  over  the  land.  He  now  felt  that 
an  exceptional  opportunity  had  arisen  for  solving  a  great  geographical 
piohlein,  which  for  more  tlian  30G  years  harl  occupied  tiie  attention  and 
excited  the  competition  of  the  foiomost  commercial  nations  and  most 
daring  navigators;  and  which,  if  viewed  in  the  light  of  a  circumnaviga- 
tioii  of  the  Eastern  hemisphere,  had  been  a  subject  of  geographical  inter- 


.11 


est  for  at  least  two   thousand 


vears. 


He  hatl   learned,  as  has  been  el 


se- 


M 


m 


t^H^^I 

■■ 

^^nf^H 

^H^^BH 

r       ^1,    j,SJ  pm 

698 


FUNDS   CONTRIBUTED. 


where  related  in  this  vokime,  that    Russian  navigators,  especially  Pront- 
schischev,  Laptew  and  Chelyuskin,  with   very  inadequate   resources,  had 
come  very  near  douhling  the  north  point  of  Asia.    In  view  of  these  facts 
and  his  own  experience  of  those  regions  in  1S75  and  1876,  he  reasonably 
inferred  that  their  failure  was  due  rather  to  the  imperfections  of  the  ves- 
sels employed,  than  to  any  insurmountable  obstacles  presented  by  the  ice 
and  that  a  strong,  well-equipped   steamer   would   be  able  to  penetrate 
where  they  liad  failed.    Thc.^e  Siberian  coasters  were  too  frail  to  encoun- 
ter the  ice-pack,  and   being  usually  flat-bottomed,  keelless,  and  held  to- 
gether with  willows,  were  equally  unfit  for  the   open  sea.     Nor  had  it 
escaped  his   notice  that  these   Russian  navigators  had  all   strangelv  mis- 
calculated  the  most  favorable   season  of  the  year  for  their  efforts,     hi 
1740   an  expedition  under  the   mates   Minin  and  Sterlegoff,  after  two 
experiments  in    173S  and  1739,  had   succeeded  in  -caching  75°  15'  north 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Yenisei,  when  they  returned  on  the  3d  of  Septcm-' 
ber,  because  of  the  supposed  lateness  of  the  season. 

Nordenksiold  was  in  possession  of  some  funds  placed  at  his  disposal 
for  the  purposes  of  exploration  by  the  merchant  A.  Sibiriakoff;  but  con- 
cluding to  give  the   new  expedition  a  greater  scope  and  a  more  adequate 
outfit  than  these  funds   would  warrant,  he   applied  to  the   king  to  ascer- 
tain whether  any  aid  might  be  expected  from  the  ptiblic  funds.     "  King 
Oscar,  who   already  as  crown   prince  had  given  a  large  contribution  to 
the  Tarell  expedition  of  1861,  immediately  received  the  proposition  with 
special  warmth."     Eventually  all    the  expenses,  less,  however,  the  cm- 
tnbutions  of  the  government— in  pay,  rations  antl  supplies  of  three  offi- 
cers, ii  duding  a  physician,  and  seventeen   men  detailed  from   the  navy 
for  service  in  the  expedition;  in  equipment  of  the    vessel  at  the  national 
dock-yards  at  Karlskrona,  not,  however,  to  exceed   $6,675,  '»'"!  i'^  "•!'  ■'- 
stores,  including  medicines,  to  the   extent  of  $2,750— were  defrayed  by 
the   king,  Dr.  Dickson,  and  AJr.  Sibiriakoff.     Dickson  acted   as  banker, 
supplying  ready  cash  as  needed  by  the  expedition. 

Besides  his  share  of  the  general  expense,  Sibiriakoff  authorized  Xor- 
denskiold  to  build  a  small  steamer  at  his  expense,  to  act  as  tender  or 
store-ship  to  the  exploring  vessel  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Lena,  whence 


!<;...»»' 


THE    VEGA. 


Cd» 


s'le  was  to  return  with  a  cargo  on  his  account;  and  to  fit  out  two  mer- 
c  mtmen,  one  a  steamer  and  the  other  a  sailing  vessel,  for  the  mouth  of 
the  Yenisei,  which  were  to  have  cargoes  both  ways-European  goods 
out,  and  Siberian  grain    baciv. 

The  next  important  preliminary  was  the  purchase  of  a  vessel  suitable 
for  the  voyage,  and  the  clioice  fell   upon  the  now  historic  Vega,  which 
was  thus  described   by  the   owner,   when   offered  for  sale,  a  description 
to  which   the    purchasers   i.mn.X    no    reason  to    take    exception:     "The 
steamer  Vega  was  built  ;it  Bremcrhaven  in  .S72-3,  of  the   best  oak,  and 
under  special   inspection.      She  has  twelve   years'  first-class   register,  and 
is  -f  357  tons   gross,  and  299  net,  burden.     She   was  built  and  used  for 
vvhale  fishing  in   the  North  Polar  Sea,  and   strengthened   in  every  way 
necessary,  and  commonly  used  for  that  purpose.     Besides  the  usual  tim- 
bering of  oak,  she  has  an    ice-skin  of  greenheart,  wherever  the  ice  may 
be  expected  to  come  at  her  timbers.     The  dimensions  are-Length  over 
deck,  142.3  feet;  keel,  1.3.3;  breadth  of  beam,  z^.y,   and  deptl^of  hold, 
15  feet.     The   engine,  of  sixty  horsepower,  is  on   Wolff's  plan,  with 
excellent  surface  condensers,  and   requires  about   ten   (twelve,  it  proved) 
cubic  feet  of  coal  per  hou,.     The  vessel  is  fully  rigged  as  a  barque,  and 
ha.  pitch-pine    masts,  iron  wire    rigging,  and    patent   reefing    topsails. 
She  sails  and  mananivers  uncommonly  well,  and  under  sail  alone  attains 
a  speed  of  nine   to   ten  knots.     During  the  trial   trip  the   steamer  made 
seven  and  a  half  knots,  but  six  to   se^•en   knots   per  hour  mav  be  consid- 
ered the   speed   undo  •  steam.     Further,  there  are  on  the  vessel  a  power- 
ful steam  Nvinch,  a  reserve   rudder,  and  a  reserve  propeller."     She  was, 
however,  thoroughly  overhauled,  strengthened  and   refitted  at  the  naval 
dock-vard. 


msi 


'!■•  If 


CHAPTER    LXWI. 

FUnNISHING   AND    MANNINd    OI"   TUK   VEGA THR    LEVA THE    FUASRK 

—  THE      EXPRESS  — THE      VE(;A      LEAVES       (JOTHENIUMIO  —  KIKST 

SCIENTIKIC     NOTES I>\VAUI'EI>    TREKS HARENTZ'    ICOUSE    I)(St  (>\-- 

KREI) fllAHAROVA  SAMOVEP     LIFE  —  TIIEI  R     I)EALIN(;s     WTTH 

THE      RUSSIANS THE     HOUSEHOLD    CJODS    OK    THE     SAMOVEDS A 

TADIIJE. 

Every  modern  appliance  had  been  secured.    vSciontific  instruments  for 
astronomical,  physical,  meteorolo<;rical  and   geoj^raphical   researciv  ,  liad 
been  furnished  by  the  Royal  Academy  of  .Sciences,  and  ample  provisions 
made  for   the    health  and  well-beino-   of  the   ship's   company,  when   the 
Vc<>:a,  already  described,  left   the    harbor  of   Kariskrona   on    the   221I  of 
June,  187S,  on  her  memorable  voyajje.     Her  crew  consisted  of  seventeen 
men  of  the  Royal  Navy,  in  charj^^e  of  Lieuts.  A.  y\.  L.  Palmer  and  H.  C. 
Brusewitz,  with  Palander  in  command  of  the  ship,  as  actin<if  captain,  and 
R.    Nilsson   as  sailing-master.       Lieuts.   A.    Hovijaard,  of  the    Danish 
Navy,  and  C.  13ove,  of  the    Italian,  who  had  obtained    permission   to  ac- 
company the  expedition,  and  serve,  respectively,  as  superintendents  of  it> 
meteorolojirical   and    hydroqraphicai  work,  were  also  on    l)oard.     On   the 
34th    tlie  Ve_<,fa  arrived  at  Copenhaj^en  to  ship  provisions,  and  leaving-  on 
the  26th,  put  in  at  Gothenburji:  on   tiie  27th  to  take  alioard   tiie   scieiititic 
equipments  and   the    o-entlemen  in  charge  of  the  several   departments  ot' 
that  work — F.  R,  Kjellman,  botanist;   A.J.  Stn.\i)ero-,  zoolo-rist ;  Lieut. 
O.  Nordquist,  of  the  Russian  Guards,  assistant  zdoloj>isl  and  interpreter; 
and    E,    Almquist,   lichcnologist   and    medical    officer  of  the   e\pe(hti(Hi. 
Hesides  the  Vega,  with    her   company  of  thirty  peisons,  of  wiioin  onl.- 
four   were   seamen,  the  others    being  officers,   engineers   and    scientists, 
the    other    three   vessels    already    referred    to,  and    which   belonged  to 

the    merchant,  Siliiriakoff,  were    at  the  disposal  of  the  cotnmander  cf 

700 


illt' 


,      THE    VEGA   LEAVEii  GOTH ENUUR(;.  701 

t!:c  expedition,  consisting  of  quite  a  little  fleet,  with    the  Ve-a  as  a   sort 
.-r  llag-ship.     They  were  the  steam-tender   Lena,  Christian  'johanncscn 
captain;  the  steamer   Fraser,  Emil  Nilsson,  captain,  and  the  sailing  vessel' 
Express,  imder  Captain  Gunderson,  with  their  respective  corps  of  petty 
otlicers  and   crews,  and  S.J.  Seribrienko/F  as  supercargo  and  representa- 
tive ot  the  commercial   interests  of  the  owner.     The  two  merchantmen 
ucv  to  meet  tlie  Vega  a.ul  iier  temler  at  Ciiabarova  on  Yugor  Schar  or 
\-aigats  Sound,  lying  between  the  island  of  that  name  and   the   Russian 
niainland,  which  was  also  the  appointed  rendezvous  of  the   Lena,  should 
>hc  get  separated  from  the  Vega.     The  name  Yugor  is  derived  from  the 
o!.l  name  of  the  adjoining   portion  of  the  continent,   Jugaria  or   Yugaria, 
th.  supposed  intermediate  seat  of  the  Hungarians,  between  their  depar- 
ture from  tlicir  original    Tartar  home  in  Central  Asia  and   their  migra- 
tion southwanl  to  their   present   location,  toward    the  close  of  the   nhith 
ce!ilur\-  of  our  era. 

On   the   4th    of  July   the   Veoa   left    Gothenburg,   hut   encounterino- 
head-winds  off  tlie  west  coast  of  Norway,  her  progress  was  slow,  and  k 
was  not  mitil  the  .7th  that  she  reached  Tromsoe,  where  she  was  to  take 
ahoanl  the  commander,  and  be  joined  by  tiu-  Lena.     Here  they  shipped 
three  walrus-hunters,  and    such   special    Arctic   equipments   as   reindeer 
^kins,  ],esides  coal  an<l  water.     On  the  2  ist,  about  fifteen  days  later  than 
i.ilcuded,  they  set  out   on   the    regular  voyage,   making   for   Maossoe,  a 
Mnall  island  of  tiie  Northern  Archipelago,  where  they  were  to  have  their 
last   mail   facilities.      Here   they  Avere   detained   three   days   by  adverse 
winds,  instead  of  th-it  many  hours,  as   anticipated.     They  were   hospita- 
I'lv  entertained  })y  the  inhabitants,  and  Nordenskicild  records  as  the  chief 
acKanlage  of  the  delay  an  efTective    remedy  for  scurvy.     The  cold,  wet 
diniate  of  the  island    makes  the  disease  an  endemic,  which   attacks  all 
classes  and  conditions  of  the  inhabitants;  but,  "  According  to  a  statement 
made  by  a  lady  resident  on  the  spot,  very  severe  attacks  are  cured  with- 
"ut  fail,  bv  cloud-berries  preserved  in  rum.     Several  spoonfuls  are  given 
the  patient  daily,  and  a   couple  of  quarts  of  the   medicine   is   said  ^o  be 
sutKcient   frn-  the  complete  cure  of  children  severely  attacked  by  the  dis- 
ease."    The  cloud-herrv  is  reco"fnizcd  as  an 


icient   anti-scorbutic. 


aiu 


tm, 


702 


SCIENTIFIC  NOTES 


i 


perhaps  may  be  thus  more  conveniently  taken,  but  it  owes  nothing  of  its 
efficacy  to  the  rum. 

Among  the  first  scientific  notes  of  the  expedition  was  one,  which  was 
due  to  their  unexpected  detention.  It  was  observed  that  the  sweet  birch 
now  grows  only  in  favored  spots  so  far  north,  while  formerly  the  outer 
islands  of  the  Archipelago  were  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth,  indica- 


TUB    CLOUD-BERRY. 


ting  a  gradual  lowering  of  the  general  temperature.  In  Siberia  it 
grows  to  about  a  degree  further  north,  or  73",  owing  to  the  large  volume 
of  warm  water  borne  by  the  great  rivers  eveiy  summer  from  the  more 
genial  southern  climes  through  which  they  flow.  The  dwarf-birch  is 
found  six  degrees  farther,  on  the  Ice  Fiord  in  Spitzbergen,  78'  7',  hut 
rises  there  only  to  a  few  inclies  above  the   ground.     It   is  not,  however, 


I       •' 


fijteau. 


iio^ivmtmo- 


THE    VEGA   A.YD  LENA   SEPARATE  -. -, 

any  species  of  the  birch  that  grows  forthest  to  the  north  in  Siberia,  but  a 
species  of  the  hardy  birch. 

Leaving  Maossoe  on  the  25th,  they  stea.ned  through  Mar..eroe 
Sound,  between  the  island  of  that  name,  the  northern  extremi^  of 
wh.ch  IS  known  as  North  Cape,  and  the  mainhuul  of  Norway.  The 
\^ega  and  Lena  parted  company  the  first  night  in  a  fog,  but  each  pro- 
ceeded on  its  way  to  Chabarova.  The  Vega  was  steered  due  east  t^ 
wthin  a  few  miles  of  the  west  coast  of  Nova  Zembla,  which  theV 
sighted  on   the   28th   at  70°  33'  by  51  °  54',  east,  in   about  seventy-five 


DWARFED  TREES  IN  SIBERIA. 

hours  from  Maossoe.  This  was  about  midway  between  the  Matotschin 
fechar,  or  Sound,  and  Yugor  Schar.  The  Matotschin  Sound  divides 
Nova  Zembla  into  two  large  islands  of  unequal  size,  the  larger  termina- 
ting at  Barentz  Land  away  to  the  north,  in  latitude  77%  the  chief  interest 
in  wliich  is  connected  with  the  fote  of  the  early  navigator,  thus  com- 
..emorated.  An  account  of  his  voyage  has  been  given  in  its  proper 
place;  but  a  fresh  interest  has  been  awakened  by  the  recent  discovery  of 
the  winter-house  erected  by  hin>.  and  his  companions  at  Ice  Haven,  in 
Bnrentz  Bay,  on  the  east  coast  of  Barentz  Land,  a  few  minutes  north  of 
latitude  76^     On  the  9th  of  September,  1S71,  Capt.  Carlsen,  a  Norwe- 


i!ir' 


'  slaiiJ^ii*K^ 


-«ir: 


4' 


704 


DISCOVERT  OF  BARENTZ'  HOUSE. 


gian,  while  circumnavigating  Nova  Zembla,  discovered  tlie  house 
with  many  interesting  relics,  in  a  remarkable  state  of  preservation 
and  brought  them  home,  whence  they  found  their  way,  througli  the  zeal 
of  Barentz's  countrymen  to  the  Hague,  where  they  are  carefully  pre- 
served.  "  No  man,"  says  Markham,  "  has  entered  the  lonely  dwellino- 
where  the  famous  discoverer  sojourned  during  the  long  winter  of  icn6 
for  nearly  three  centuries.  There  stood  the  cookin  .;  •  .  jvcr  the  fire- 
place, the  old  clock  against  the  wall,  the  arms,  the  j-,  ".,  the  drinki'io'. 
vessels,  the  instruments  and  the  books  that  beguiled  the  weary  hours  of 
that  long  night  275  years  before.  Perhaj^s  the  most  touching  relic  is 
the  pair  of  small  shoes.  There  was  a  little  cabin-boy  among  the  crew 
who  died,  as  Gerrit  de  Vere  tells  us,  during  the  winter.  This  accounts 
for  the  shoes  having  been  left  behind.  There  was  a  flute,  too,  once 
played  by  that  poor  boy,  which  still  gives  out  a  few  notes." 

The  more  southern  of  the  twin  islands  of  Nova  Zembla  is  separated 
from  Vaigats  Island,  to  the  south  b"  the  Kara  Part,  or  passage  to  the 
Kara  Sea.  The  part  of  this  island  .vhich  was  now  sighted  by  the  Veo-a's 
company  is  known  as  Gooseland,  because  of  the  great  numbers  of  geese 
aud  swans  which  breed  there.  By  the  end  of  June,  or  early  in  July,  the 
greater  part  of  Gooseland  is  free  of  snow,  and  soon  the  Arctic  flora  dis- 
closes all  its  splendor  for  a  few  weeks.  Giving  themselves  plenty  of 
sea-room,  but  in  the  main  following  the  trend  of  the  land,  they  proceeded 
to  the  southeast,  and  farther  on,  east-southeast,  to  Vaigats  Island,  of  which 
they  had  an  excellent  view,  the  air  being  exceptionally  clear.  From  the 
Murman  Sea  to  the  west  it  seemed  a  level,  grassy  plain,  but  on  approach- 
ing the  Sound,  low  ridges  were  seen  on  the  east  side,  which  were  re- 
garded by  Nordenskiold  as  the  last  spurs  of  the  great  Ural  Range, 
The}''  found  the  merchantmen  awaiting  them  when  they  arrived  at  Cha- 
barova  on  the  30th,  and  the  Lena  put  in  an  appearance  the  next  day. 
The  Fraser  and  Express  had  left  Vardoe  Island  off  the  northeast  coast 
of  Norway  on  the  13th,  and  had  been  in  harbor  since  the  20th. 

The  village  of  Chabarova  was  found  to  consist  of  a  Samoved  en- 
campment and  several  cabins.  These  were  occupied  by  nine  Russian  trad- 
ers from  Pustosersk,  about  400  miles  distant,  on  the  Petchora,  with  their 


=11 


BARENTZ'  HOUSE.        (EXTERIOR.) 


BAHENT2>  HOUSE.        (urraRIOR.) 


705 


i 

4 

'  li' 

' 

f 

i     ' 

l!^. 

3'->..'»i-  iS 


708 


SAM  or  ED  LIFE. 


Samoycd  servants.  The  tents  were  occupied  by  a  vSamoyed  tribe,  whicli 
make  this  its  usual  summer  rendezvous,  Vaigats  Island  affording  good 
pasturage  for  reindeer.  The  Russians  who  form  a  fishing  artel.,  or  com- 
pany, quit  Pustosersk  after  Easter  and  return  about  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber. Besides  their  equipments  for  fishing  they  bring  such  articles  as  are 
suited  for  trade  with  the  Samoyeds;  and  with  barter,  fishing,  and  the  cure 
of  reindeer,  of  which  they  own  several  hundred,  they  usually  make  a 
profitable  sojourn.  The  annual  product  of  train  oil  alone  ranges  from 
1,200  to  1,500  pounds,  of  which  their  jiatron  St.  Nicholas  receives  a  reg- 
ular tenth,  being  made  an  equal  shareholder  with  the  nine  active  mem- 
bers of  the  fishing  guild.  The  summer  occupations  of  the  Samoyeds  arc 
similar,  and  in  winter  some  retire  to  Pustosersk,  while  others  proceed  to 
Western  Siberia,  where  corn  is  cheap.  They  own  great  herds  of  rein- 
deer, the  chief  man,  or  elder  of  the  tribe,  owning  about  a  thousand.  In- 
stead  of  dividing  with  St.  Nicholas,  although  most  of  them  have  been 
baptized,  and  arc  nominally  Christians,  they  reserve  their  pious  offerin<;s 
for  the  shrines,  or  groves,  of  their  ancient  idols,  of  which  there  still  exist 
several  sanctuaries  on  Vaigats  Island.  ThL^  have  been  known  to  make 
pilgrimages  of  a  thousand  miles  to  the  more  famous  altars,  or  places  of 
sacrifice,  of  the  ancient  religion.  The  Russians  call  the  Samoyed  idols 
bolvani.,  that  is,  rude  images — equivalent  to  the  Samoyed  name,  sjaditi, 
from  s/a,  physiognomy;  and  exhibit  toward  them  a  sort  of  reverential 
respect.  Indeed,  each  party  is  getting  remarkably  tolerant  of  the  super- 
stitions of  the  others.  The  ikons  or  sacred  images  of  the  Russians  and 
the  bolvans  of  the  Samoyeds  hold  about  the  same  relation  in  the  reli- 
gious systems  of  their  respective  worshipers.  In  domestic  life  there  are 
two  important  differences  between  the  two  races,  one  in  favor  of  each  as 
factors  of  advancing  civilization.  "  The  Samoyed  has  one  or  more 
wives;  even  sisters  may  marry  the  same  man.  Marriage  is  entered  upon 
without  any  solemnity.  The  wives  are  considered  by  the  men  as  having 
equal  rights  with  themselves,  and  are  treated  accordingly,  which  is  very 
remarkable,  as  the  Russians,  like  other  Christians,  consider  the  woman 
as  in  certain  respects  inferior  to  the  man."  Yet,  a  Samoyed 
wife-murderer    has    been    known    to    plead    in    his    own    defense    that 


'■f''iitff'^'"fll#Wr'"».: 


THE  SUr.  'EME   aOD   OF   THE  SAMO-ED^.  ^^ 

'iK-  l>a,l    honestly  pai.l   for  h.r,  and  could   surely  do  as   he  liked  with 
his  own." 

This  little  horde  temporarily  sojourning    at    Chabarova    is    one    of 
several  sundar  bands  into  which  the   race  divides  up  for  convenience  of 
seeknv,^  sustenance.       The  race  now  nun^bers  only  about  10,000  persons 
.uul   the   scenes  of  their   nomadic   life  range  from  the  White  Sea  to  thJ 
Oh.   and    Yenisei,   with    their   w.de-spread    t.UKlras,  extending  from    the 
forest  lin.its  in  latitude  67°  to  the  Polar  Sea.       The   European  portion  is 
divided  by  the  Petchora.       With   their  herds  of  reindeer   they    wander 


SAMOYED  SLEDGB. 

over  the  dreary  wastes,  or  hunt    in  the  boundless  forests  farther  south. 

Ihou-  chief  intercourse   with   the   Russians  is  at  the  annual  fairs  of  Ob- 

<lorsk  and    Pustosersk;  and  as  usual,  the  poor  barbarians  have  learned  the 

worst  vices  of  the  Europeans.       They   are   much  given  to  drunkenness, 

surpassmg  the.r  Russian  teachers_no  easy   task.      The  supreme  god  o 

x^  ..nconverted  Samoyed  is  Yilibeambaertye,  who  resides  in  the  air,  and 

he  hem  ot  whose  garment  is  the  rainbow.     He  is  also  called  Num,  per. 

aps  borrowed  in  some  way  through  intercourse  with  other  races  from  the 

Latn,  IVu,nen,  a  divinity,  or  non^en,  a  name,  as  it  were  "he  of  the  uuspeak. 


1  ■ 


A    lADIBE. 


able  name."  Certain  it  is  that  they  regard  him  as  far  above  the  alTaiis  of 
men,  ami  their  worship  is  mainly  directed  to  the  inferior  gods  repre- 
sented by  the  idols  above  referred  to.  Small  idols  they  carry  about  with 
them,  and  the  larger  ones  are  kept  in  the  sanctuaries  of  the  race.  In 
every  train  there  is  a  sledge  devoted  to  conveying  the  idols  of  the  whole 
tribe.  Among  the  household  gods,  or  hahc^  of  a  Samoyed,  is  one  to 
watch  over  the  health  of  his  family,  another  over  his  marital  relations,  a 
third  over  his  reindeer,  and  a  fourth  over  his  fishing  nets  and  other  im- 
plements of  the  chase  for  food  on  land  or  water.  Whenever  the  ser- 
vices  of  any  of  these  is  required,  he  is  taken  from  his  repository,  his 
mouth  is  smeared  with  blood,  and  a  dish  of  fish  or  blood  is  set  before  him. 
When  his  aid  is  no  longer  required  he  is  hustled  away  into  his  receptacle, 
without  ceremony.  In  his  relations  with  these  he  is  his  own  priest;  but 
with  the  invisible  spirits  which  hover  about  in  the  air,  and  are  hostile  to 
man,  he  requires  the  services  of  a  tadibc  or  sorceror.  This  worthy,  when 
discharging  the  duties  of  his  sacred  oflice,  wears  peculiar  robes,  a  red 
cfoth  veils  his  face  and  eyes,  and  a  plate  of  polished  metal  shines  upon 
his  breast.  He  takes  his  drum  or  tambourine  and  walks  around  in  a  nar- 
row circle,  beating  the  instrument,  at  first  slowly  and  g  ntly,  then  with 
increasing  energy,  while  he  chants  a  mystic  hymn.  Soon  the  frenzy 
grows,  his  eye  gleams  with  a  strange  fire,  he  foams  at  the  mouth,  he 
pounds  the  tambourine  with  increasing  and  spasmodic  violence,  and  the 
melody  becomes  a  raving  shriek,  or  savage  howl.  He  now  sits  down  and 
receives  the  message  of  the  spirit,  and  announces  it  to  the  interested 
party.  The  tadibes  do  not  seem  to  be  conscious  impostors;  they  are  in 
the  main,  self-deceived.  Some,  however,  know  how  to  practice  the  well- 
known  feats  of  jugglery  which  have  attracted  so  much  attention  nearer 
home.  A  smart  tadibc  will  take  his  seat  on  a  reindeer  skin,  or  on  a  chair, 
with  his  hands  and  feet  tied,  and  having  the  light  lowered  o  removed, 
will  proceed  to  summon  spirit  help  to  release  him  from  his  bonds.  Un- 
expected noises  announce  the  approach  of  the  helping  spirits — bears  are 
heard  to  growl,  snakes  to  hiss,  and  squirrels  to  whisk  their  tails.  The 
spirits  never  seem  able  to  do  anything  without  these  accompaniments— 
strange  that   they   never  utter  any  sounds  but  such  as  are  easily  within 


and  hangfint 


NATIVE  PECULrARlTIES.  ,„„ 

reach  of  man's  imitative  powers;  announce  nothing  that  i,  beyomi  his 
power  of  conjecture,  or  do  anything  that  a  professional  juggler  cannot 
<!..  as  well  without  their  aid.  A  wild  look,  hagganl  face,  faded  or 
M.)oclshot  eyes,  a  shy  manner,  an  uncertain  gait,  ar.d  shattered  nerves- 
resulting  from  these  periodic  excitement, -mark  the  tadibes  am.mg  their 
fellows. 

These  barbarians  honor   the   memory   of  their  dead  with  sacrifices 
and  ceremonies  for  three  years  after  their  decease,  it  being  assumed  that 
then  at  least  the   body  has   become  entirely  decomposed,  and    lost  all 
past  sensations.     They  place  within  or  on  the  grave  some  of  the  most 
necessary  implements  used  by  the  deceased.     They    have   great   respect 
for  the  sanctity  of  an  oath,  the   most  binding  form  being  over  the  snout 
of  a  bear,  and  in   the  presence   of  a  lalvan,  which    they  -will   make   of 
snow  or  other  convenient  material,  at  a  moment's  notice.     Their  appear 
nnce  is  not  prepossessing-short  stature,  low  forehead,  small,  oblique,  flat 
nose,  prominent  jaws,  thick   lips    jet-black,  horse-like  hair,  scant  beard 
yellowsh  complexion,  with  little  symmetry,  are  not  the  accepted  constit- 
uents  of  "the    glass   of  fashion,   and    the    mould  of  form."     The  male 
Samoyed  is  content  if  his  reindeer  suit  keep  him   dry   and   warm-  and 
cares  httle  for  the  cut  of  the  garment,  or  its   cleanliness.     The  you'nger 
females,  however,  evince  considerable  taste  in  dress.     Their  best  usually 
consists  of  a  long  garment  of  reindeer  skin,  fitting  closely  at  the  waist 
and  hanging  in  graceful  folds   to  the   feet.     The  petticoat   has  two  or 
three  fringes  of  dogskin,  differently  colored,  with  strips  of  bright  cloth 
between;  and  the  boots  are  tastefully  embroidered.     But  it  is  to  the  or 
namentation  of  their   hair  that  they   devote  the  most  marked  attention 
It  IS  divided  into  two  long  braids  which  are  interwoven  with  bri^ht-col 
ored  ribbons,  beads,  buttons,  and  sundry  metallic  trinkets.     These  are 
artistically  continued  by  straps,  which  are  similarly  ornamented  and  nearly 
reach  the  ground,  giving  the   impression   that  the  whole  is  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  jet-black  hair. 

Their  manner  of  life   has  developed  a   piercing  eye,  a  sharp  ear,  a 

hand  and   a  6eet  foot,  but   taste  and   smell  are  either  defective  or 

They  are  good-natured,  phlegmatic,  and  inclined  to  melancholy  • 


oht 


"•WJiMSSS" 


710 


SIBIIHAKOFF  ISLAND— POUT  DICKSON. 


"f  ' 


yrateful,  hospitable,  and  kind;  free  from  cruel  or  reveiifjeful  feelings;  Imt 
are  rather  {jiven  to  indolence  and  a  sort  of  stoical  IndifFcrence  or  apathv, 
which  extends  to  even  the  final  exit  from  this  life.  Like  all  oppressed 
and  deceived  people  they  are  suspicious  of  their  more  crafty  neighbors; 
and  arc  opposed  to  all  innovations,  not  unnaturally  suspecting  them  of 
being  disguised  injuries.  They  have  been  crowded  from  their  best  pas- 
tures  and  within  narrower  limits  from  year  to  year;  and  while  recow. 
nizing  their  inability  to  cope  with  the  stronger,  they  have  necessa  ih 
grown  sullen  and  suspicious.  Their  language  is  of  the  agglutinative 
type,  that  is,  the  relations  of  words  to  each  other  in  a  sentence  are  ex- 
pressed by  suffixes  or  terminations,  glued  on,  as  it  were,  at  the  end,  prep- 
ositions,  prefixes  and  inflections  being  unknown,  and  the  plural  marked 
by  a  distinctive  suffix.  It  is,  however,  so  far  as  yet  known,  not  very 
closely  related  to  the  other  branches  of  the  so-called  Attaic  family. 

Nordenskiold's  expedition  quit  their  anchorage  off  Chabarova  on  the 
1st  of  August,  and   steamed  through  the  sound,  the  Fraser  towing  the 
Express  into  the  Kara  Sea,  which  extends  from  Nova  Zembla  to  Taimur 
Peninsula,  receiving  the   waters    of  the    Kara,   Obi,   Taz,  and    Yenisei 
through  the  gulfs  bearing  the  same  names.     It  was  found  that  "no  nota- 
ble portion  of  the  mass  of  fresh  water  which  these  great  rivers  pour  into 
the  Kara  Sea,  flows   through   Vaigats  Sound  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean; 
.nnil   that  during  autumn    this  sea  is  quite  available  for  navigation."     On 
the   2d  they  met  no  ice;  on  the  3d  only  ice  that  was  very  open  and 
rotten,  presenting  no  obstacle,  and   in  the  evening  arrived  in  sight  of 
the  large  island  of  Ueli   Ostrov.     The  Lena  had  been  dispatched  aliead 
with  three  of  the  naturalists,  under  orders  to  pass  through  the  sound 
which  separates  it  from  the  peninsula  of  Yalmal.     On   the  6th,  passing 
SibiriakofF  Island   in  the   mouth  of  the   Yenisei,  they   anchored  in  Port 
Dickson — 73°    30'    by  81° — on  Dickson    Island,   where  they  were  re- 
joined by  the  Lena  on  the  7th.     The  reader   will  recognize  the  names  of 
patrons  of  the  expedition  in  those  assigned  to  those  two   islands  in  the 
estuary  of  the  Yenisei.     Port  Dickson  had  been  so  named   in  Norden- 
skiold's first  voyage  thither  in  1875. 


CHAPTER    LXXVII. 

THE  VEGA  CONTINUES  HER  VOYAGE  TO  THE  NOUTHEAST  -  CAPE 
PALANDER-KING  OSCAR  BAY -THE  OLD  PROBLEM  SOLVED- 
THE  NORTHERNMOST  POINT  OF  ASIA— ANIMAL  LIFE— THE  VEGA 
AND  LENA  PART  COMPANY—NEW  ICE  BEGINS  TO  FORM  AROUND 
THE  VEGA— TCHUKTCHIS  — LIFE  AMONG  THE  NATIVES  —  REACH 
CAPE    ONMAN. 

On  the  9th  of  August  the  Fraser  and  Express  left  Per.   Dickson  on 
their  commercial  errand  higher  up  the  Yenisei,  and  on  the  loth  the  Vega 
and  Lena,  with  which  this  work  is  more  concerned,  weighed  anchor  for  the 
continuance  of  their  exploring  voyage  to  the  northeast.     On  the  morn- 
ing  of  the  nth,  while  lying  to  in   a   fog,  NordenskiOld   and  three  natu- 
ralists  landed  on  one  of  the  numerous  small  islands  in  the  estuary  of  the 
Pasina,  where  they  found  fifteen  species  of  flowering  plants-they  had 
found  seventeen  on  White  Island-six  species  of  birds,  but  no  mammalia, 
not  even  the  usual  polar  bear.     "By  afternoon  the  air  had  again   cleared 
somewhat,  so  that  we  could  sail  on.     A  piece  of  ice  was  seen  here  and 
there;  and  at  night  the  ice  increased  for  a  little  to  an  unpleasant  extent. 
Now,  however,  it  did  not  occur  in  such  quantity  as  to  prove  an  obstacle 
to  navigation  in  clear  weather,  or  in  known  waters.     On  the  12th  we 
still   sailed  through  considerable   fields  of  scattered  drift-ice,  consisting 
partly  of  old  ice  of  large  dimensions,  partly  of  very  rotten  ice  of  the 
current  year.     It  formed,  however,  no  serious  obstacle  to  our  advance, 
and  nearer  the  shore  we  probably  would  have   had  quite  open  water,  but 
of  course  it  was  not  advisable  to  go  too  near  land  in  the  fog  and  tm- 
known  waters."     Later,  it  was  found  necessary  to   move  the  vessel  to 
an  ice-floe,  and  they  were  thus  held  through  fog  and  ice  until  the    14th, 
when,  upon  a  partial   clearing-up  of  the  atmosphere,  they  steamed  for- 
ward tow.rd  Taimur  Bay.    All  detentions  and  stoppages  were  of  course 

711 


:'    \ 


I 


I 


^v'i"*^. 


713 


iVA  TURALIS TS    NO TES. 


Utilized  by  tlie  busy  naturalists  of  the  expedition.  Numerous  soi.ill 
islands  and  groups  had  been  discovered  since  leavini;-  Port  Dickson,  and 
named,  sfenerally  after  some  of  the  scientists  and  officers.  The  northern 
point  of  the  West  Taimur  Peninsula  was  named  Cape  Palander.  But 
they  had  not  gone  far  under  steam  on 
the  14th,  when  the  fog  again  compelled 
them  to  put  into  port.  Fortunately  an 
excellent  harbor  was  found  in  what  the 
commander  named  Actinia  Bay,  from 
the  large  number  of  actiniae,  or  sea- 
anemones,  which  the  dredge  brought 
up  there.  It  is  an  inlet  of  Taimur 
Sound,  running  into  the  southwest 
coast  of  the  island  of  the  same  name, 
at  the  entrance  into  Taimur  Bay  from 
the  west.  Here  again  they  were  de- 
tained until  the  i8th,  using  the  time  in 
explorations  and  investigations.  T!  ey 
found  the  sound  too  shallow  to  be 
passed  through  by  large  vessels. 
Animal  life  was  scant;  some  few  rein- 
deer were  seen,  a  mountain  fox  wjis 
killed,  and  a  lemming  caught;  and  ten 
or  twelve  species  of  birds  were  seen, 
among  which  were  six  waders.  Of 
these  and  some  young  ptarmigans, 
quite  a  number  were  shot.  Some 
thirty-four  species  of  flowering  plants 

were  noticed,  besides  tlie    usual    num-  arctic  hair  star. 

ber  of  mosses  and  lichens.  A  walrus  had  been  seen  during  the  voyage 
from  Port  Dickson,  and  now  a  number  of  seals  were  found  floatinff 
on  the  ice  in  Taimur  Sound. 

Again   weighing   at.chor    they    skirted    the    west    coast    of    Taimur 
Island,  threading  their  way   through  many   small   islands  still   p;'rtially 


THE   OLD  PROBLEM  SOLVED.  ^jg 

enveloped  in  fog,  requiring  the  almost  constant  use  of   their  steam-whis- 
tles to  keep  from  separating,  but  encountering  no  obstacle  from   ice,  such 
as  was  met  being  mostly  rotten  river  and  bay  ice.     On  the  19th  the  fog 
still  continuing,  they  steamed   by  a  large,  high,  unbroken   field   of  ice 
extending  from  a  small  bay  on   the  west  side   of  the  peninsula,   which 
caused  them  no  little  apprehension  that  they  might  find  it  impossible  to 
double  the  great  north  cape  of  Asia,  which  was  the  main  purpose  of  the 
expedition.     A  little  farther  on  they  had  the   good  fortune  to   find,  just 
west  of  the  low-jutt4ng  promontory_or  rather  in  the  fork  of  it-an  open 
bay  which  they  named  King  Oscar,  and   in   which   both  steamers  came 
safely  to  anchor  in  the  evenmg.     They  had  nowhere  met  such  old  drift- 
ice  as  IS  encountered  north  of  Spitzbergen.     "  We   had  now   reached   a 
goal,"  says  Nordenskiold,  "  which  for  centuries  had  been  the   object  of 
unsuccessful  struggles.     For  the  first  time  a  vessel   lay  at  anchor  off  the 
northernmost  cape  of  the  Old  Worid.     No  wonder  then  that  the  occur- 
rence was  celebrated  by  a  display  of  flags,  and  the  firing  of  salutes    and 
when  we  returned  from  our  excursion  on  land,  by  festivities  on  board,  by 
wn.e  and  toasts.     The  north  point  of  Asia   forms  a   low  promontory 
which  a  bay  divides  into  two,  the  eastern  arm   projecting  a  little   farther 
to  the  nortii  than  the   western.     A  ridge   of  hills   with  gently  sloping 
..des  runs  into  the  land  from  the  eastern  point,  and  appears   within  si^^ht 
of  the  western  to  reach  a  height  of  300   metres    (984  feet).     Like   the 
pla.ns  lying  below,  the  summits  of  this  range  were  neariy  free  of  snow 
Onlyonthesidesof  the  hills  or  of  the  deep   furrows  excavated    by   the 
streams  of  melted  snow,  and  in   dales  of  the  plains,  were   large   white 
snow-helds  to  be  seen.     A  low  ice-foot  still  remained  at  most  places  alon<. 
the  shore;  but  no  glacier   rolled    its   bluish-white   ice-masses  down   the 
mountainsides;  and  no   inland   lakes,  no  perpendicular  cliffs,    „o    high 
'nountan.  summits,  gave  any  natural  beauty  to  the  landscape,  which  was 
the  most  monotonous  and  the  most  desolate  I  have  seen  anvwhere  in  the 
High  North." 

Both  the  cape  and  the  immediate  tongue  of  land  back  of  it  are  now 
distinctively  known  as  Cape  Chelyuskin  and  Chelyuskin  Peninsula,  both 
-  the  honor  of  the   Russian   explorer  of  that   nan.e,  previously   men- 


714 


ANIMAL   LIFE. 


tioned.  The  great  Taimur  Peninsula,  of  which  this  tongue  and  cape 
form  the  extreme  northern  projection,  is  now  further  divided  geograph- 
ically into  a  West  and  East  Taimur  Peninsula  by  the  Taimur  Lake  and 
River;  and  it  is  to  the  eastern  half  that  Chelyuskin  Peninsula  belongs. 
Here,  facing  the  north  pole  and  snuffing  something  he  had  never  snuffed 
before,  was  seen  a  polar  bear;  but  while  Lieut.  Brusewitz  was  preparing 
to  pursue  him,  the  salute  to  Cape  Chelyuskin  had  scared  him  off,  and  he 
r.urvived  to  lord  it  over  the  animal  creation    'fter  the  departure  of  his 


STAK-FI&H  OF  NORTHERN   WATBHS. 

enemies.  Twenty-three  species  of  inconsiderable  flowering-plants  were 
found ;  some  insects,  chiefly  the  podurae,  or  spring-tail,  a  few  flies,  and  a 
beetle.  Of  birds,  a  large  number  of  saiid-pipers  and  barnaclo-gccse,  a 
loon,  some  kittiwakes  and  ivory-gulls  were  seen;  and  also  some  rcinains 
of  owls.  Of  mammalia,  the  solitary  bear  already  mentioned,  was  the 
only  live  representative  of  the  land  division;  but  traces  of  the  reindeer 
and  lemming  vere  found  on  the  plains;  while  marine  mammals  were 
represented  by  a  walrus,  several  seals,  and    two   siiuals  of  white  whales. 


THE    VEGA   AND   LENA  SEPARATE.  715 

The  position  of  Cape  Chelyuskin    was  determined  by  observations  on 
land,  but  with  an  artificial  horizon,  to  be  latitude  77°   36'    48"  and    io3=> 

I  y        I  2     « 

Quitting  King  Oscar  Bay  on  the  3ist,   the   two   steamers  proceeded 
east-southeast  until  they  cleared  the  East    Taimur   Peninsula,  reaching 
77    by  1 16- on  the  33d,   after  much  conflict  with  ice-floes..    Abandon- 
ing the  purpose  of  making  directly   southeast  for  the  islands  of  New 
S.bena,  because  of  the  ice-pack,  they  now  steamed  successively  to  every 
po.nt  of  the  compass  in  the  effort  to  get  into  open   water.     On  the   z^d 
they  were  still  badly  entangled,  and   made  but   little   progress,  having 
been  compelled  to  anchor  to  the  ice  twice  in  two  days ;  but  as  usual,  these 
forced  detentions  were  made  available  for  scientific  investigation      «  The 
yekl  of  the  trawl  net  was  extraordinarily  abundant;   large  asterias,  crin- 
OKls,  sponges,  holothuria,  a  gigantic  sea-spider   (pycnogonid),   masses  of 
worms,    Crustacea,  etc.     It  was  the  most  abundant  yield   that   the  trawl 
net  at  any  one  time  brought  up  during  the  whole  of  our  voyage   round 
the  coast  of  Asia,  and  this  from    the  sea  ofl^  the   northern   extremity   of 
that  continent."     Finally,  at  8 :  45  in  the  evening  they  sighted  the  penin- 
sula to  the  west;  and  were  now  able  to  push  rapidly  to  the  south,  in  an 
open  smooth  sea,  seven  to  ten  kilometres-about  four  to  six  miles-from 
land,  under  a  northwesterly  breeze. 

On  the  24th,  proceeding  still   southward  at  about  the  same  distance 
from  land,  they  observed  a  chain  of  mountains  a  little  way  inland,  about 
2,000  to  3,c«o  feet  in  height,  and  like  the  plains  along  the  coast,  entirely 
free  from   snow.     At  noon,  with  no  ice  in  sight,  they    reached   Prev- 
braschenie  Island  at  the  entrance  to  Ch.ntanga  Bay;  and  landing,  killed 
two  bears,  and  made  some  scientific  observations.     Weighing  anchor  at 
.0:30,  and  passing  the  mouth  of  Nordvik  Bay  in  the  night,  thev  reached 
the  north  coast  of  the  mainland  on   the   35th,  and  proceeded  "due  east 
from  longitude  1,4;  along  which-but  in  the  main  a  little  to  the  west  of 
it-they  had  sailed  since  getting  clear  <,f  the  ice  to  the  north.     On   the 
26th  .t  noon  they  were  in   longitnde    133%    and    at    night   encountered 
shoals  off  the  mouth  of  the  Olonek.     On  the  ens„i„^  night   the    Ve^a 


and  Lena  parted  company  in  the 


open  sea  in  about  longitudt 


V^ 


30' 


716 


THE  LENA  REACHES  lAKOUTSK. 


fT 


'il 


off  Tumat  Island,  about  40'  north  of  the  Lena  Delta.  Some  rockets 
were  fired  off,  and  Capt.  Johannesen  received  his  final  orders,  passport, 
and  copies  of  Russian  official  letters,  instructing  such  representatives  of 
that  nation  as  he  might  fall  in  with,  to  render  whatever  assistance  miwlit 
be  needed.  During  the  whole  voyage  the  ships  had  encountered  much 
fog,  but  no  ice  of  any  consequence  until  after  passing  Cape  Chelyuskin 
and  then  only  when  they  struck  out  across  the  Polar  Soa  toward  New 
Siberia.  While  they  followed  the  coast  they  found  open  water,  always 
at  a  safe  distance  from  the  land  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  ice-pack  on  the 
other.  It  was  therefore  demonstrated  that,  at  least  in  seasons  as  favor- 
able as  1878,  the  whole  voyage  may  be  made  without  meeting  any 
serious  obstruction  from  ice.  The  Lena  reached  lakoutsk  on  the  21st  of 
September  amid  great  rejoicings,  being  the  first  ocean-steamer  that  had 
«ver  reached  that  far  inland  city,  about  800  miles  from  the  sea. 

After  parting  with  the  Lena,  as  stated,  the  Vega  kept  on  to  the  east, 
reaching  132°  at  noon  of  the  28th,  and  sighting  Stolbovoi   Island  in  the 
afternoon.     The  29th  was  spent  in  working  around  through  rotten  ice, 
causing  some  detention,  and  compelling  them  to  proceed  to  the   north  of 
Stolbovoi,  and  then  southeast  toward   Liackov  or  Lachow  Island,  reach- 
ing 140°  at  noon  of  the   30th.     Finding  ice  heaped   up  in  rather  forbid- 
ding quantity  on  the  west  coast  of  the  island,  Nordenskiold  relinquished 
his  purpose  of  landing ;  and  the  Vega  kept  on  her  way  to  the  southeast, 
passing  the  famous  Sviatoi  Noss,  the  northernmost  point  of  the  mainland 
opposite   the  New   Siberian    Islands,  in  the  night.     They  here   noticed 
new  ice  beginning  to  form,  though  the  temperature  by  their  instruments 
was  not  quite  as  low  as   the  freezing   point.     On  the  ist  of  September 
they  were  at    150'',  about  one  degree  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  Indi- 
girka,  and  on  the  2d  the  temperature  fell  to  one  degree  below  zero.     On 
the  3d  snow  began  to  fall,  and  when  they  arrived  off  Bear  Islands,  north 
of  the  mouth  of  Kolyma,  both  vessel  and  land  were  lightly  covered  with 
it.      The  channel   west  and  south  of  the  islands,  through  which  they 
passed,  was  almost  free  of  ice,  but  a  little  further  out   ice  was  abundant, 
and  on  the  4th,  east  of  the   islands,   heavy  masses  were  found  to  have 
•drifted  south,  compelling  the  \ ^'^'i-  to  bear  down  nearer  the  coast  toward 


mmmm 


mmmmm 


■i*ii~*i*ti:iL.'±.u.iu^-i.  .  ,  ],  _  ^__ 


,  'Kl^iil: 


TCHUKTCHIS.  ^j^ 

.:.e  Greater  Baranow  Rock.  Indeed,  ever  since  doubling  Svia.oi  Noss, 
he  , CO  seen  wa.  more  .ike  tha,  to  be  me.  off  Spitsbergen,  than  anv  they 
had  h,therto  encountered  on  thi,  voyage;  but  no  icebergsor  large  glacier 
b  ocks  had  been  ,net  or  sighted.  On  the  j.h  they  were  off  the  n,ou.h 
of  the  Baramcha,  ,o  often  mentioned  in  the  account  of  Wrangell's  sled..e- 
journeys,  boldly  .steaming  through  some  of  the  scenes  of  his  .Greatest 
pcrds,  and  making  about  fifty  miles  a  d,ay.  Passing  the  entra'nce  to 
Tchaun  Bay  m  the  night,  they  reached  Cape  Schelagskoi  at  4  o'clock  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  6th. 

The  monotony  of  the  voyage  was  at  length  about  to  be  relieved. 
They  received  their  first  visit  from  natives.     Two   boats,  not  unlike  the 
oonnaks  of  the  Esquimaux,  set  out  from  the  land,  fully  laden  with  men 
women  and  children,  clamorihg  to  be  taken  aboard  the  Vega.     These  of 
course  were  the   reader's  old  acquaintances,  the   Tchuktchi  of  these  re 
g.ons.     u  The  type  of  face,"  says   Nordenskiokl,  »  did   not  strike  one  as 
so  unpleasant   as  that  of  the  Samoyeds  or  Esquimaux.     Some  of  the 
young  g.ris   were   not  even  absolutely  ugly.     I„   comparison  with  the 
Samoyeds  they  were  even    rather  cleanly,  and   had  a  beautiful,  almost 
redd.h.wh,te  complexion."     They  were  dismissed  with  gifts  of  tobacco 
and  p.pes,  bes.des  trinkets  and  clothing,  and  went  off  rejoicing.     On  the 
8th,  ben,g  beset  by  fog   and  ice,  the  Vega  anchored,  and  her  companv 
went  ashore,  invited   by  the  natives,  who  continued  to  make  a  favorable 
.mpression  on  their  visitors.     "Children,  healthy  and  thriving,  tenderly 
cared  for  by  the  inhabitants,  were  found  in  large  numbers.    The  younger 
were  treated  with   marked   friendliness,  and   the  older   ones  were  ne^er 
heard  to  utter  an  angry  word.     The  women  were  treated  as   the  equals 
ot  the  men,  and  the  wife  was  always  consulted  by  the  husband  when  a 
■nore  unportant  bargain  than  usual  was  to  be  made.    The  dwellin.^s  con 
s.sced  of  roomy  skin  tents,  which  inclose  a  sleeping  chamber,  hexagonal 
m  form  hung  with  warm,  well-prepared  reindeer  skins,  and  lighted  and 
wanned  by  one  or  more  train  oil  lamps.     It  is  here  that  the  family  sleep 
unng  summer,  and  here  most  of  them  live,  day  and  night,  during  win 
er.    In  summer-less  frequently  ,n  winter^a  fire  is  lighted,  besides,  in 
the  outer  tent  with  wood,  for  which  purpose  a  hole  is  opened  in  the  top 


t . 


I 


718 


BORIAG    THROUGH   THE  PACK. 


of  the   raised  tent-roof.     But  to  be  compelled  to  use  wood  for  heating 
the  inner  tent  the  Tchuktchis  consider  the  extreme  of  scarcity  of  fuel." 

Though  there  was  no  village  in  tl^e  immediate  vicinity,  there  was  no 
lack  of  visitors,  and  the  report  of  their  arrival  seemed  to  have  spread  very 
rapidly.  The  Swedes  had  but  few  articles  of  barter,  and  soon  got  rid  of 
their  stock  of  tobacco  and  Dutch  pipes.  Getting  ready  to  sail  on  the 
loth,  they  could  make  but  little  headway,  and  lay  to  in  the  ice  during  the 
night;  but  by  keeping  quite  close  to  the  shore  they  were  able  to  creep 
along,  again  lying  to  on  the  night  of  the  nth.  This  was  at  Irkaipie, 
Cook's  Cape  North,  longitude  i8o°,  whence  Wrangell  tried  in  vain  to 
sight  "the  alleged  inhabited  northern  country."  On  the  12th,  beyond 
Cape  North,  the  Vega  at  last  found  her  way  blocked  by  the  ice-pack, 
and  turning  back,  found  temporary  refuge  near  the  cape,  where  they 
were  detained  by  the  untoward  condition  of  the  ice  until  the  iSth.  Be- 
sides the  usual  scientific  investigations,  some  remains  of  the  Oukilon  or 
Coast  race,  here  occupied  the  attention  of  the  scientists.  "A  large  num- 
ber of  house-sites,  anr'  implements  of  stone,  bone  and  slate,  were  found; 
also  middens,  or  refuse  heaps,  containing  bones  of  several  species  of 
whales,  and  of  the  seal,  walrus,  reindeer,  bear,  dog,  fox,  and  various  kinds 
of  birds." 

Growing  impatient  of  detention,  they  pushed  forward  on  the  iSth, 
and  after  struggling  almost  constantly  with  ice,  reached  Cape  Onmun  on 
the  26th.  At  times  boring  through  the  ice  with  the  strong  bows  of  the 
Vega;  at  others  moored  to  a  floe,  or  grounded  mass;  sometimes  with 
only  a  foot  of  water  under  the  keel ;  at  others  aground  on  shore-ice, 
awaiting  high  tide,  while  axes,  picks  and  poles  are  brought  into  active 
service,  they  worked  their  tedious  way,  making  not  quite  twenty  miles 
of  actual  advance  in  nine  days,  four  of  which,  however,  were  lost,  in  two 
equal  periods  of  forced  inaction.  On  the  27th,  steering  south  a  little 
way  into  Kolyutchin  Bay,  to  avoid  the  ice  surrounding  the  island  of  the 
same  name  at  its  entrance,  and  then  east  to  resume  their  direct  course, 
they  anchored  in  the  afternoon  to  a  floe  near  the  eastern  shore.  The  next 
day  they  doubled  the  headland,  and  crept  forward,  hopins:  to  make  their 
way  through  Bchring's  Straits  to  some  of  the  Pacific  islands. 


CHAPTER    LXXVIII. 


THE  VKGA  IN  WI.VTKK  UUAKT,.5ks  _  ..IK  USUAL  PREPAU  ATIOVS  - 
T>IE  AVERAGE  COLD-THE  HOME  OF  HONESTY-NORDENSKIOLD's 
EXCURSION  TO  PIDLl.V-CELEBR ATION  OF  CHRISTMAS-VISITORS 
AT  THE  VEGA-AURORAI.  DISPLAYS-COMMENTS  ON  THE  ANIMAL 
LIFE  OF  THE  REGION_A  TCIIUKTCHI  GRAVE  YARD  _  THE  AP- 
PROACH   OF    IlELEASE. 

On  the   29tli,  findin-  no   lane,  lead  or  outlet   throu-h   the  pack,  the 
Vega  was   moored  to  a  mass  of  gromid   ice,  130  feet  long,  80  wide 'and 
30  high,  which  afforded  a  fair  shelter,  but  no  proper  haven.     This,  how- 
ever, proved  to  be  the  winter  quarters,  except  that  later  on  .hip  and  shel- 
ter were  pushed  by  the  outer  ice  to  within  seven-eighths  of  a  mile  of  the 
coast.     Soon  the  ice-belt  which  had  obstructed  their  advance  grew  from 
s.x  <.r  seven  to  eighteen  or  twe.Uy  miles  wide,  and   there  was^no  lon<.er 
any  hope  of  getting  away  until  the  ensuing  summer.     Their  exact  posi- 
fouwas   ascertained   to  be  in   latitude   67^4'  49"  north,  and   longitude 
173°  23'  2"  west-i8o°    east,  half  the  circumference  from   Greenwich 
had  been  passed   at  Cape   North.     "  It  was  an   unexpected  disappoint- 
ment," says  Nordenskiold,  "  which  it  was  the  more  difficult  to  bear  with 
equanimity,  as  it  was  evident  that  we  would   have  avoided  it  if  we  had 
come  some  hours  earlier  to  the  eastern  side  of  Kolyutchin  Bay.     There 
were  numerous  occasions  during  the  preceding  part  of  our  voyage  on 
which  these  hours  might  have  been  saved.     The  Vega  did  not  require  to 
stay  so  long  at  Port   Dickson;  we  might   have  saved  a   day  at  Taimur 
Island;  have  dredged  somewhat   less  west  of  the  New  Siberian  Islands, 
and  so  on;  and  above   all,  our  long  stay  at  Irkaipie,  waiting  for  an  im- 
provement in  the  state  of  the  ice,  was  fatal,  because  at  least  three  days 
were  lost  there  witliout  any  change  for  the  better  taking  ph 


It  scarcely  needs  be  said  that 


lace. 


,  as  soon  as  it  was  fully  understood  that 


719 


1  *■ 


i 


720 


A  V  Eli  AGE  COLD-STATE  OF  HEALTH. 


this  was  indeed  their  utmost  limit  for  the  year  1878,  they  set  themselves  to 
wo-k  diligently  to  make  the  best  of  it.     The  usual   preparations  were 
made  foi  the  Health  and  comfort  of  the  men;  an  observatory  was  erected, 
and  various  scientific  experiments  were  set  on  foot.     To   guard   against 
the  not  impossible  contingency  of  grave  disaster  to  the  ship  during  the 
anticipated  prevalence  of  severe  storms  later  on,  a  depot  of  provisions 
was  established  ashore,  containing  necessary  stores   and   provisions  for 
sixty  men  for  100  days.    "The  stores,"  says  Nordenskiold,  "were    laid 
upon   the  beach  without  the  protection  of  lock   or  bolt,  covered   only 
with  sails  and  oars,  and  no  watch  was  kept  at  the  place.     Notwithstand- 
ing this,  and  the  want  of  food  which   occasionally  prevailed  among  the 
natives,   it   remained  untouched    by  the   Tchuktchis   who  lived  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  by  those  who  daily  drove  past  the  place  from  distant 
reg*ions.     All,  however,  knew  very  well  the  contents  of  the  sail-covered 
heap;  and  they  undoubtedly  supposed  that  there  were  to  be  found  there 
treasures  of  immense  value,  and  provisions  enough  for  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  the  Tchuktchi  peninsula  for  a  whole  year." 

The  average  greatest  cold  for  the  first  five  months  of  detention- 
October  to  February- was  35°  below  zero;  the  lowest  point  reached 
being  45.7°,  on  the  35th  of  January;  and  for  the  remaining  five  months 
24°,  the  highest  being  1°  below  zero,  on  the  2d  of  July.  The  state  of 
health  on  board  during  the  course  of  the  winter  was  exceedingly  good, 
there  being  but  few  cases  of  serious  indisposition,  mostly  stomach  colds 
and  slight  lung  inflammations,  all  of  which  yielded  readily  to  medical 
treatment,  and  not  a  single  case  of  scurvy.  There  were  about  300  na- 
tives, in  the  vicinity  of  the  ship,  including  those  on  Kolyutchiu  Island, 
all,  except  the  islanders,  within  a  distance  of  five  miles.  "  Dog  team  af- 
ter dog-team  stood  all  day  in  rows,  or  more  correctly,  lay  snowed  up, 
before  "the  ice-built  flight  of  steps  to  the  deck  of  the  Vega,  patienUy 
waiting  f^-)r  the  return  of  the  visitors,  or  for  the  pemmican  I  now  and  then 
from  pity  ordered  to  be  given  to  the  hungered  animals.  We  soon  had 
visits  from  even  distant  settlements,  and  the  Vega  finally  became  a  rest- 
ing-place  at  which  every  passer-by  stopped  with  his  dog-team  for  some 
ho°ars  in  order  to  satisfy  his  curiosity,  or  to  obtain  in  exchange  for  good 


V  t: 


NORDENSKIOLD    VISITS  PIDLIN.  7.^1 

words,  or  some  more  acceptable  wares,  a  little  warm  food,  a  bit  of 
tobacco,  and  sometimes,  when  the  weather  was  very  stormy,  a  little 
drop  .>f  spirits.  We  had  not,  however,  to  lament  the  loss  of  the  mer- 
est  tnfle.  Honesty  was  as  much  at  home  here  as  in  the  huts  of  the 
reindeer  Lapps. 

"On    the  5th  of  October  the  openings  between  the  drift-ice  fields 
next  the   vessel  were  covered  with  splendid  skating  ice,  of  which  we 
availed    ourselves  by    celebrating  a  gay  and    joyous    skating    festival." 
On  the  6th  tney  received  a  visit  from  Vassili   Menka,  a  chief  or  elder  of 
the  reindeer  Tchuktchis;  and  on  the  8th  Nordquist  and  Hovgaard  started 
with  h.m  from    his  encampment,   not  far  from  the  ship,  for   the  inte- 
rior, to  buy  reindeer,  and  explore  the  country.     The  sledges  were  drawn 
hy  ten,  nme,  and  five  dogs,  in  the  ratio  of  the  weight  of  each,  and  re- 
turned  n.  the  evening  of  the  i  ith,  having  gone  beyond  Lake  Utchunutch 
and  bought   two  slaughtered   reindeer  at  about   $1.25  each.     Through 
Menka,  four  months  later,  though  the  agreement  was  made  at  this  time 
Nordenskiold  sent  letters  to  the  Anadyrsk,  where  he  arrived  on  the  7th 
of  March,  1879.     Conveyed   thence   to  lakoutsk,  which   took  until  the 
10th  of  May,  the  first  news  from  the  winter  quarters  of  the  expedition  was 
received  in   Sweden,  by  telegraph,  on  the    i6th  of  May_«  just  at  a  time 
when  concern  for  the  fate  of  the  Vega  was  beginning  to  be  very  great 
and  the  question  of  relief  expeditions  was  seriously  entertained  " 

Matters  being  in  good  shape  at  the  ship,  Nordenskiold  made  an  ex 

cursion  to  the  native  settlement  of  Pidlin,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Kolyut 

chni  Bay,  distant  about  a  dozen  miles,  to  learn  something  of  the  domes 

tic  habits  and  peculiarities  of  the  Tchuktchis.     He  enjoyed  their  hospi 

tahty  for  a  night,  which  seemed  to  be  as  much  as  he  could  stand  at  one 

t.me,  and  returned  the  next  day,  having   noted  a  few  of  their  supersti 

tions,  as  well  as  the  great  heat  and  stench  of  their  tents.     On  the  other 

hand,  "All  sensible   people  among  them  had  evidently  come  to  the  con 

elusion  that  it  was  profitless  trouble  to  seek  a  seasonable  explanation  of 

all  the  follies  which  the  strange  foreigners,  richly  provided  with  many 

earthly  gifts,  but  by  no  means  with  practical  sense,  perpetrated."     Visits 

to  and  from  the  natives,  hunting  and  scientific  excursions,  the  routine  of 


(  \ 


K-         \ 


^^'%. 


^S*f 


"'WSWIftS?^^ 


■ 

M 

m 

1  ; 

•  i-.; 

■ 

I^R^" '.' 

1 1 

n 

B'  ' 

j 

■. 

^^EiiLlliL 

^  >      i 

J 

■bt 

WW 

1, 

1 

i;.HK 

■V 

■■nil 

H    '"' 

■*"% 

V 

1 

a 

1,4 

■ 

>*  - 

^ 

i 

li 

li' 

'*"'*syjh-i 


722  HOPE   OF  li  EL  EASE. 

duties  aboard  ship,  Piled  the  days  and  weeks.  "One  day  was  very  like 
another.  When  the  storm  howled,  the  snow  drifted,  and  the  cold  be- 
came too  severe,  we  kept  more  below  deck;  when  the  weather  was  finer, 
we  lived  more  in  th;  open  air,  often  pay.  visits  to  the  observatory  in 
the  ice-house,  and  among  the  Tchuktciiis  living  in  the  neighborhood,  or 
wandering  about,  to  come,  if  possible,  upon  some  game." 

On  the  15th  of  December  there  was  a  violent  movement  of  the  ice, 
but  without  injury  to  the  ship;  and  on  the  i8th  a  lane  was  seen  to  the 
north,  but  it  was  soon  closed  by  drift-ice.  A  week  later  they  celebrated 
Christmas  in  a  joyous  and  festive  manner.  "A  large  number  of  small 
wax -lights,  which  we  had  brought  with  us  for  the  special  purpose,  were 
fixed  in  the  Christmas  tree,  together  with  about  two  hundred  Christmas 
boxes  purchased,  or  presented  to  us,  before  our  departure.  At  6  p.  m. 
all  the  olficers  and  crew  assembled  in  the  'tween-decks,  which  had  been 
richly  and  tastefully  ornamented  with  tlags,  and  the  drawing  of  lots  be- 
gan," followed  by  supper,  songs,  toasts,  and  general  good-fellowship.  A 
week  later,  the  new  year,  1879,  "was  shot  in  with  sharp  explosive-shell 
firing  froi  i  the  rifled  cannon  of  the  Vega,  and  a  number  of  rockets 
thrown  up  from  the  deck."  With  it  came  some  hope  of  releavc.  The 
north  winds  had  recently  given  way  to  the  warm  south  winds,  creat:ii<j 
considerable  cleanings  out  to  sea;  but  the  Vega's  ice-fettersi  remained  un- 
disturbed. Again,  on  the  6th  of  February,  the  thermometer  rose  to 
above  freezing  point,  and  open  water  of  great  extent  was  visible  to  the 
north;  the  Tchuktchis  killed  a  polar  bear  and  seventy-eight  seals,  and 
reveled  in  temporary  luxury,  or  abundance  of  food,  lightening  the  tax  on 
the  ship's  supplies,  and  putting  a  stop  to  the  begging  'mportunity  of  the 
poor  natives;  but  there  was  stil!  no  chance  of  release  for  the  ship. 

On  the  1 7th  of  February  Lieut.  Brusewitz  made  a  sledge  excursion 
to  Naitskai,  along  shore  to  the  east,  about  ten  miles  from  winter  quarters; 
and  on  his  return  reported  hospitable  entertainment,  and  abundance  of 
seals  in  the  tents  of  the  natives.  He  saw  eight  hares,  and  a  fox,  but  no 
ptarmigans.  On  the  20th  three  large  Tchuktchi  sledges,  drawn  by  six- 
teen to  twenty  dogs,  and  laden  with  goods  for  Nishni  Kolymsk,  arrived 
at  the  Vega.     By  these  letters  were  sent,  which  it  was  afterward  ascer- 


ay  was  very  like 
and  the  cold  hc- 
veather  was  finer, 
he  observatory  in 
neighborhood,  or 

ement  of  the  ice, 
e  was  seen  to  the 
er  they  celebrated 
number  of  small 
cial  purpose,  were 
undred  Christmas 
rture.  At  6  p.  m. 
,  which  had  been 
rawiniJf  of  lots  be- 
od-fellcwship.  A 
rp  explosive-shell 
lumber  of  rockets 
i  of  release.  The 
;h  winds,  creatiii<j 
ttersi  remained  un- 
rmometer  rose  to 
was  visible  to  the 
:y-eight  seals,  and 
ntening  the  tax  on 
mportunity  of  the 
for  the  ship, 
a  sledge  excursion 
m  winter  quarters; 
and  abundance  of 
and  a  fox,  but  no 
ges,  drawn  by  six- 
Kolymsk,  arrived 
IS  afterward  ascer- 


I.  ' 

I 

ill 


T4Z 


724 


A  HUMANE  SAVAGE. 


taincd  reached  tlu-  Kolyma  ..n  the  4th  of  April,  and  Sweden  on  the  ii\ 
of  Aujjast.  Early  in  March  u  number  of  laden  dofj-sledges  passed  to 
the  east  on  their  way  from  Cape  Irkaipic  to  Behnnjr'H  Straits  for  p„r. 
poses  of  trade  with  the  natives  of  the  islands  of  the  North  Pacific,  and 
Alaska.  Th.ese  were  followed,  after  the  middle  of  the  month,  by  lar-er 
reindeer-sicd-es  laden  with  reindeer  skins  and  Russian  fjoods,  from  I"he 
fair  of  Ostrovnoi,  for  the  same  market. 

On  the  17th  of  March  Lieut.  Palander  and    Dr.   Kjellman    matle  an 
excursion  eleven  miles  to  the  south,  to  buy  reindecr-flesh;  they  found  the 
reindeer-camp  and  the  owner,  by    whom  they   were  hospitably   t-nter- 
taincd,  but  who  declined  to  sell   on  any  terms,  as  the   animals  were,  he 
said,  too  lean  to  be  slaughtered.     His  treatment  of  his  stock  won  the  ad- 
miration  of  the  visitors:     u^  was  not  the  grim,  hard  savage  showin-  in 
a  coarse  and  barbarous  way    iiis  superiority  over  the   animals,  but  "the 
good   master  treating   his  inferiors  kindly,  and    having  a  friendly  word 
and  genth-  touch  for  each  of  them.     Here   good   relations  prevailed  be- 
tween  man   and   the   animals.     The  owner   went  forward   and  saluted 
every   reindeer;  they  were  allowed   to  stroke  his  hands   with  their  noses. 
He,  on  his  part,  took  every  reindeer  by  the  horn,  and  examined  it  in  the 
most  careful   way."     A   trip,   30th    to   25th,  was   made    by    liruscwitz, 
Nordquist,  and  three   others  of  the  ship's  company,  with  a  Tchuktchi 
guide,  to  Lake  Nutschoityin,  to  fish  and  explore. 

On  the  19th  of  April  Lieut.    Bovc   and    a  companion   made  a  three 
days'  excursion  along  shore  to  the  east,  reaching  the  village  of  Tiapka, 
some  fifteen  miles  distant;  and  two  months  later,  ho  and  Dr.  Almquist 
made  a  four  days'  excursion  to  the  interior,  when  they  penetrated  about 
thirty  miles  southwest  to  near  the  eastern  shore  of  Kolyutchin  Hay.     It 
will  be  noticed  that  ail  these  excursions   from  the   Vega   were  of  short 
duration,  which  was  due   to  the  commander's   natural    unwillingness  to 
permit  long  absences  from  the  ship,  because  of  her  expo  :cd  condition.  A 
few  days'  violent  storm  from  the  south  or  southeast  might  at  any  time 
place  her  in  jeopardy.     In   May  they  had   only   a  few   hours  of  mild 
weather;  and  even  on  the  3d  of  June  the  thermometer  stood  14°  below 
zero;  but  on  the  13th  it  rose  to  8"  below,  and  during  the  day,  a  southerly 


AUliORAL   UtSl'LAV. 


7?3 


breeze  sprang  up  which  put  an  end  to  the  cold  weather.     Thence  on,  tlie 
mercury  only  exceptionally  fell  below  the  freezing  pohit. 

Throughout  the  winter  and  spring  there  were  frequent  auroral  din- 
plays,  which  wero  observed  with  great  minuteness  of  detail,  and  have 
been  published  separately.  Their  value  and  interest  did  not,  as  in  many 
other  .vrctic  voyages,  arise  from  any  special  brilliancy  of  coloring  or  ex- 
ceptional  phenomena,  but  from  their  continuous  and  almost  uniform  ap- 
pearance, which  alForded  excellent  opportunities  for  accurate  measure- 
ment and  scientiHc  investigation  of  the  common  auroral  arc.  Most 
Polar  expeditions  have  wintered  too  far  north  for  this  purpose,  and  have 
usually  witnessed  only  the  more  gorgeous  occasional  ray  and  drapery 
auroras,  or  exceptio.,al  aurora  storms,  the  common  arc  lying  almost  or 
quite  under  their  horizon. 

It  was  noticed  that  the  migratory  birds  arrived  in  fewer  numbers  hut 
...  .nuch  greater  variety  than   at   Nova  Zembla,  Spitzbergen,  or  Green- 
la..<l.     The  most  common  of  the  ma.nmalia   was  the  hare  in  little  flocks 
of  live  or  six;  three  species  of  foxes  were  also  seen  in  considerable  num- 
bers; and  of  the  lemming  the  same  numl)er  ..f  varieties.     The  wolf  and 
wild  reindeer  had  a  fc-w   representatives;  and    traces   of  the  hibernating 
la"«l-bear  and    marmot   were  also   seen.     The  otter,  beaver  and  weasel, 
were  described  by  the  Tchuktchis,  and  two  skins  of  the  last-named  were 
ol.tained  fro.n  them,  but  no  living  representative  of  any  of  the  three  was 
encountercl.      The    Polar  bear,  in  a  few   instances,  and  the   bristled  seal, 
.n  -reat  numbers,  were  seen;  and  of  the  latter  manv  were  killed   by   the 
Tcluiktchis,  constituting  their  staple  food.     Nearlv  one  hundred  distinct 
^ixcies  of  plants  were   noted,  of  which   more   than   half  are  indigenous 
to  the   Scandinavian   Peninsula;  and  the  earliest  date  of  flowerin-  was 
th.-'  33d   of  June.     A  few  flies  had  been  noticed  on  a  particularly  pleas- 
-■U  (lay  four  weeks  before  this  time,  but  it  was  not  until  the  end  of  June 
tlial  insects  appeared  in   any  considerable  numbers. 

0.1  the  19th  of  June  the  Vega  was  visited  bv  a  Christianized 
Tchuktchi,  named  Noah  Elisei,  who  had  been  sent  forward  by  Russian 
oHicials  at  Nishni  Kolymsk  in  the  hope  of  being  of  service  to  the  expe- 
<i.l.on.     Th.   chief,  if  not   only,  advantage  derived  was  in  the  barter  of 


ui 


I  / 


X" 


I"  It 


AURORAL  DISPLAY  SBBN  FROM  TUX  YXSA. 


726 


^^'■f^li 


A    TCHUKTCHT  GRAVETARD.  727 

three  reindeer  for  tea,  sugar,  and   tobacco,  besides  numerous  gratuities  to 
Elisei,  his  two  wives,  and  his  large  family  of  children. 

Among  the  last  excursions  was  one  to  a  Tchuktchi  graveyard  by  Dr. 
Stuxberg,  of  which  he  gives  the  following  account:  "The  Tchuktchi 
graves  on  the  heights  south  o'  Pitlekai  and  Inretlen  (perhaps  two  miles 
from  the  Vega),  which  were  examined  by  me  on  the  4th  and  7th  of 
July,  1879,  were  nearly  fifty  in  number.  Every  grave  consisted  of  an 
oval  formed  of  large  stones  laid  flat.  At  one  end  there  was  generally  a 
large  stone  raised  on  its  edge,  and  from  the  opposite  end  there  went  out 
one  or  two  pieces  of  wood  lying  on  the  ground.  The  area  within  the 
stone  circle  was  sometimes  overlaid  With  small  stones,  sometimes  free,  and 
overgrown  with  grass.  At  all  the  graves,  at  a  distance  of  four  to  seven 
paces  from  the  stone  standing  on  its- edge,  in  the  longitudinal  axis  of  the 
grave,  or  a  little  to  the  side  of  it,  there  was  another  small  circle  of  stones, 
inclosing  a  heap  of  reindeer  horns,  commonly  containing  also  broken 
seals'  skulls  and  other  fragments  of  bones.  On  only  one  grave  were  found 
pieces  of  human  bones.  The  graves  were  evidently  very  old,  for  the 
bits  of  wood  at  the  ends  were  generally  much  decayed,  and  almost 
wholly  covered  with  earth;  and  the  stones  were  completely  overgrown 
with  lichens  on  the  upper  side.  I  estimate  the  age  of  these  graves  at 
about  two  hundred  years." 

At  length  the  moment  of  release  approached.  The  temperature  had 
remained  below  freezing  point  to  the  middle  of  June.  On  the  14th, 
however,  there  was  a  sudden  change  to  milder  weather.  A  heavy  thaw 
set  in,  and  the  coast  land  was  so  covered  with  mud  and  slush  that  all  ex- 
cursions had  to  be  discontinued.  But  the  ice  which  bound  the  ship  was 
still  so  strong  that  the  explorers  did  not  expect  to  be  able  to  leave  before 
August.  Throughout  their  stay  there  had  been  open  water  seaward,  but 
usually  at  a  great  distance  from  the  ship.  "  On  the  i6th  of  July,"  says 
NordenskiOld,  "  a  heavily  laden  double  sledge  could  still  be  driven  from 
the  vessel  to  the  shore";  and  the  next  day  the  year's  ice  around  tliem 
began  to  break  up,  but  the  ground-ice  was  still  undisturbed,  and  it  was 
judged  that  several  days  would  elapse  before  they  could  get  clear.  So 
the  commander  determined  to  take  the  steam   launch   to  sea,  and  visit 


738 


THE    VEGA   FREE. 


some  whalers  reported  by  the  natives  to  be  off  Serdze  Kamen.  But  by 
1 130  on  the  i8th,  when  ahnost  ready  to  set  out,  there  was  noticed  a 
movement  of  the  ice  which  held  the  Vega.  An  hour  later  Palander 
wRo  was  prepared  for  every  emergency,  had  steam  up;  and  in  another 
hour,  the  ship  was  free.  At  3 :  30  she  steamed  away,  first  a  little  to  the 
west  to  get  clear  of  the  floe,  and  then  in  the  right  direction,  eastward  for 
Serdze  Kameti  and  Behring's  Strait,  encountering  no  further  obstruction 
from  the  ice  thenceforth  to  the  close  of  the  voyage.  The  detention  in 
winter  quarters  had  lasted  293  days. 


FREED  F 
ISLAI 
YOKO 

CH 

BOULC 
EXPE 


No  soo 

outside  the 

found  an  i( 

on  her  wa' 

172"  west, 

Behring's  1 

about  midv 

the  Old   ai 

Swedish  sa 

many  natiti 

Willi  lughb 

fi<im  the  lb 

jiihihmt  me 

Voyao-cs,  3 

The  pre 

desired,  "a 

situated   in 

Asia  and  A 

tor  irafKc  b 

ill    St.    Lav 

among  the 

ouslv  taken 


CHAPTER    LXXIX 


FREED  PROM  HER  MOORINGS  _  DIOMEDE  ISLAND  _  ST.  LAWRENCE 
ISLAND  _NORDE>^SKIOLD  REACHES  A  TELEGRAPH  STATIOX-AT 
VOKOHAMA-A  SERIES  OK  FESTIVALS_AT  HONG  KONG-CEYLON 
-CHRISTMAS  AT  SEA  _  THE  SUEZ  CANAL  -  A  RECEPTION  AT 
BOULOGNE -THE  GRAND  CELEBRATION  _  COMMENTS  ON  THE 
EXPEDITION. 

No  sooner  had  the  vessel  swung  loose  from  her  moonngs   and   <.ot 
outsKle  the  few  masses  of  ice  that  had  formed  her  winter  haven  than  she 
found  an  ice-free  lead  to  the  east,  and   encountered    no  further  obstacles 
on  her  way  to  the  Pacific.     In  ten  hours  they  passed   Serdze   Kamen,  in 
173^  west,  and  steering  thence  southeast,  they  arrived  off  Cape  East  in 
Bchring's  Strait  on  the  morning  of  the   20th,  and   at    1 1    o'clock,  being 
about  midway  between  the  Arctic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  "The  Ve-a  c.eeted 
the  Old   and    NeM-    Worlds   by   a   display   of  flags,  and   the   IC  of  a 
Swedish  salute."     Thus  finally  wa^,  reached   the  goal  toward  which  so 
many  nations  liad  struugled,  all  along   from    the   time   when   Sir   Hu-^h 
W  .lloughoy  with  the   firing   of  salutes   from   cannon,  and   with   hun^s 
tnnn  the  (estive-clad  seamen,  in  the  presence  of  an  innumerable  crowd  of 
.I'll'il^nU  men,  certain  of  success,  ushered  in  the  long   series   of  Northeast 
\  oyao-cs,  326  years  befoic. 

ri>e  prevalence  of  fog  rendered  unadvisable  a  landing,  otherwise  much 
dcMre.l,  -,t  Diomede  Island,  the  famous  market-place  of  the  polar  tribe^ 
s.tuated  in  the  narrowest  part  of  the  Straits,  nearly  half-way  between 
A.a  and  America;  a.ul  probably  before  the  ti.ne  of  Columbus,  a  station 
tor  h-athc  between  the  "Old  and  New  Worl.ls."  They  first  cast  anchor 
•a  St.  Lawrence  Bay,  where  various  expeditions  and  investi-^ations 
a.nong  the  tribes  on  the  east  coast  of  the  Tchuktchi  Peninsula  were  .cd- 
ously  taketi  up,  but  .nly  (^,r  a  single  ,lay,  as  the  comma.uler  was  anxious 


730 


A^r  AliCTlC   COLONY. 


to  reach  a  telegraph  station  to  communicate  the  safety  of  the  expedition 
to  the  king  and  people  of  Sweden,  and  the  world  at  large.  Steaming 
across  to  the  American  side  they  anchored  in  Port  Clarence,  where  they 
were  soon  called  upon  by  the  Esquimaux  for  interchange  of  civilities, 
gifts,  and  barter.  Here  they  remained  until  the  26th,  when  the  Vega 
recrossed  to  the  Tchuktchi  peninsula,  farther  to  the  south  than  before, 
and  anchored  in  Konyam  Bay  on  the  28th.  The  mountains  were  high 
and  split  up  into  pointed  summits  with  deep  valleys  still  partly  filled  with 
snow ;  but  no  glaciers  were  seen.  The  inner  bay  was  still  covered  with  ■ 
an  unbroken  sheet  of  ice,  which,  suddenly  breaking  up  on  the  30th,  they 
beat  a  rather  precipitate  retreat,  just  in  time  to  escape  the  last  chance  of 
conflict  with  the  great  enemy  of  Arctic  expeditions. 

Steaming  away  to  St.   Lawrence  Island   the  Vega   anchored   in  an 
open  bay  on  the  northwest  coast  on  the  31st.     Notwithstanding  its  very 
considerable  size,  eighty  by  thirty  miles,  the  island  has  no  good   harbor; 
and  the  Vega  left  her  exposed  situation  on  the  2d  of  August.     The  next 
anchorage  was  made  on  the  14th  in  an  almost  equally   exposed   bay  on 
the  west  of  Behring's  Island.     In  the  dreary,  treeless  land   where  Beh- 
ring  and  companions  met  nothing  but  desolation,  sand  hills,  and  ravenous 
foxes,  Nordenskiiild  and  party  found  a  thriving  colony  of  American  and 
Russian  traders,  with  dwelling-houses,  official   buildings,  storehouses,  a 
schoolhousc,  and  church.     Behring,  Copper,  and  ToporkofF  Islands,  be- 
sides several  islets  and  rocks,  constitude  the  group  known  as  Command- 
er's Islands.     "The  part  of  Behring  Island  which   we   saw,"  says   Xor- 
denskiold,  "  forms  a  higli  plain  resting  on   volcanic   rocks,   which,  how- 
ever,  is  interrupted  at  many  places  by  deep  kettle  valleys,  the  bottoms  of 
which  are  generally  occupied  by  lakes  which  communicate  with  the  sea 
by  large  or  small  rivers.      The  banks  of  the  lakes  and  the   slopes   of  the 
hills  are   covered    with    a    luxuriant   vegetation,   rich   in    long  grass  and 
beautiful  flowers;  and  might  without  difliculty  feed  Itirge  herds  of  catde, 
perhaps  as  numerous  as  the  herds  of  sea-cows  that  formerly  pastured  on 

its  shores," 

Finding  here  a  steamer  of  the  Alaska  Company  bound  for  Petropau- 
lovskv,  NordcnskiOld  was  somewhat  relieved  of  his   anxiety   to  reach  a 


II 


"\ 


''mmm 


mmmmm 


AT  r  OK  OH  AM  A. 


781 


telegraph  station,  whence  to  dispatch  news  of  the  safety  of  the  expe- 
dition. He  had  of  course  no  means  of  knowing  with  certainty  that  his 
letters  through  the  Tchuktchis  had  been  safely  forwarded;  a.id  he  wished 
to  relieve  the  suspense  of  king  and  people,  and  of  the  world  at  large, 
and  save  the  expense  of  unnecessary  relief  expeditions.  After  a  short 
but  pleasant  sojourn  at  the  civilized  colony,  they  left  their  moorings  on 
the  19th,  and  on  the  25th  struck  the  Gulf  Stream  of  the  Pacific.  On  the 
31st  the  mainmast  of  the  Vega  was  struck  by  lightning,  and  the  vane 
with  some  inches  of  the  pole  was  thrown  into  the  sea,  while  all  on  board 
received  a  violent  shaking,  but  suffered  no  serious  inconuenience.  On  the 
2d  of  September,  at  9:  30  in  the  evening,  the  Vega  anchored  in  the  harbor 
of  Yokohoma,  Japan;  and  Nordenskiold  at  length  had  access  to  a  tele- 
graph station,  and  also  a  little  experience  of  official  obstruction  in  getting 
his  messages  off.  Here  he  learned  that  a  relief  steamer,  called  by  his 
name,  had  been  sent  forward  by  his  friend  Sibiriakoff,  and  had  been 
stranded  on  the  coast  of  Yesso,  fortunately  without  loss  of  life,  and  with 
a  fair  prospect  of  being  got  off  safely. 

With  Yokahama  began  the  series  of  festivities  and  celebrations  in 
honor  of  Nordenskiold  and  his  companions  which  soon  encompassed  the 
world,  either  actually  or  by  sympathy  of  feeling.     One  unsolved   prob- 
lem-by  many  deemed   insolvable-had  not   only  been  wor.ed   out,  but 
the  task  had  been  achieved  without  loss  of  life,  and  with  little  more  actual 
inconvenience,  except  from  cold  and  the  accidental   detention   in   the  ice, 
than  men  often  experience  on  an  inglorious  fishing  excursion.     Civilized 
man  everywhere  rejoiced.    "  The  great  things  left  undone  in  the  world  " 
had  been  diminished  by  one,  and   another  hero,  representative  of  what 
can  be  done  by  man,  was  enthroned   amid   the  plaudits  of  an  admirin<. 
world.      The  first  formal  ovation  was  by  a  grand  dinner  at  the  Grand 
Hotel  on  the   loth  of  September,  followed  the  ensuing  day  by  a   break- 
%t  with  the  Japanese   ministers.       On  the  13th,  the  German  Club,  and 
onthe,5ththeTokio   Geographical  Society,  were  the   hosts,  while  on 
the  .7th  the  members  of  the  expedition  were  formally  presented  to  the 
M.kado  at  his  palace  in  Tokio.       With  fetes,  excursions,  balls,  and  si^ht- 
see.ugs,  their  stay  at  Yokahama  was  rendered  very  enjoyable,  but   holi- 


"1- 


K    . 


p.rr.^||- 


782 


THE   CONFUSIOIV  OF  BABEL. 


days  mii.st  come  to  a  close— indeed,  they  derive  their  chief  zest  from  the 
consciousness  of  hard  work  l)efore  and  after— and  the  Vega  weiijhcd 
anchor  on  the  nth  of  October,  l)ut  it  was  not  until  the  27th  that  they 
finally  took  leave  of  Japan  at  Nagasaki.  The  Vega  had  meanwhile 
been  overhauled,  and  copper-bottomed,  to  i>rotcct  her  hull  from  the  bor. 
hig  mussels  of  the  tropical  seas,  besides  receiving  some  light  general  re- 
pairs, and  some  changes  in  interior  outfit. 

On  the  2d  of  November  our  voyagers   arrived   at    Hong   Kong,  and 
received  of  course  an  ovation  from  a  settlement  which  represents  the  na- 
tion  that  has  contributed    most  to  Arctic  exploration  ever  since  the  time 
of  Cabot.     They  remained  five  days,  and  were  not  only  well  entertained 
by  ollicialsjbut  were  much  interested  in  the  glimpses  of  Chinese  life  tl;ey 
were  able  to  catch,  especially  in  the  neighboring  city  of  Canton.    Leav- 
ing   Hong    K(Mig  on    the   9th,  and  proceeding  south  through  the  China 
Sea,  they  anchored  in  the  harboi  of  Labuan,  off  the  northwest  coast  of 
Borneo  on  tiie  17th.    On  the  2  ist  they  sailed  for  Singapore,  at  the  south- 
ern  extremity  of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  wliere  they  arrived   on   the   2Sth. 
Here,  as  elsewhere,  Nordenskiold  and  tiie  scientists  availed  themselves 
of  every   opportunity  to  study  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people, 
ethnological     characteristics,    and    whatever    strange    or    peculiar  tlicy 
were  able  to  detect  in  the  social  or  political  life  of  the  races  they  encoun- 
tered,  besides  the  direct  scientific  investigations  they  had  prosecuted  from 
the  beginning.       Singapore   is   situated   exactly    half  way  in  the  drciini- 
navigation  of  Europe  and  Asia  from    Sweden.       A  Babel-like  confusion 
of  speecli  prevails  in  the  town,  owing  to  the  great  number  of  nationalities 
represented— Chinese,  Malays,   Klings,  Bengalese,   Parsees,   Singhalese, 
negroes,  Arabs,  besides  Americans  and  Europeans. 

Entering  on  the  second  but  well-known  half  of  the  voyage  on  the 
4th  of  December,  1S79,  they  arrived  at  Point  de  Galle,  on  the  southwest 
coast  of  Ceylon,  on  the  15th,  "having  had  during  the  passage  from 
Singapore  a  pretty  steady  and  favoralile  monsoon.  While  sailing 
through  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  a  strong  ball-lightning  was  often  seen 
a  httle  after  sunset.  The  electrical  discharges  appeared  to  go  on  princi- 
pally from  tiie  mountain  hcigiits  on  l--)th  sides  of  llie  straits.     lii 


sea- 


#w 


A  NEW  TEAR'S  CALL. 


733 


..,,.n<l  tho„„plea.,nn,c„»to,.    .hey  have  of  ask,,,,.  „,,  ,„     ,,   fel  „, 
,m,ch  wh,le  ,„ak„,g  a  harsain  a,  .hey  are  pleased  .„  „e.ep,  ,•„  ,he  end. 
„    l,c  „„„„„  of  ,|,e  e„„„.ry  the  s.a,e  of  .hi„g»  i„  ,his  ,.espee.  is  ,.„eh 
be.  .T.     "D„r,ng  „,.r  s.ay  in  Japan  and  our  voyage  Ihenre  to  Ceylon,  I 
ha,l  endeavored,"  says  Nordenskiold,  » at  leas,  in  some  degree,  to  pre- 
serve  the  eharacter  of  the  voyage  of  the  Vega  as  a  seien.ific  expedition, 
an  attempt  wh,ch,  considering  the  short  time  the  Vega  remained  at  each 
place,  cm, Id  not  yield  any  very  important  results,  and  which  besides  was 
rcn.  ered  d,fficul,,  though  in  „  way  that  was  agreeable  and  flattering  ,o 
as,  by  I    may  almost  say  the  terapestuo,. ,   hospitality  with  which   the 
Vega  men  were  everywhere   received  during  their  visits  to  the  ports  of 
Japan  and  East  Asia." 

Leaving  Galle  on  the  ^^^  of  December,  thoy  celebrated  Christmas 
at  s<  a  m  a  modest  but  commemorative  way,  being  tired  of  festive  enter- 
ta.nments  and  luxurious  banqueting.  A  New  Year's  call  was  made  on 
the  olhcers  by  the  men  of  the  forecastle  in  the  character  of  Tchuktchis," 
ofFcnng  the  compliments  of  the  season,  and  complaining  bitterly  of  the 
unendurable  heat,  while  they  lavished  unstinted  praise  on  the  beautiful 
lands  of  the  heaven-favored  Tchuktchis  of  the  Polar  Sea,  when-  one  could 
wear  n.ce  fur  clothes  all  the  year  round.     They  reached   Aden,  at  the 

7711   "'':y    ^^"^'"^'^^  7thof  Janua.y,   :8So.     .  No  place  in 
he  h.gh  North,"  says  Nordenskiold,  ^not  the  granite  cliffs  of  the  Seven 
Islan<is,  or  the  pebble   rocks  of  Low   Island  on    Spitzbergen;  not  the 
mountan.  sides   on  the  east  coast  of  Nova  Zembla,  or  the  figure-marked 
g-u,Kl   at  Cape  Chelyuskin,  is  so  bare  of  vegetation  as  the  environs  of 
Aden,  arKl  the  parts  of  the  east  coast  of  the  Red  Sea   which  we  saw. 
>.or  can  there  be  any  comparison  in   respect  of  the  abundance  of  animal 
hfc  between   the  equatorial   countries   and   the    polar   regions  we   have 
named,  bemg  much   richer  in  the   latter."     Setting  out  on  the  9th,  they 
traversed  the   Red  Sea,  about    ,400  miles  in   length,  and  being  delayed 
by  adverse  winds,  did   not   reach   Suez   till  the   37th  of  January.     Here 
were  more  receptions,  excursions  to  Cairo  and  the  Pyramids,  banquets 
-rom  geographical  and  scientific  societies,  a  ball  from  the  Swedish  consul. 


784 


AT  BOULOGNE. 


and  a  trip  to  the  Mokattam  Mountains,  for  specimens  of  the  petrified 
wood  for  which  they  are  famous.  "  These  iie  spread  al)out  in  the  desert 
in  incredihle  masses,  partly  brolten  up  ii.o  small  pieces,  partly  long 
fallen  tree-stems,  without  root  or  branches,  but  in  a  wonderfully  (rooj 
state  of  preservation." 

Steaming  through  the  Suez  Canal  on  the  3d  of  February,  and  touch- 
ing  at  Port  Said  on  the  5th,  they  arrived  on  the  14th  at  Naples,  the  first 
European  port  tliey  were  to  visit.  The  various  incidents  of  a  most  en- 
thusiastic  reception  followed  close  on  each  other's  heels  every  day  and 
night  until  the  19th,  at  Naples;  and  from  the  20th  to  the  25th  at  Rome. 
National,  civic,  scientific  and  social  demonstrations  and  courtesies  of 
every  kind  were  showered  upon  the  members  of  the  expedition.  Drs. 
Kjellman,  Almquist  and  Stuxberg,  with  Lieut.  Nordquist,  now  set 
out  for  home  by  rail,  and  Lieut.  Bove  remained  behind  at  his  home  in 
Italy,  so  that  on  the  departure  of  the  Vega  from  Naples  on  the  last  day 
of  February,  1880,  the  members  of  the  expedition  on  board  were  the 
commander,  Nordenskiold,  Capt.  Palander,  and  the  Lieuts.  Brusewitz 
and  Hovgaard. 

The  Vega  passed  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  on  the  9th  of 
March,  and  anchored  in  tlie  harbor  of  Lisbon  on  the  nth.  Here  they 
were  welcomed,  feted  and  decc-ated  as  at  Naples  until  the  15th,  when 
they  sailed  for  Portsmouth,  England.  Meeting  headwinds  as  she  en- 
tered the  English  Channel,  the  Vega  put  in  to  FalmouLJi  on  the  35th, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  month  was  occupied  by  Nordenskiold  and 
Palander  in  various  receptions  and  courtesies  from  representative  individ- 
uals and  societies  of  "  the  land  which  stands  first  in  the  line  of  those  that 
have  sent  out  explorers  to  the  Polar  Seas." 

On  the  1st  of  April  there  was  a  reception  breakfast  and  dinner  at 
Boulogne,  whence  they  proceeded  to  Paris,  arriving  on  the  morning  of 
the  2d  at  7  o'clock.  "Our  reception  in  Paris,"  says  Nordenskiold, 
«  was  magnificent,  and  it  appeared  as  if  the  metropolis  of  the  world 
wished  to  show  by  the  way  in  which  she  honored  a  feat  of  navij^a- 
tion  that  it  is  not  without  reason  that  she  bears  on  her  shield  a  ves- 
sel surrounded    by  swelling    billows."      Dinners,     !:il!s,    receptions,  na- 


THE   FINAL   CELEBRATIONS.  7;j-, 

tional,  municipal  and  scientiHc,  honors,  attentions,  decorations,  were 
crowded  fast  upon  the  two  distinguished  leaders  of  the  Swedisi,  expe- 
dition, Nordenskiold  and  Palander,  beginning  promptly  on  the  morn- 
ing of  their  arrival,  and  closing  only  on  the  eve  of  their  departure. 
On  the  9th  they  left  Paris  to  join  the  Vega,  which  had  meanwhile 
been  taken  forward  to  Vlissingen  ( Flushi.ig),  in  the  Netherlands,  by 
Lieut.  Brusewitz.  Immediately  on  their  arrival  aboard,  the  Vega 
weighed  anchor,  the  voyagers  respectfully  declining  the  proffered  ova- 
tions  of  Holland  and  Belgium,  "  from  want  of  time  and  strength  to 
take  part  in  any  more  festivities."  As  they  approache.l  Copenhagen, 
however,  they  encountered  another  wave  of  popular  enthusiasm,  the 
countrymen  ox  Lieut.  Hovgaard  of  the  expedition  offering  their  con- 
gratulations in  a  spontaneous  outburst  on  the  15th,  followed  by  more 
formal  and  official  recognition  of  the  already  repeatedly  described  pat- 
tern  until,  the    19th. 

The  final   celebrations   were  reserved    for    the    capital    of    Sweden, 
which  had  received  such   distinguished    renown   from   the   great   exploit 
of  her  sons.     Leaving   Copenhagen   on   the  evening   of  the    19th,  they 
arrived  off  Dalarve,  twenty  miles  from   Stockholm,  on   the  33d,   where 
they  awaited  the  time  appointed  for  the  formal  entry  into   the   harbor  of 
the  capital  of  the  nation.     Meanwhile  at  Dalarve  they  were  rejoined  by 
their  families  and  the  absent  members  of  the   expedition.     On  the   34th, 
at  8  A.  M.,  the    Vega  again   weighed  anchor  and  steamed   slowly   past 
Vaxholm  into  Stockholm.     "We  met  innumerable  flag-decked  steamers 
by  the  way  fully  laden  with  friends,   known   and    unknown,  who   with 
shouts  of  rejoicing  welcomed  the  Vega  men  home.     The  nearer  we  came 
to  Stockholm,  the  greater   became  the  number  of  steamers,  that,  ar- 
ranged in  a  double  line  a.xl  headed  by  the    Vega,  slowly  approached  the 
harbor.     Lanterns  in  variegated  colors  were  lighted  on  the  vessels,  fire- 
works  were  let  off,  and  the  roar  of  cannon    mingled  with  the   loud   hur- 
rahs  of  thousands  of  spectators.     After  being  greeted  at   Kastelholmen 
with  one  more  salute,  the  Vega  a.ichored  in  the  stream  in  Stockholm  at 
10  p.  M.     The  Queen  of  the  Malar  (Stockholm)  had  clothed  herself  for 
^ho  occasion  in  a  festive  dress  of  incomparable  splendor.     The  city    was 


3><jjjj^»-Wialii»htj« 


^  ;      M 


^iii. 


186 


COMMENTS  ON  NORDENSKIOLD. 


illuminated,  the  build   igs  around   the  harbor  being   in  the   first   rank. 
Specially  had  t'v  kiii^r  done  everything  to   make  the   reception  of  the 
Vega  Expedition,    which  he   had  '^o  warmly    cherished    from   the    first 
moment,  as  magnificent  as  possibl.v     Tht^  whole  of  the  royal  palace  was 
radiant  with  a  sea  of  lights  and  Hames,  being  ornamented  with  symbols 
and  ciphers,  among  which  the  name  of  the  youngest  sailor  (n\  the  Ve<'a 
was  not  omitted.     An  estrade  had  been  erected  liom   Logaorden  to  the 
landing-place.     Here  we  were   received  by  the  town-councillors,  wh)se 
president,  the  governor,  welcomed  us  in  a  short  speech;  we  were  then  mi- 
ducted  to  the  palace,  where,  in  the  presence  of  Her  Majesty,  the  Queeii 
of  Sweden,  the  members  of  the  royal  house,  the   liighesf  officials  of  the 
state  and  court,  etc.,  we  were  in  the  grandest  manner   welcomed   in  the 
name  of  the  fatherland  by  the  King  of  Sweden,   who  at  the  same  time 
conferred  upon  us  further  marks  of  his  favor  and  good   will   (commem- 
orative medals,  etc.)     It  was  also  at  the  royal  palace  that  the  series  of 
festivities  commenced  with  a  grand  gala  dinner  on  the  25th   of  April,  at 
which  the  king  in  a  few  magnanimous  word    praised  the  exploit  of  the 
Vega.     Then  fete  followed  fete  for  several  weeks." 

And  greater  than  all  festivities,  the  triumphani  fact  was  duly  rerfis- 
tered  as  one  of  the  great  pivotaj  events  in  the  records  of  humanity.  The 
success  of  the  Vega  is  one  of  the  grand  historic  achievements  of  the  race 
and  may  lead  directly  to  the  discovery  of  the  Pole.  The  more  expe- 
ditions there  are  which  owe  their  success  to  .veil-designed,  carefully- 
executed  plans,  the  more  likelihood  there  is  that  a  broad  national  or  inter- 
national polar  expedition  will  be  organized  in  such  a  manner  as  to  com- 
mand success.  The  wide  experience  and  characteristics  of  NordcnskiiJld 
mark  him  as  the  leader  of  that  great  achievement,  if  projected  soon 
enough.  He  is  now  fifty,  and  there  is  no  time  to  lose.  The  iVozen  north 
is  no  field  for  freezing  age,  but  demands  the  vig.  r  of  manhood  com- 
bined with  the  experience  of  mature  years.  Nordenskiold  is  the  man, 
and  the  world  calls  him  to  the  task.  Should  he  fail  of  reaching  the 
Pole,  he  will  not  fail  to  make  the  feat  more  feasible  for  his  successors. 


i 


LLl. 


/ 


/' 


'4 


PART  VI, 


THE    JEflNNETTE. 


I 


''''They  should  have  died  in  their  own  loved  land^ 

With  friends  and  kinsmen  near  them; 
Not  have  iv  it  he  red  thus  on  a  foreiirn  strand. 

With  no  thought  save  Heaven  to  cheer  them. 
But  xvhat  recks  it  now?  Is  their  sleep  less  sound 

In  the  place  where  the  zvild  waves  swept  thcw, 
Than  if  home''s  green  turf  their  graves  had  bounds 

Or  the  hearts  they  loved  had  wept  them?'''' 


CHAPTER    LXXX. 

SOME  COM,VfENTS  ON  AUCTIC  XAVIGATIO^  _  TTS  RETROSPECT,  DAV- 
GEKS,  ANP  .•KOSP-CTS-THE  DESIRE  OF  JAMES  GORDON  BENNETT 
—  TIIK  PANDORA  —  HER  VOYAGE  UNDER  ALLEN  YOUNG  —  AT 
DISCO -AT  UPERNAVFK— DISCOVERY  Oh  SIR  JOHN  ROSS'  YACHT 
MARY— NORTHUMHKRLAND— ARRIVE    AT    PORTSMOUTH. 

The  careful  reader  must   have  Ion-  since   noticed  the  ahnost  rhyth- 
mical ebb  and  Hosv  with  which  voya-es  of  .liscovery  alternately   sought 
and  abandoned  each  of  the  possible  routes,  Hrst  to  the  Indies,  and  later  to 
tin-  Pole.     The  West,  Northwest,  Southwest   and   Northeast   Passa-es, 
lu.l  eacli  its  periol  of  preference  as  the  route   to    the    East;    and    huer, 
Baltin's  Hay,  the   Greenland^Spit.Ner-en   Sea,  and    Hchrin-'s   Strait,  as 
ti.c  hi-hway  to  the  Pole.     Parry  had  pushed  through   the  central   route 
hy  Spit^be-.fren  to  83°  45'  ;  by  the  westerp.  route  of  Baffin's  Bay  and  its 
outlets,  Nares  had  reached  83^  20'  26";  and  Wrangell,  by   what  might 
he  considered  a  continuaticMi  of  the  eastern   route,  by   way   of  Behrin^g's 
Straiis-tlie  line  l)eing  as  it  were  taken  up  where   it   had   been  dropped 
In    c:ook  and    otners-had   arrived  at  71^   43'    o.T  the    Siberi.in    coast. 
Mcanwiiilo,   the   Northwest  Passage   had   been   tound   and   surveyed   in 
cluiail,  iu  the  interests  of  geography  and  general   knowledge,  long   after 
its  impracticability  as  a   c(jmmercial    route  to   the   East   had   been   fullv 
recognized.    And  now  the  Northeast  Passage  was  once  more  being  tested, 
au.l  with  success,  as  we  have  seen,  by  Nordenskiold.     Of  the  interesting 
series  of  voyages  recorded  in  this  work,   the  chief  impelling  motive,  in 
tho  earlier  periods,  was  commercial  enterprise,  tinged  with  more   or  less 
of  national  glory  or  international  jealousy,  um\  never  quite  deprived  of  a 
laudable  desire  to  increase    the  sum  of  human    knowledge.     At  a   later 
period,  geography,  and  still  later  various  natural  sciences,  together  with 
an  ever-increasing  ardor  to  enlarge  the  volume  of  ascertained  truth  for  its 

789 


m 


740 


C/IARACTEIilSTICS   OF   THE  ARCTIC  REGIONS. 


own  sal:e,  have  constituted  the  inspiration  of  tiiesc  heroic  endeavors. 
All  the  jrreat  nations  of  modern  times  have  had  their  reprcsentativc^  in 
the  long  list  of  navigators  whoso  names  adorn  these  images,  showing  that 
in  the  greater  problems  of  humanity  the  whole  world  recognizes  a  com- 
munity of  interest,  and  an  instinctive  unity  of  purpose  and  effort. 

Encomoassed  by  hitherto  insurmountable  obstacles,  and  bristling  wiih 
almost    inconceivable    dangers,    Polar    navigation    has   originated   and 
developed  more  varied  skill  and    heroic  daring   than   the   discovery  and 
exploration  of  all  the  rest  of  the  globe.      It  has  had  and  still  'has,  a" pecu- 
liar fascination  for  the  bravest  and   most   adventurous   of  the  race;  and 
offers  many  of  the  grandest  an<I  most  sublime  attractions   to   compensate 
for  its  dangerous  and  monotonous  desolation.      The  North  Polar   regions 
offer  an  ever-widening  field  of  investigation  to  the  scientist;  and  many 
problems  of  meteorology,  light  and  magnetism  are  receiving  elucidation 
from  the  discoveries  made  in  high  latitudes,  while  the  artist   finds  mnch 
to  enlist  his  enthusiasm   in  the  grandly  picturesque   scenes   presented  in 
this  huge  laboratory  of  Nature.      The  vastness   of  her  operations   is  ex- 
hibited on  every  hand  in  the  huge  icebergs  and  immense  glaciers,  clad  in 
dazzling  whiteness  in   the   light   of  the   long,   unbroken    Arctic  day,  or 
glittering  in  the  moon's  silvery  rays,  at  intervals,  in  the  Arctic  night,  or 
displaying  a  weird,  melancholy  beauty  under  the  gentler  radiance  of  the 
bright  stars.     Ever  and  anon  the  auroral  arch,  varied  with   fioating  Ivui- 
ners  of  iri^-hued  light  and   fantastic   gleams  ami    flickerings  of  its  ever- 
active  and  restless  forces,  flashes  over  the  scene.     As   the  bergs,  packs, 
and  floes  drive  before  the  wind  or  float  with  the  current,   they  are  cver 
assuming  new   appearances   and   presenting   new  combinations,  demon- 
strating that  activity  or  energy  is  the  law  of  the  universe.      In  all  nature, 
inanimateas  well  as  animate,  unrest  ever  prevails;  idleness   or  sloth   has 
no  place.     Even  where  man  attempts  to  pervert   this   law,   hi'   only  ex- 
hibits his  utter  impotency;  the  indolent  are  left  behind,  and  the  secret  for- 
ces of  nature  forthwith    institute   a   series   of  special   activities   to  disen- 
cumber the  earth  of  their  presence.     The  icebergs,   under  this   resistless 
law  of  force,   will  at  one  time  present  the    outline    of  some    me  Hanal 
cathedral  or  feudal  castle,  and  at  another,  a  park   of  pyramids,  mountain 


MR.  DENNEIT'S  PROJECT. 


741 


peaks,  gig^antic  broken  columns,  colossal  figures  of  men  and  animals,  and 
ill  fact,  the  frozen  counterfeit  of  almost  everything  grand  or  magnificent 
which  man  has  constructed  or  nature  produced  in  more  favored  climes. 
Again  they  are  hurled  against  each  other  w^ith  a  qrash  like  appalling 
thunder  or  the  roar  of  a  thousand  Krupp  guns  on  a  modern  battlefield. 

Much  had   been  done;  much   remained    to    be   done.     America,    the 
youngest  of  the  great  nations,  had  contributed  her  quota  of  distinguished 
Arctic  and  Polar  navigators,  but  naturally  wished,  if  it  might  be,   to  add 
fresh  laurels  to  those  already   won.     In   conformity   with   the  genius  of 
her  free  institutions — which  tend  to  direct   the  activities   of  government 
into  their  appropriate  sphere  of  execution  of  the  laws,   while   leavino-  to 
individual  or  associated  enterprise  of  her  citizens  such  pursuits  as  the  love 
of  fame  or  fortune  may  impel  them  to  embrace— a  new  Polar  expedition 
was  set  on  foot,   at  the  expense  of  one  of  her  wealthy   citizens,  James 
Gordon  Bennett,  proprietor  of  the  New  York  Herald,  and   only  son  of 
the  founder  of  the  paper,  and  the  great  fortune  which  those  very  institu- 
tions had  enabled   him   to  accumulate,  became  its   patron.     A   not  dis- 
similar enterprise,  a  short  time   before  the  u.-ath   of  the  elder   Bennett, 
received  the  support  of  the  Herald.    It  will  be  remembered  that  Henry 
M.  St;anley  was  dispatched  with  2CX)  men  and  all   necessary   supplies  in 
search  of  the  African  explorer  Livingstone,  in  1870,  and  that   owing  to 
the  timely    thoughtfulness    and    public   spirit   of  the  Bennetts,   he  was 
enabled  to  rciich  the  great  traveler  at  a  critical  moment,  on  the    loth  of 
November,  1871,  and  supply  the  resources  which   in   his  enfeebled   con- 
dition  were   absolutely   necessary   to  his  safety.     In   1875    Stanley  was 
again  sent  out  by  Mr.  Bennett  on  an  independent  expedition  to   the  in- 
terior of  «  The  dark  continent." 

The  vessel  which  Mr.  Bennett  now  set  his  mind  on  for  an  American 
Polar  expedition  had  previously  made  an  Arctic  voyage  in  command  of 
her  owner,  Captain,  afterward  Sir  Allen  Young. 

VOYAGE  OF  THE  PANDORA. 

The  Pandora  was  bought  of  the  British  Naval  Department  by  Capt. 
Young,  and  specially  fitted  out  by  him  for  Arctic  navigation.     Although 


.iSiiiiii 


a— iiiiiaii 


i 


illv   built 


THE  PANDORA. 


illy 


743 


ong,  as  was  supposed,  Young— who,  it 
uill  1)0  rcincmbeml,  had  served  as  navigating  officer  with  M'Clintock 
in  iii,s  successful  search  for  relics  of  Franklin,  in  i857-9_wished  to 
adapt  her  as  thoroughly  i,s  possible  to  her  new  sphere.  Heavy  iron 
beams  and  knees  were  put  in  amidships  to  increase  her  power  of  resist- 
ance to  ice-pressure;  and  her  hull  was  encased  in  an  outer  planking  of 
American  elm  four  and  one-half  inches  thick,  while  her  bows  were  clad 
witli  solid  iron.  These  changes,  while  necessarily  injuring  her  sailing 
qualities,  were  supposed  to  render  her  capable  of  resisting  nips  and 
s(iueezes  that  would  crush  a  common-built  ship  like  an  eggshell.  She 
was  a  bark-rigged  vessel  of  four  hundred  and  thirty-eight  tons  regis- 
ter, with  steam-power  which  could  on  emergency  be  worked  up  to  two 
iiundred  horse-power.  Her  officers  and  crew  numbered  thirty,  and  she 
was  provisioned  for  eighteen  months.  "The  promoters  of  the  expedi- 
tioii,"  ^ys  MacGahan,  who  accompanied  it  as  Herald  correspondent, 
veiv  Capt.  Allen  Young,  on  whom  fell  the  principal  burden  and  ex- 
[KMK-;  Mr.  James  Gordon  Hennett,  whom  I  had  the  honor  to  represent; 
Lieut.  Jnncs  Lillington,  R.  N.,  who  went  as  second  in  command;  and 
the  late  %y^y  Franklin.  She  had  insisted  on  contributing  to  the  ex- 
penses of  tlie  expeditk>n,  almost  against  Capt.  Young's  wisiies,  who  felt 
by  no  means  confident  of  «k.ing  anything  that  would  entitle  him  to  ac- 
cept  Iter  willing  *x>atribution."  Lieut.  Beynen  accompanied  her  as  rep- 
rcsciitative  of  the  I^m^cH  navy,  to  gain  experience  in  Arctic  navi-ration. 
with  a  view  perhai/  !■.  ^>me  future  expedition  to  the  north  under  the 
au-pices  of  that  government. 

On  the  morning  of  July  2S,  1S75,  they  sighted  Cape  Farewell,  and 
found  themselves  surrounded  by  a  field  of  ice,  which  drifted  by  them 
dangerously  near,  while  it  stretciierl  away  in  the  distance  as  far  as  the 
eye  couhl  reach.  The  near  ice  presented  almost  every  imaginable  ap- 
pcaiance— old  castles  with  ruined  towers,  castellated  battlements,  frown- 
Mi- fortresses  with  broken  loopholes;  massive  cathedral,  with  fantastic 
carvings  and  delicate  tracings;  triumphal  arches  with  sj«fe«  mi«J  pinna- 
cle^ as  well  a^  heavy  architraves,  friezes  and  corrttces.  Tiie  ;tnimal  and 
ve-ctal)li-    kingdoms    were    not   without  their    representatives.      Huge 


r^vp 


744 


A7'  DISCO— AT  UPERNAVIK 


mushrooms,  with  slender  stem  and  broad  drooping  tops;  great  masses  of 
immense  foliage-crowned  trees;  graceful  swans  with  slender  necks  poised 
at  ease;  lions,  horses,  and  eagles;  in  short, one  might  fancy  a  resemblance 
in  some  ice-mass   to  anything  he   liad  ever  seen   or  read  of,  all  sparklinu' 
and   gleaming  in   the  bright   morning  sun.     Treading  their  way  labori- 
ously and   cautiousiy  through  the   narrow,  they  finally  got  completely 
hemmed  in.     They  now  drove  straight  through  the  floe,  across  a  narrow 
ice-isthmus.     The  wind  was  favorable,  and  they   were  proceeding  at  the 
rate  of  five  knots  an  hour.     In  a  moment  the  iron-clad  bows  of  the  Pan- 
dora plunged  into  the  obstructing  ice  like  a  battering-ram.     There  was 
a  loud  crash ;  the  ship  quivered  and  groaned ;  the   masts   rolled  up  before 
her  in  great  blocks,  which  fell  into  the   water  with  a  loud  splash  and  an 
answering  spray,  and   she  was  securely  jammed  in  the  ice.     A  moment 
of  awful  suspense  followed,  but  there   was  scarcely   time  to  take  in  the 
situation  when  it  was  found  that  the  iron  prow  had  quite  demolished  the 
ice,  and  it  only  remained  to  squeeze   through  the  fissure  that  had  been 
made.     The  ship  wriggled  through  like  an  eel,  and  then  shot  forward, 
free  and  uninjured,  into  the  lane  of  open  water  ahead.     With  many  sim- 
ilar experiences  they  worked  their  slow  way  to  Irgtut,  where  they  were 
warmly  welcomed  by  the  Danish   colonists.     Proceeding  forward  they 
soon  arrived  at  Disco,  and  were  again  cordially  welcomed   by   the  colo- 
nists and  officials   at  that  port.     On  the  way  they  had  been  boarded  by 
some  trading   Esquimaux  in  their  frail  kayaks,  which  drew  from  Mac- 
Gahan  the  reflection,  "Imagine  a  man  getting  into  a  canoe  and  paddlino- 
across  the   English   Channel   from   Dover  to  Boulogne  or  Calais,  to  sell 
half  a  dozen  trout  1"     Some  of  them   had  rowed  fifteen  or  twenty  miles 
to  barter  a  little   fish  for  coffee,  biscuit,  and  tobacco.     At  Disco  Mac- 
Gahan    had    occasion    to  indulge   in   some   reflections  of  another  kind. 
Speaking  of  a  local  belle,  he  says,  "It  was  a  pure  delight  to  watch  her 
little  feet  flitting  over  the  ground  like    butterflies,  or  humming  birds,  or 
rosebuds,  or  anything  else  that  is  delicate,  and  sweet,  and  delightful.    It 
was  not  dancing  at  all;  it  was  flying;  it  was  floating  through  the  aii  on  u 
wave  of  rhythm,  without  even  so  much  as  touching  ground." 

At  Upernavik  they  took  aboard  some  dogs  for  the  expedition;  and 


I  i 


RELICS  OF  ROSS  AND  BELCHER. 


745 


learned  that  the  Alert  and  Discovery,  under  Nares,  had  left  there  on  the 
22(1  of  July.     In   latitude  74°  they  si-jhted    the  great   Greenlar.d  glacier 
of  that  region,  extending  inland  seventy  or  eighty  miles.     On    the    19th 
of  August,  forty-two  days  out  from  England,  they  reached  Carey  Islands, 
and  deposited  two  harrels  of  mail  matter  for  the   Alert    and    Discovery, 
but  failed  to  notice  Nares'  cairn.    At  Beechey  Island  they  found  the  yacht 
Mary,  ahandoned  in  1851,  in  good  condition.      Northumberland  House, 
erected  by  Belcher  in  1854,  ««  ^  clepot  for  stores,  had  been  broken  into 
by  polar  bears.     The  ground  was  strewn  with  tins  of  preserved    meats 
and  vegetables,  forty-pound  tins  of  pemmican,  great  rolls  of  heavy  blue 
cloth,  bales  of  blankets  and  clothing,  and  luindreds  of  pairs  of  socks  and 
mittens,  resembling  the  wreck  of  some  freight  train,   from  which  track 
and  cars  had  disappeared.    The  marks  of  the  wreckers  were  everywhere; 
they  had  gnawed  into  the  barrels  of  salt  beef,  of  which  not  a  morsel  was 
left  behind;  they  had  punched  holes  into  the  heavy  pemmican  cans,  but 
were  not  equal  to  the  task  of  emptying  them    of  their   contents.      Near 
the  house  is  the  monument  of  Lieut.  Bellot;  here  also,  is  tlie   tombstone 
of  Sir  John  Franklin;  three  miles  forther  up  are  the  graves  of  five  sea- 
men of  the  Erebus,  Terror,  and  North  Star.     "This   Arctic    graveyard 
is  situated  on  a  gravelly  slope,  which  rises  up  from  the  little  bay  toward 
the  foot  of  a  high  bluff,  that  frowns  down   upon    it   as  though    resenting 
the  intrusion  of  the  human   dead    in    this    lonely    world.       Sad    enough 
looked  the  poor  head-boards  as  the  low-sinking  sun  threw  its  yellow  rays ' 
athwart  them,  casting  long  shadows  over  the  shingly  slope,  silent,  sail  and 
mournful  as  everything  else  in  this  dreary  world."      Landing   on    North 
Somerset,  they  discovered  the  cairn  erected  by  Ross  and  M'Clintock  in 
1S49,  with  the  record  addressed  to  Franklin. 

Arriving  at  the  entrance  of  Peel  Strait,  on  the  27th  of  August, 
they  found  the  way  blocked  by  an  immense  ice-pack,  which  even  the 
Pandora  could  not  bore  through,  -nd  w,mo  in  danger  of  l>eing  imprisoned 
for  an  indefinite  period,  without  a  h  n  -.or,  and  without  prospect  of  com- 
pensating achievement.  Bearing  away  from  this  dangerous  locality  just 
in  time  to  escape  untoward  and  unprofitable  iletention,  thev  arrived  at  ■ 
La  Roguette  Island,  and  began  to  think  they  would  perhaps  reach  Cali- 


i 


MW^'^.m 


i 


746 


ARRIVE   AT  PORTSMOUTH. 


fornia  before  the  close  of  the  season,  hy  the  route  mapped  out  tor  l^-aiik- 
lin_south\vest  from  Cape  W^ilker  to  Behring's  Straits.  Instead  of  ihc 
anticipated  open  water  and  plain  sailing,  they  encountered  an  imineiiso 
ice-field.  After  lliree  days,  \ain  search  for  a  lead,  Capt.  Young  re- 
linquished the  hope  of  completing  the  Northwest  Passage,  and  concluded 
to  return  to  England. 

With  high  winds,  heavy  snowstorms  and  obstructing  ice-pacUs,  thcv 
had  a  rather  ditTicult  homeward  voyage.  On  one  occasion,  in  a  mome:it- 
ary  lifting  of  the  snow-cloutls,  they  saw  close  at  hand,  and  as  it  were 
threatening  to  fall  upon  them,  a  precipitous  clilT,  presenting  a  most  ghost- 
ly appearance,  says  Young,  "the  horizontal  strata  seeming  like  the  huge 
bars  of  some  gigantic  iron  cage,  and  standing  out  from  the  snow-face. 
In  fact,  it  was  the  skeletc>n  of  a  clill,  and  we  appeared  to  be  in  its  grasp. 
For  a  few  minutes  only  we  saw  this  apparition,  and  then  all  was  again 
darkness."  They  barely  had  room  to  pass  between  this  clifFand  the  ice- 
pack, and  after  three  hours  of  inane  anxiety,  a  fortunate  movement  of 
the  ice  displayed  a  weak  spot  through  which  they  hastily  forced  the  ship, 
and  thus  escaped.  On  Sept.  lo  they  passed  through  a  terrible  gale,  in 
which  the  Pandora  was  converted  into  "one  huge  icicle;"  but  thev  got 
safely  to  Carey  Islantls,  This  time  they  found  Nares'  cairn  and  a  record 
atldresscd  to  the  Britisii  Admiralty,  which  they  conveyed  home,  arriviiio- 
at  Portsmouth    Oct.  i6,  1S75,  after  a  successful  cruise  of  100  days. 


m 


I 


*=  *1*W!*.7» 


CHAPTER    LXXXI. 

MR.  BENNETT  PURCHASES  TME  PANDORA  —  EXPENSE  OF  THE  EXPE- 
DITION-THE  CREW-LIEUT.  DE  LONg's  LETTER  TO  THE  SECRIC- 
TARY  OF  THE  NAVY  -  HER  DEPARTURE  FROM  SAN  FRANCISCO 
BAY —A  GRAPHIC  DESCRIPTION  —  AT  OUNALASKA  — DE  LONG 
COMMUNICATES    VARIED    INTELLIGENCE    TO    THE    SECRETARY. 

Mr.  IJcnuett  purchased  the  Pandora  of  her  owner,  Sir  Allen  Young, 
in  the  spring  of  1878;  and  she  was  taken  by  Lieuts.  DeLong  and  Danen- 
hower,  from  Havre,  France,  by  the  Strait  of  Magellan  to  the  United 
States  navy-yard  at  Mare  Island  near  San  Francisco,  where  it  was  deter- 
mined "to  overhaul,  refit,  and  strengthen  her."  "This  conclusion,"  says 
the  Secretary  of  tiie  Navy,  "was  precautionary  merely,  inasmuch  as  she 
had  been  well  constructed,  and  was  believed  to  possess  ordinary  strength." 
An  inquiry  from  the  secretary  elicited  the  report,  "that  extraordi- 
nary precautions  were  taken  to  strengthen  the  Jeannette  before  she  left 
San  Francisco;  that  ten  feet  of  solid  timber  were  placed  in  her  bow:  that 
iron  beams  were  introduced  on  each  side  of  her  boilers  to  strengthen  her 
sides,  and  that  she  was  fastened  through  and  throngh  with  wootien  hooks, 
and  that  her  bilge  was  strengthened  with  six-inch  timber,  and  her  deck 
frame  renewed  vviierever  required.  In  addition  to  her  being  a  well  l)uilt 
vessel  these  improvements  must  have  given  her  such  capacity  to  resist 
the  ice  as  few  vessels  that  have  gone  into  the  Polar  regions  have  had." 

A  later  newspaper  report  lulU:  ^-Aft  the  mizzenmast  slie  is  almost 
entirely  of  mahogany.  Her  hull  is  sheathed  with  Australian  ironwood, 
fnur  inches  in  thickness.  She  is  so  modeled  as  to  rise  easily  from  the 
wain-  when  nipped  by  the  ice,  wherein  lies  the  chief  danger  to  all  ves- 
sels traversing  polar  regions.  Her  form  is  therefore  as  great  an  element 
of  safety  as  her  superior  strength.  Previous  voyages  have  tested  her  ca- 
pacity thoroughly.     Three   times  she    was   nipped  in  Melville  Hay  with 

747 


Il!f 


II 


EXPENSE  OF   THE  EXPEDITION, 

such  force  jis  to  be  raised  several  feet  above  tl  >  surface  of  the  water  l)ut 
she  escaped  without  suflerinj^  the  sli<rhtest  1  imaj^e.  She  was  further 
stren<iftheued  aifaiiist  ice  pressure  by  havinjj  l^'i  feet  »)f  her  bow  tilUd  in 
with  soHd  dead  wood,  heavily  bolted,  just  before  leaving  San  Francisco." 

Fioin  the  outset  the  national  American  character  of  the  expedition 
was  provided  for.  By  special  Act  of  Congre  is  she  received  an  Ameri- 
can register,  wiih  all  the  rights  and  privileges  i)f  a  government  vessel,  and 
was  re-named  the  Jeannette,  in  honor  of  Mr.  '{ennett's  only  sister.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  was  authorized  lo  accept  her  without  expense  to  the 
government;  the  cost  of  the  expedition  to  Mr.  Uennett  was  estimated 
at  $300,000.  She  was  put  in  charge  of  oUicers  of  the  navy —  Lieut. 
Geo.  W.  De  Long,  commander;  Lieut.  Charles  W.  Chipp,  executive 
officer;  Lieut.  John  W.  Danenhower,  navigatoi  ;  George  W.  Melville 
chief  engineer;  and  J.  M.  Ambler,  surgeon.  With  these  were  asso- 
ciated Jerome  J.  Collins,  meteorologist  and  correspondent  of  the  Heralri, 
Raymond  L.  Newcomb,  naturalist;  and  William  M.  Dunbar,  ice 
pilot.  The  other  members  of  the  ship's  company — carpenters,  machin- 
ists, and  seamen — were  Jas.  H.  Bartlett,  Geo.  H.  Boyd,  Wm.  Cole, 
Adolf  Dressier,  Hans  H.  Ericksen,  Carl  A.  (iortz,  Neils  Iverson,  Peter 
E.  Johnson,  Albert  G.  Kuehne,  Henry  H.  Kaach,  Geo.  Lauderbach, 
Herbert  W.  Leach,  Walter  Lee,  Frank  Manson,  Wm.  C.  F.  Nin- 
derman,  Louis  J.  Noros,  W.  Sharvell,  Edward  Star,  Alfred  Sweet- 
man,  Henry  D.  Warren,  and  Henry  Wilson;  and  three  Chinese,  Ah 
Sam,  Long  Sing,  and  Ah  Sing,  as  steward,  cook,  and  cabin-bov— in  all 
thirty-two  persons.  In  selecting  the  crew  choice  was  made  from  1300 
applicants,  no  one  being  accepted  under  twenty-five,  or  over  thirty-five, 
and  care  being  taken  that  all  were  of  average  height,  size,  antl  weight, 
sound  in  all  respects,  and  without  tendency  to  consumption,  of  good 
character,  northern  born  or  raised,  inured  to  cold,  and  accustomed  to  the 
sea,  The  seamen  were  to  receive  $35  a  month,  and  the  others  in 
proportion. 

At  a  farewell  reception  tciidered  the  ofiicers  by  the  Acatlemy  of  Sci- 
ences of  San  Francisco,  on  the  i6th  of  June,  Commander  De  Long  re- 
ferred briefly  to  the  manner  in   which   private   liberalitv    and   enterprise 


DE  LONG'S  MESSAGE.  749 

was  c.nbined  with  government  assistance  to  send  out  the  expedition  lui- 
.Icr  the  best  possible  auspices  as  a  national  imdertaking.  He  dwelt  upon 
ihc  fact  that  the  present  was  the  first  attempt  to  reach  the  Pole  by  way 
or  Hehrin-'s  Strait,  a.ul  on  the  difficulties  likely  to  be  encountered.  The 
-round  to  be  traversed  was  entirely  new,  he  said;  for  after  passing  71 
they  were  going  out  into  a  great  blank  space  to  determine  whether  il 
was  water,  ice,  ,.r  land.  He  deemed  it  better  not  to  say  at  present  what 
they  would  do,  but  hoped  to  be  held  in  remembrance  until  their  return, 
when  a  recital  of  wliat  they  had  done  would  be  of  greater  interest. 

On    the    8th   of  July,    1S79,   De 
Long  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy—"  I  have  the  honor  to  inform 
you  that  the  Jeannette,  being  in  ail 
respects  ready  for  sea,  will  sail  at  3 
o'clock   this   afternoon,  on  her  cruise 
to  the  Arctic  regions.     I  have  also 
the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  orders  of  the    i8th  of  June 
in  relation  to  the  movements  of  the 
Arctic    Expedition    under    my  com- 
mand;  and    while   I   appreciate    the 
grave  responsibility  intrusted  to  my 
care,  I  beg  leave   to  assure  you  that 
I  will  endeavor  to  perform   this  im- 
portant duty  in  a  manner  calculated 
to  reflect  credit  upon  the  ship,  the  navy,  and  the  countrv  at  large.     I  beo- 
lc:.vc  to  return  thanks  for  tiie  confidence  expressed    in  m>-  ability  to  satis^- 
tactordy  con.luct  such  a  hazardous  expedition,  an.l  I  desire  to  place  upon 
rcconi  my  conviction  that   nothing  has  been    left  unpn.vided    which   the 
enterprise  and  liberality  of  Mr.  James   Gordon  Bennett,  and  tiie  experi- 
ence of  our  Arctic  predecessors  could  suggest." 

Over  .0,000  people  witnessed  the  departure  of  the  Jeannette:  and 
.0,000,000  watched  with  interest  for  the  announcement  of  the  event. 
The  circumstances  are  graphically  described  by  the  departing  journalist 


UKUT.    CPO.   W.   DE  LONG. 


i 


750 


THE   yE ANNETTE   DEPARfS. 


cf  the  expeilition,  as  follows:     "  The  anchor  is  up,  aiid  the   propeller  is 
slowly  revolving,  giving  the  Jeannette  just  enough  motion  through  the 
water  to  make  us  feel  that  we  were  off  at  last.     The  friendly  wavlu"-  of 
hats  and  handkerchiefs  from  the  wharves,  the  shipping,  and  even   from 
the  distant  points  of  vantage  in  San  Francisco,  tell  us  that  the  good  peo- 
pic  of  the  city,  as  well  as  the  men  of  the  sea,  are  giving  us  a  hearty  send- 
off,  although  we  cannot  hear  the  cheers.     Our  captain  and  first-licutenaiit 
are  on  the  hridge.     The  word  is  given.     'All  hands  give   three   cheers' 
Up  into  the  port-rigging  scramhle  the  crew,  the  steam  whistle  marks  tlie 
time.     '  Hurrah,' '  hurrah!'     Mow  we  are  off  in  earnest.     The  yacht  club 
of  San  Francisco,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Harrison,  accom- 
pany us.     I  low  gracefully  these  pretty  crafts  skim  about  our  vessel,  likt; 
white-winged  st-agulls,  as  she  solemnly  moves  toward  the  Narrows.  We 
will  leave  them  at  the  bar.     One  of  them  will  take  off  from    us    a  lady 
whom  we  have  all  learned  to  respect.     It  is  Mrs.  De  Long,  the  wife  of 
our  gallant  captain,  who  is  now  spending  with  him  the  last  sacred   mo- 
ments before  parting.     This  amiable  and  charming  lady   has    been  the 
life  of  our  Jeannette  family  since  it  was  organized.       If  we    wanted  to 
buy    anything    for    any  purpose,  we   went  for  advice  to  Mrs,  De  Long. 
The  steamers,  crowded  with  well-wishers,  are  now  closing  about  us,  as 
we  wave  caps  and  handkerchiefs  to  friends  on  board  them.      The  Jean- 
nette plows  onward  in  the  teeth  of  a  smart  In-eeze.     Hill  tops  and  wharves 
in  San  Francisco  are  crowded.      It  is    a   pleasant   farewell   scene   on   the 
Jeannette.     Now  we  are  approaching  the  Narrows.       The    final    leave- 
taking  will  soon  be  given  in  cheers,  then  away  to  the  great    Pacific  on 
our  voyage  to  the  Arctic  seas.     Not  a  man  on   board   has  the  shadow  of 
a   melancholy  thought  on   his  face.      People    remark :     '  What    a    ijood- 
humored  lot  of  fellows.'      We  are  happy  in  the  knowledge  that  iniiiioiis 
bear  us  friendly  wishes.     The  sky  ahead  looks  foggy.      We    will   make 
off  the  coast  to  avoid  the  prevailing  nor' wester  and  get  into  fair  weather 
about  'CwQ  hundred  miles  westward.       Then  our  good  ship  will  point  her 
prow  to  Ounalaska.      Now  we  are  abreast  of  the  fortifications.     We  now 
see  the  old  flag  waving  high  on  its  mast  over   the   stronghold   of  Uncle 
•Sam.      We  salute  it.      A  very  interesting  meeting  is   taking  place  in  the 


1 

l\nl  i 

m 

m 


'ibi 


h: 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


V 


/. 


.// 


.V 


^ 


.V 


y. 


C/a 


f/- 


1.0 


I.I 


■^  i^  IIIII2  2 
-  ^  it 
us 


UUI. 


L25  i  1.4 


--  IIIIM 

nil  i.8 


1.6 


V] 


<? 


/i 


o 


^h 


c^. 


r 


c^l 


'm  0% 


<pm  ^''>/  '  /  ///J. 


//a 


"'     -IK'  V 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


^ 


V 


:\ 


V 


\ 


^'''». 


^ 


•o 


O^ 


M 


<^ 


.<'* 


?    * 


<"  C^x 


Q.r 


k 
% 


(/a 


7-iS 


THE  LAST  ADIEUS. 


cabin  netween  Mrs.  De  Long,  Mr.  Wm.  Bradford,  the  Arctic  artist,  and 
Mr.  Brooks,  of  the  Academy  of  Science.  We  discuss  the  future.  Mrs. 
De  Long  is  enthusiastic.  She  says  we  must  succeed,  and  offers  some 
sensible  advice  on  the  subject  of  temperature. 

"Puff!     Bang!     There's  a  salute  from    Fort   Point.      The    barbette 
battery  is  belching   away,    and  fat-looking  lumps  of  white   smoke  are 
rolling  down  to  the  sea  below.     Our  gallant  friend.  Major  Hasbrock,  of 
the  fourth  artillery,  is  on  the   ramparts.     We  hear  the    cheers  and  re- 
turn them  heartily.     It  is  a  handsome    compliment.       Blood    is    thicker 
than  water.     The  army  salutes  the  navy.      Farewell,  brave  boys,   may 
your  guns  always  salute  friends,  and   terrify  enemies.       The    yachts  are 
now  passing  astern.     As  each  passes  she  salutes  with  dipping    flags  and 
cheers.     They  then  scud  off  to  come  round  again.     The  little   tugs   feel 
the  motion  of  the  sea,  and  begin  to  put  back.     The  people  on  them  cheer 
vigorously,  and  the  tugs  blow  their  whistles.     These  scenes  occur  every 
few  miiuites  as  our  ship  passes  through  the  crafts  around  her.     We  are 
now  opposite  the  Cliff  House  and  Seal  Rocks.    The  sea  is  calming  down, 
and  we  bob  along  pretty  steadily.     Captain  De  Long  just  now  asked  me 
to  give  his  love  to  all  of  yo"u.     I  know  you  will  accept  the  offering  of  a 
gallant  seam,an,  who  goes  out  to  win  honor  for  the  flag.     The  hour  is  at 
hand  when  we  must  part  from   our  shore  friends.      Leavetakino-  is  the 
duty  of  the  moment.     We  shake  hands   with   noble  friends.      We  send 
our  warmest  wishes  for  the  welfare  of  those  we  leave  behind.       Time's 
up.     We  part  company  with  civilization  for  the  present." 

On  the  voyage  northwarti  the  Jeannette  encountered  a  succession  of 
head-winds,  alternating  with  equally  untoward  calms,  and  after  passinp- 
45°,  wo  less  unfavorable  fogs.  Her  course  was  for  Akoutan  Pass,  be- 
tween the  island  of  that  name  and  Ounalaska,  both  of  the  Aleutian  group. 
They  made  land  in  a  dense  fog,  on  August  ist,  which  a  party  goiiio- 
ashore  found  to  be  Ougalgan  Island,  a  formation  of  basaltic  granite,  bear- 
ing a  surface  deposit  of  scoria,  and  evidences  of  a  comparatively  recent 
volcanic  disturbance.  An  active  volcano  was  observed  on  the  neio-hhor- 
ing  island  of  Ounalaska.  Passing  through  the  Pass  and  rounding  Cape 
Kaleghta,  the  Jeannette  anchored   at   Port    Iliouliouk  of  that  island,  in 


A   BRIG    WJi2CKED. 

and  the  drtachcd   „o-,k,,l  ,.„„i  ,        '         "■"S'"''  l"'":'!"'™^  diffi, 

boUl  he.„anc,»    '  T^'  L::  ^  """"':"  '■™""^^'-     ^'^'^  ""  ^ 

^"eie   IS   a   total    absence   of  trees      Thi^vf^   ;         i 

vanety  of  flowering  p|„„,3   eo,.,„„„  ,„  ,he   tel^,."  "■^' 

which  are  vc-v  urettv      Th        u  ,  .  '""P^ati:  zone,  some  of 

Ha.Bo.areevL::;r„,;:::°'xT:/:,T'f"°™^"""'^^- 

ro^ed  b,  a„  e«e„L  „„h,ide„  e  a!      J V^.s^T'  T   """  "  '"' 
shore,  and  ehinee,,  ,a.ho,.,,  a.  .he  b„ov      T,  "  '"    """=''  '" 

whi.es,  .he  popniation  bein.  eh  efl,  IL.,      J  Tv  ""'  ■""'"'  "''"" 
I      1       'r>.         .  -^  ^itut,s  and  Indians  from   the   m-iir, 

i».K      There  ,s  a  R„.ia„  chape,  and  a  prie.  in  ,he  ,,e..,e,.e«  ' 

F.o,„    Onnal„»l<a    Commander    De   Lo„.  wrote  as  fol 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  «  I  |„„„  ,u„  ,  "  '^'"°""'    '°    *e 

^^'.-  <«»  place  oft',:  sip  1*:  -•^°""---l,on  Aug. 

.»od  heaith'of  the  oflic  r        ;      :   1  TrT''  ,""'   '"^   ^°'"'""='' 
tv  f  ^  "^""'^  =it  anchor  here  the  Unif^H 

*tcs  revenue  cutter  Rush,  the  steamer  St.  Pr.ul,  and   the  se  oo„e    s' 
<.oo,ge  the  las.  two  named  belonging  to  the  .^i.asUa  Comme    idCom 

::i::::i:;::\ZT' '--"'' ■"'-^-^'-'^^ 

Tanandra,  bcionging  ..!  Tc  ^llr 'o^rtr" '"  "^ 
X.n,i.,t.,a,.ahot,t,b„rhtn,dredand.wen;:,::::r^^ 
'.30t,     ;■;::;    -"-"■<'"—-"  °f  said  b^g  reach«, 

*l™..i:n„  ,i  es  ^ere  ,o  t    ^  h      '    '"^^  "'    "^'"'^  "  '°""    ^"■-^' 

--■■  --—-..  one  .utdrediuid^r::::^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


?« I 


754 


DB  LONG'S  COMMUNICATION. 


m    i 


to-morrow  morning  for  San  Francisco.  The  revenue  cutter  Rush,  dur- 
ing her  visit  to  St.  Michael's  and  her  cruise  to  the  northward,  passed 
through  Behring  Strait,  some  twenty  miles  to  the  northward,  and  east- 
ward of  East  Cape  in  Siberia,  without  having  encountered  any  ice  what- 
soever. Supposing  that  Professor  NordenskiOld  had  already  passed 
south,  no  communication  was  had  by  the  Riish  with  St.  Lawrence  Bay. 
No  communication  from  St.  Lawrence  Bay  had  been  received  at  St. 
Michael's  at  the  date  of  sailing  of  the  Rush,  July  23,  and  consequently 
there  was  no  knowledge  of  the  safety  or  movements  of  Professor  Nor- 
denskiald's  party. 

"  It  was  my  intention  originally,  as  communicated  to  you  in  my  letter 
of  July  8,  to  stop  at  St.  Paul's  Island  after  leaving  this  place,  but  as  the 
fur  clothing,  which  I  was  to  have  received  at  that  place,  can  be  furnished 
here,  I  have  concluded  to  proceed  directly  to  St.  Michael's,  in  Alaska, 
leaving  here  Aug.  6. 

'« From  all  the  intelligence  received  from  the  northward  it  appears 
that  the  last  winter  has  been  a.i  exceptionally  mild  one,  and  that  110  ob- 
struction to  navigation  in  the  shape  of  ice  has  been  encountered.  I  can 
but  deplore  that  the  necessity  of  loading  this  ship  so  deeply  at  San  Fran- 
cisco has  made  our  progress  thus  far  so  slow,  owing  also  to  head  winds 
and  swell,  as  to  make  it  doubtful  whether  we  shall  be  able  or  not  to 
profit  by  the  open  water  in  the  Arctic  Sea  in  our  efforts  to  gain  a  high 
latitude  this  season. 

"If,  upon  our  arrival  at  St.  Michael's,  nothing  has  been  heard  of  the 
party  under  the  command  of  Professor  NordenskiOld,  I  shall  proceed  to 
St.  Lawrence  Bay,  in  Siberia,  to  obtain  tidings  of  them  and  shall  proceed 
subsequently  in  accordance  with  the  general  plan  delineated  in  mv  letter 
of  July  8. 

"I  would  respectfully  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  charts  of 
this  region  are  very  meager.  The  most  reliable  is  one  published  by  the 
Imperial  Russian  Hydrographic  Office  in  1849,  which  chart  was  fur- 
nished me  in  San  Francisco.  The  prevalence  of  fogs  and  the  rapidity  and 
uncertainty  of  the  prevailing  tides  make  an  approach  to  any  of  the  passes 
between  the  Aleutian  Islands  hazardous  in  the  extreme." 


^mtmmmum 


~|1H.         FT    -!f^. 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

.ROM  OUNALASKA  TO  ST.  .A WHENCE  BAV  -  SOUNDINGS  -  REUEP 
WATCHES  -OFF  STUARt's  ISLAND  _  THE  STOCK  OF  DOGS  _ 
CIVILIZED  CUSTOMS -A  VOLCANIC  REGION -A  HUNTING  PARTY 
FROM  THE  JEANNETTE-A  RUSSIAN  BATH  _  THE  FANNY  A 
HYDE -A  FORCED  TREATY  WITH  THE  CANINES  -  VISITED  BY 
TCHUKTCHIS— DE  LONG's    DISPATCH. 

The  trip  from  Ounalaska  to  St.  Lawrence  Bay  is  thus  described  by 
Colhns:  "  The  change  from  the  smooth  water  of  the  harbor  to  the  rou<.h 
sea    outside    was    very    marked,   and    we    wer.    scarcelv   outside    cL 
Kaleghta,  and  working  on  a  course  east  of  north  toward  Nounivak  Island, 
than  the  Jeannette  began  her  gambols  again,  rolling  and  pitching  so  as 
to  make   locomotion  difficult   except   between   the  cabin   table  and    the 
partitions.     The  winds  being    favorable   from    the  southward,  the  ship 
under  full  steam  and  sail,  rather  astonished   us   bv   making  five   and  six' 
knots  steadily  for  the  first  day  out.     But  as  the  second  day  dawned   with 
half  a  gale  blowing,  the  Jeannette  i.>creased  her  speed,  so  that  we  actually 
made  173  .niles  in  twenty-four  hours,  something  that  gave  us  much  cause 
for  rejoicing.     The  coal  we  got  at   Ounalaska,   although    it  burned   like 
chair,  made  steam  quickly,  and  our  engines,   thoroughlv   overhauled   by 
Mr.  Melville  while  in  port,  worked  well.     We  congratulated  ourselves 
therefore,  on  a  probable  quick  run  to  St.  Michael's,  and   nothin<.   seemed 
to  threaten  delay  but  the  possible  non-arrival  of  our  supplv  schooner,  the 
Fannie  A.  Hyde,  of  San    Francisco.     But   in   these    latitudes    uncertain 
WMuls  are  the  rule  during  the  summer  time,  so  that  we  had  to  come  down 
on  the  third  day  to  our  ordinary  speed  of  four   knots,  which  we   carried 
•"to  this  port,  making  the  run  in  six  days  exactly   from    Cape   Kale^hta 
to  Stuart's  Island,  Norton's  Sound. 

"The  importance  of  determining  the   character  of  the  bottom  as  we 

7r.5 


i  t 


756 


BAIL r  OBSER  VA  TIONS. 


proceeded,  'vndcred  a  daily  stop  necessary  for  sounding.  We  also 
dredged  every  day  except  when  the  water  was  too  rough.  Soundin<rs 
ran  from  eighty  to  five  fathoms  as  wc  came  north  on  a  bottom  composed 
of  fine  gray  sand  and  ooze,  covered  with  liioss-iike  vegetation  which  was 
inhabited  by  an  extraordinary  variety  of  marine  life.  We  also  used  the 
deep  sea  cups  and  thermometers  for  determining  the  densities  and  tem- 
peratures at  various  depths.  These  I  found  to  work  very  well,  consider- 
ing that  our  men  are  as  yet  a  little  awkward  in  handling  the  lines,  but 
are  improving  very  rapidly.  Our  hourly  meteorological  observations  are 
made  each  da}'  with  the  utmost 
regularity.  We  have  divided  up 
the  time  into  watches,  and  the 
work     goes     on     steadily.      For 

instance,  I  begin  at  noon  and  stand 

watch  (meteorologically  speaking) 
until   6  P.   >f.     I  am  then  relieved 

by  Mr.  Chipp,  first  lieutenant,  who 

observes    at    7    and    8;     then     Dr. 

Ambler  at  9,  10,  11,  and   midnight. 

My  turn  comes  again,  so  1  obser\e 

at  I,  2,  3  and  4  a.  m.,  and  am  re- 
lieved   by    Mr.   Danenhower,  who 

takes  5  and  6  a.  m.     At  7  and  S 

Mr.  Chipp  observes,  and  from  nine 

to    noon    inclusive.    Dr.     Ambler. 


JKKOMF.  J.   COLLI- 


Our  hours  of  duty  per  day  in  making  observations  are  therefore,  Mr, 
Chipp,  four  hours,  Mr.  Danenhower,  who  is  navigator,  two  hours;  Dr, 
Ambler  eight  hours,  and  myself  ten  hours.  Besides  this  I  keep  the  regu- 
lar meteorological  record  and  note  sea  temperatures  and  densities,  and 
make  up  my  journal;  so  that  yon  may  see  there  is  no  time  for  doins,' 
nothing  left  for  us  on  board. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  nth  we  sighted  land  on  the  starboard  beam 
— that  is  to  say  to  the  eastward — and  bycontimious  sounding  determined 
our  locality  to  be  off  Stuart's  Island,  in  Norton  Sound.     The   land  was 


mffmmmm 


T//E  STOCK  OF  DOGS. 
low,  and  discernible  only  by  a  slight  nse  or  hill  which  showed  above  the 
honzon      We  steaded  at  a  very  moderate  speed  all  night,  and  by  ten  A. 
M,  on    he  .3th  were  at  anchor  opposite  the   little  settlement  and  block- 
house known  as  Michaelovskoi  by  the  Rnssians,  and  as  St.  Michael's  by 
the  Ame,-.cans.     Wo  were  soon  after  boarded   by    Mr.   Neumann,  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company's  agent,  and  offered  the  hospitalities  of  the 
place   w,tl.  every  addition  to  our  supplies   which  the  company's  stores 
vvoul.1   aiford.     Going   ashore   soon   after   I   found   the  ^fort,'  a  curious 
collec.onof  wooden  buildings,  forming  a  small  quadrangle,  on  the  cor- 
ners of  wh,ch  are  little  block  houses,  which  were  armed  with  small  can- 
non dunng  the  Russian  possession  of  Alaska,  but  which  at  present  are  of 
no  specal  value  for  defense.     Within  the  inclosure,  and  fronting  inward, 
are  the  storehouses  an.l  dwellings.     The  latter  are  occupied  by  Mr  Neu 
mann,  the  con^pany's  agent,  and  Mr.  Nelson,  an  employ^  of  .^e  Smith 
son,an  Institution  and  observer  of  the   United  States   Signal   Service    a 
few  Russ.an  workmen,  and  some  Indians  who  work  about  the  fort     The 
quarters  of  the  agent  and  the  Sn.ithsonian  collector  are  plainly  but  com- 
fortab ly  f.rnished,  and  it  is  clear  that   these  gentlemen  are  philosophers 
enough  to  content  themselves  pretty  well  with  their  isolated  position 

"All  our  dogs  were  at  St.  Michael's  when  we  arrived.   TTney  are  a  fine 
looku,g  lot  of  animals,  but  inclined  for  a  general  row  at  the  shortest  no- 
fee.     They  loll  around  the  inclosure  or  sit  out  on    the    rocks    near  the 
fort,  and  occasionally  set  up  a  long,  peculiar  howl  that  sounds  at    ni<.ht 
l.ko  a  summons  of  Satan  to  his  satraps  for  a  general  council.     At  feedL 
tune  the  dogs  get  their  daily  allowance  of  dry  fish,  and  while  that  is  be- 
.n,,  thrown  to  them  the  sounds  of  battle  rise  and  float  on  the  breeze     On 
general  principles  the  Esquimaux  dogs  will   fight,  and  it  is  often  a  matter 
of  wonder  what  the  row  is  about.     The  dogs  will  be  walkin<.    or    lying 
about  quietly,  when  suddenly  one  will  make  a  rush  at  another,  and  then 
the  whole  pack  pitches  in,  every  dog  for  himself.     In   these    remarkable 
combats  nine  of  the  dogs  originally  provided    for    us    by    the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  have  been  killed  bv  their  fellow    canines        We 
arc  getting  some  recruits  now  and  expect  to  leave  here  with  about  forty- 
five  good  dogs  on  board.     Of  course  we  will  have  native  drivers  with  us 


..:4- 


^l!;i?;!:''!-'r'"'t^:'t;!'??r'i  -'X^-l  r»rf_''tf  iff  V  LSirrmTCTTrmi-s 


768 


EVIL  SPIRITS. 


to  manage  these  unruly  brutes,  and  I  believe  arrangements  are  now  be- 
ing made  with  Esquimaux  hunters  to  act  in  that  capacity.  The  store- 
bouse  of  the  Alaska  Company  here  is  filled  with  a  collection  of  trade 
goods  similar  to  that  we  found  at  Ounalaska,  except  that  the  assortment 
is  not  so  varied,  nor  the  quantity  as  great.  The  furs  brought  to  the  post 
are  from  the  lower  Yukon  River  region  and  the  adjacent  coasts.  The  In- 
dians come  in  by  villages,  and  under  the  general  control  of  a  chief,  who 
directs  the  negotiations.  In  this  way,  fox,  bear,  sable,  wolf  and  squirrel 
skins  are  procured  in  exchange  for  coffee,  sugar,  tobacco,  powder,  lead 
(shot  and  bullets),  guns  (muzzle-loading  rifles  and  shot-guns),  clothing 
and  notions.  Whalebones  for  sledge-runners  are  sometimes  bought,  but 
these  come  from  the  northern  or  Siberian  coasts,  and  are  regarded  a>> 
valuable.  Dogs  are  purchased,  as  in  the  present  instance  for  us,  for  guns, 
the  average  price  of  a  good  dog  being  about  $7  in  goods.  Extra  good 
dogs  are  worth  as  much  as  $15,  but  that  is  a  top  price,  and  is  sometimes 
given  for  a  highly  trained  team-leader. 

"As  soon  as  the  natives  complete  their  trade  they  return  to  their  vil- 
lages to  enjoy  their  newly  acquired  property,  and  the  little  fort  is  dull 
again  until  another  party  arrives  from  the  interior.  The  experience  of 
the  agent  and  white  residents  here  is  a  favorable  one  as  regards  the  na- 
tives, but  sometimes  the  latter  become  restless  and  inclined  for  war.  Last 
year  a  chief  residing  about  sixty  miles  to  the  northward  made  repeated 
threats  to  come  in  and  clean  out  St.  Michael's.  The  pi  ace  was  put  in  a 
fair  state  of  defense  by  Mr.  Neumann,  and  preparations  were  made  to  give 
the  coming  warriors  a  right  hospitable  reception  at  the  rifle's  muzzle. 
But — they  never  came.  The  warlike  chief  purchas'id  two  barrels  of 
whiskey  from  some  traders  and  went  on  an  unusually  heavy  spree,  wliich 
resulted  in  his  having  his  head  split  open  with  an  axe  by  his  brother-in- 
law,  a  similar  fate  overtaking  his  son.  Since  this  domestic  tragedy  oc- 
curred the  people  of  the  fort  have  heard  no  more  threats  from  up  the 
coast,  and  '  Peace,  gentle  peace,'  prevails.  The  surviving  relatives  of 
the  chief,  associating  the  valiant  man's  death  with  the  proprietorship  of 
two  barrels  of  whiskey,  wisely  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  whiskey 
was  the  cause  of  the  violent  taking  off,  so  they  knocked  in  the  heads  of  the 


■fMWIMPI 


m 

'•-'-"'ftiiJii'i.tRifit-iri"' 


A  HUNTING-PARTr, 


76» 


barrels,  and  let  the  evil  .pints  run.     This  precaution  probably  prevented 
the  decimation  of  the  tribe. 

"  The  country  surrounding  the  post  is  wholly  volcanic.     Every  emi- 
nence  in  sight  is  the  cone  of  an  extinct  volcano.      The   rocks   are  lava, 
which,  in  cooling,  has  split  up  into  a  rude  columnar  structure,  and  shoJ 
in  some  places  the  evidences  of  pressure  in  the  shape  of  curlings   of  the 
surface  and  other  distortions.     The  expose.l  surfaces  and   those  of  frac 
tures  exhibit  alike  the  honeycombing  caused  during  cooling.    The  sand  of 
the  beach  is  composed  of  pulverized  lava,  and  this  material  enters  largely 
into  the  sand  found  off  the  coast  from  Ounalaska  northward.    Quite  close 
to  the  settlement  there  is  a  crater  which  now  forms  the  basin  of  a  pretty 
lake.     I  have  received  specimens  of  lava  from  different  points  inland  and 
along  the  shore,  which  will  go  to  my  geological  collection.      Immense 
quantities  of  driftwood  may  be  seen  along  the  shore  of  Norton  Sound, 
and  on  the  island  beaches.     This  wood  comes  chiefly  from   the   Yukon 
River,  which  empties  into  the  Behring  Sea  by  several  mouths.     As  the 
Yukon  drains  a  great  timber  country,  and   is  navigable   for   over    i,8oo 
miles  from  its  mouth,  the  quantity  of  drift  brought  down  and  carried  in- 
to  the  bays  and  sounds  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  is  immense.     The 
natives  haul  out  the  larger  pieces  and  pile  them  up  out  of  reach  of  the 
tide  until  they  dry  sufficiently  for  fuel.     Such  piles  can  be  seen  at   inter- 
vals  of  a  few  hundred  yards  all  around  this  great  bay.     The  surface  soil 
overlying  the  lava  formation  is  mostly  peat,  and   bears    a  close   resem- 
blance  to  peat  lands  elsewhere,  except  in  the  beauty  and  variety  of  vege- 
tation  that  clothes  the  whole  country.     There  are  no  trees,  but  the  low 
shrubs,  grasses,  flowering  plants  and  mosses  are  very  fine,  especially  the 
latter,  which  vary  more  in  color  than  I  have  seen  in  any  other  place. 

A  HUNTING  PARTY  FROM  THE  JEANNETTE. 

"  Up  the  sound  which  divides  St.  Michael's  Island  from  the  mainland 
the  shores  are  chiefly  salt  marsh  tracts,  dotted  with  ponds,  which  are  the 
breeding  places  of  wild  ducks  and  geese,  snipe,  and  other  water  birds. 
To  get  something  for  the  larder  by  way  of  change  from  the  canned 
meat  a  party  of  us  started  up  the  'Crooked   Canal,'  as  it  is  called,  in   the 


|.,...t,.„:.  ) 
;  ■    i.' 


I 


760 


A  PERILOUS  POSiriOW. 


■  I 


Steam  cutter.     We  carried  a  tent  and  provisions  for  two  clays,  besides  our 
guns  and   ammunition,  blankets,  etc.     Our  hick  among  the   wildtbwU 
proved  inJifFerent,  the  birds  being  scared  ofT  by  the  steam   escape  fi„i„ 
our  cutter.      Wc  secured,  however,  about   fifteen  ducks   and  some  thirty 
snipes.     An  Indian  hunter  acted  as  guide  and  pilot,  but  the  man  was  in 
poor  health  and  did  not  prove  equal  to  any  of  us  whites  in  endurance  of 
fatigue.     We  camped  for  the  night  on  the  marsh  edge  and  under  a  heavy 
rainfall,  which  soaked  the  ground  and  made  us  about  as  uncomfortable  a 
lot  of    sportsmen  as  ever  huddled  together  under  canvas.     Next   nioni- 
ing  the  weather  continued  bad,  and  the  Indian  being  used  up  with  an  at- 
tack  of  ague,  we  started  back  to  the  ship.     I„  crossing  the  bar  in  face  of 
a   heavy  sea  the   cutter   took    water  so  rapidly  that  we  came  near  being 
swamped,  and    reached  the  ship  after  a  long  and  most  fatiguing  struggll 
for  life.     We  had  all  removed  our  outer  clothing   and   boots  preparatory 
for  a  swim,  and  when  we  got  on  board  the  Jeannette,  worn  out,  hungry 
and  wet,  I   can  assure  you  the  cabin  fire  and  a  hot  breakfast  were  th^or- 
oughly  enjoyed  by  the  party.     I  must   say  that  to  the  pluck  and  skill  of 
Mr.  Melville,  the  chief  engineer,  who  had   charge  of  the  running  of  the 
cutter's  engine,  and  to  Mr.  Dunbar,  the  ice  pilot,  who  steered  usrare  due 
the  safety  of  the  whole  party.     Our  signals  of  distress  were  misunder- 
stood on  the  ship,  and  it  was  not   until  we  were  within  a    hundred  yards 
of  her,  with  our  cutter  half  full  of  water  and  her  boiler  fire  extinguished 
that  a  boat  was  lowered  to    rescue  us.     The   party   thus  imperiled  con. 
sist'.d  of  Mr.  Melville,  Mr.  Dunbar,  Dr.  Ambler,  myself,  and  our  Indian 
hunter.     To  show   the  quickness  of  perception  of  the  natives  on  shore  I 
may  mention  that  while  we  were  struggling  with  the  sea,  and  working 
to  keep  the  boat  afloat,  the  natives  recognized  our  position  and   at  once 
reported  it  at  the  fort.     The  ship  was  a  mile  nearer  to  us  than  the  native 
village,  yet  no  one  on  board  seemed  to  understand  the  meaning  of  the 
jacket  hoisted  on  a  boat-hock,  which  Dr.  Ambler  was  waving  for  nearly 
an  hour  before  any  stir  was  made  to  lower  a  boat. 

"  Our  shallow  bay  has  aflforded  us  a  fair  supply  of  excellent  fish,  in- 
cluding some  superb  salmon.  We  have  a  net  set,  and  daily  get  a  good 
number  of  flounders  and  other  small  fish,  besides  an  occasional  beauty 


-JSSSSM^^^ 


■i  • 


A    /fC/SS/AAT  BATH. 


76J 


with  delicate  ph.k  flesh.     None  but  those  who  have  not  tasted  these  <lel. 
icacies  for  a  .nonth  or  so  can  appreciate  the  flavor  of  broiled  Hoiuuler  or 
salmon,  pointed   by  appetite,  and  washed  down  with  big  cups  of  ten.     I 
suppose  an  epicure  would  prefer  a  more  refined  arrangement  of  ratables 
and  drinkables,  but  on  this  cruise  such  exacting  persons  would  be  miser- 
able.     We  eat  an<l  drink  things  as  they  come,  being  thankful  tlie  while 
for  such  small  favors  as  the  Lord  sends  in  the  way  of  a  change  of  dishes. 
After  om-  adventure  in  the  steam  cutter  we  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  a  gen- 
uine Russian  bath  at   the  fort.     The  bathhouse  is  a  long  structure  fitted 
with  two  chambers,  the  outer  and  inner.     In   the    latter   is   a   stove-like 
fireplace  with   a   receptacle  for  hot  stones,  whioii  are  placed  there  after 
being  raised   to  a   red   heat.     Then  the  smoke   hole  is  closed,  the  skin- 
lined  door  made  fast,  and  some  water  is  thrown  on  the  hot  stones.    Phew ! 
what  a  temperature  is  raised.      The   blood   almost  boils   in  the   veins, 
and  one  gasps  for  breath,  but  the  pores  are  open,  and  the  peculiar   pro'- 
ccss  of  the  Russian  bath  is  .,rone  througli   by  the  bather  unt.l  human  na- 
ture can  stand  no  more.     Then,  sousing  iii.nself  well  in  water,  he  rushes 
out   into  the   antechamber,  or  outer  room,  where  he    is  rubbed  down, 
cooled  off,  and  allowed  to  dress.     The  pleasant  feeling  exi-erienced  after 
bathing  is  certainly  purchased  by  much   broiling  and    stewing,  but  the 
beneficial  effects   on   the   system,  when    the   bath   is  cautiously  "used,  are 
very  marked.     Let   me  not  forget  the  cigar  and  glass  of  Russian  tea  af- 
ter bathing.     These  are   absolutely    necessary   to  true  enjovment.     Al- 
though  the  bathhouse  at  St.   Nicholas   is  not  the   most  invi'ting  looking 
place  in  the  world,  it  serves  its  purpose  admirably,  showing  that^the  value 
of  things  must  not  be  judged  by  appearances. 

"On  the  1 8th  our  long-expected  supply  schooner,  the  Fanny  A. 
Hyde  of  San  Francisco,  laden  with  coals  and  extra  stores,  was  sighted 
off  Stuart's  Island,  making  for  our  anchorage.  Never  was  a  more" wel- 
come object  presented  to  impatient  mariners  than  the  said  schooner  when 
she  rounded  the  point  of  St.  Michael's  Island  in  full  view  of  our  ship. 
By  noon  she  was  alongside,  and  her  captain  in  our  cabin,  relating  the 
causes  of  his  delay  in  arriving.  Calms,  fogs,  etc.,  formed  reasonable  ex- 
cuses for  the  slow  voyage  of  tbrty-one  days  from  San  Francisco  made  by 


liiiii 


m 


7«2 


A  FORCED   TliEArr  WITH  CANINES. 


one  of  the  fastest  schooners  running  out  of  that  port.  Similar  causes  cL'- 
tained  us,  although  we  had  steam  to  puipel  us.  But  the  Fanny  A.  Hyde 
had  come  at  !a»t,  and  that  meant  we  might  go  on  our  way  rejoicing  in  a 
few  days,  and  after  the  coals  and  stores  have  been  transferred  to  our 
bunkers  and  holds.  V/e  need  the  anthracite  coal  that  has  just  come  very 
much,  as  our  present  stock  of  soft  coal  would  not  last  us  any  time,  should 
we  need  to  use  it.  To  save  delay  we  take  a  htuvy  deck-load  of  coal,  as 
well  as  the  quantity  in  our  well  packed  bunkers,  and  the  Jeannette  is 
again  laden  down  to  her  doubling,  as  deep  as  she  was  when  leaving  San 
Francisco.  The  schooner  goes  with  us  to  St.  Lawrence  Hay,  in  Eastern 
Siberia,  and  about  thirty  miles  south  of  East  Cape. 

"  We  have  our  dogs  on  board,  about  forty  in  number.     They  raise  a 
tremendous  row  about  every  fifteen  minutes,  space  on  our  crowded  deck 
alone  governing   the   number  of  combatants  c.igaged.     I   think   if   we 
cculd  give  these  unruly  brutes  room  enough  to  fight,  the   battle  would 
continue  until  ihe  last  pair  died,  chewing  each  other's  throats.     This  doer 
war  illustrates  very  amusingly   the  value  of  armetl   intervention  at  the 
right  moment.     When  the  bitterness  of  the  combat  reaches  its  height 
one  of  our  men  interferes  with  a  rope's  end,  and  with  the  utmost  impar- 
tiality lays  about  him  vigorously.     A  suspension  of  canine  hostilities  is 
the  immediate,  but,  I  regret  to  say,  temporary   result.     The  dogs  make 
remarks  and  confer  in  a  high  key  and  retire  for  consultation,  but  like  the 
conferences  at  Constantinople  these  interchanges  of  diplomatic  confiden- 
ces only  seem  to  make  matters  worse  in  some  other  quarter  of  the  deck 
and  the  din  of  the  battle  is  heard   soon   again.     Still    the    Bismarckian 
rope's  end  works  wonders,   even   though   it   enforces   a   Treaty  of  Ver- 
sailles fifteen  minutes  after  the  Treaty  of  Prague  has  been  ratified  by  the 
dog  powers,  and   ominously   swings   like   a    Treaty   of  Berlin  over  the 
Esquimaux  dogSo 

"  We  have  with  us  for  the  voyage  north  two  natives  from  Norton 
Sound,  or  the  St.  Michael's  district.  One  of  these,  Alexai,  as  he  is 
called,  speaks  a  little  English,  and  is  both  intelligPMt  and  useful  as  a  dog- 
driver  and  hunter;  Aniguin,  the  other  and  younger  native,  is  a  fine-look- 
ing fellow,  with  a  broad,  boyish  face,  and  pleasant  expression.     He  speaks 


wmm 


■> 


\r 


MN.  AND  Af/fS.  ALEXA/. 


76B 


no  Enjflish,  hut  Kfts  alon„  •.  ery  well  with  the  aid  of  his  comrade  as  an 
interpreter.  The  Captain  has  entered  into  a  regular  agreement  with 
these  adventurous  savages,  hy  which  he  binds  hin.  'f  to  bring  them 
back,  to  support  the  wife  of  Alexai  and  the  mother  of  Aniguin  during 
the  absence  of  the  husband  and  son,  to  pay  them  reguhir  monthly  wages, 
and  to  give  Alexai  a  Winchester  rifle  and  a  certain  quantity  of  fixed 
ammunition  when  dismissing  him  from  the  service  of  the  Jeannette.  As 
these  Indians  are  good,  clever  fellows,  and  important  to  us  because  of 
their  familiarity  with  dog  matters,  I  think  we  have  them  .  n  very  reason- 
able terms.  Mrs.  Alexai,  a  chubby-faced,  shy,  but  good-humored  look- 
ing young  female,  came  on  hoard  to  see  her  husband  off  on  his  long 
cniifie.  She  behwed  with  great  propriety  under  the  circumstances,  and, 
although  an  Esquinii'.ux,  did  not  sho-v  any  inclination  to  blubber  at  part- 
ing with  the  one  to  whom  she  was  sealed  for  life.  Alexai  behaved  also 
with  stoicism  tempered  by  affectioji  for  his  spouse.  They  sat  together 
hand  in  hand  on  some  bags  of  potatoes  near  the  cabin  door,  and  probably 
exchanged  vows  of  eterual  fidelity.  I  was  greatly  touched,  and  got  up 
on  the  bridge  with  my  sketch  block,  on  which  I  outlined  t»-eir  figures. 
I  had  to  take  them  as  they  sat,  with  backs  toward  me,  for  Mrs,  Alexai 
was  too  modest  to  face  the  pencil.  Before  leaving  the  ship  Capt.  De 
Long  gave  the  bereaved  one  a  cup  and  saucer  with  gilt  letters  on  it.  She 
seemed  overpowered  with  emotion  at  the  possession  of  such  unique 
treasures,  and  at  once  hid  them  in  the  ample  folds,  or  rather  stowage 
places,  of  her  fur  dress. 

"  As  we  left  the  Bay  of  St.  Michael's  on  the  evening  of  the  21st  the 
guns  at  the  fort  and  at  the  agency  of  the  Western  Fur  and  Trading- 
Company  across  the  bay,  belched  forth  a  parting  salute.  The  sea  was  as 
smooth  as  glass,  and  the  sky  almost  perfectly  clear.  Such  weather  at  this 
season  is  not  uncommon  in  Norton  Sound,  but  not  infrequently  precedes 
a  hard  northern  blow.  This  we  got  on  the  23d,  when  we  cleared  Sledge 
Island  and  commenced  to  cross  the  waters  of  the  straits.  It  was  my 
watch  (meteorological)  from  i  a.  m.  to  4  a.  m.,  and  I  noticed  the 
smooth  sea  beginning  to  undulate  heavily  from  the  northward.  This 
indicated  at  once  a  disturbance  of  the  weather  to  the   north  and  west. 


'%.■    * 


I 


■'■lUiMilll.ili.jJ'iMIMmMIUWI 


764 


MORE   TCHUKTCHIS. 


Later  in  the  day  the  sea  rose  to  a  very  great  height,  washing  our  decks 
and  carrying  away  some  of  our  liglit  works.     Tne  forecasiie  got  well 
drenched,  the  bridge  stove  by  a  sea,  and  the  captain's  window  bmken  i„ 
iind  his  room  flooded,  by  another.     On  deck  we  were  p  irt  of  tlie  time 
knee  deep  in  water.     The  wind  howled  for  hou,  s  and  sharply  cut  off  the 
wave  crests,  so  that  the  spra^'  flew  like  small  shot  across  the  decks.     The 
ship  was  hove  to  and  we  rode  out  the  gale  pretty  well,  considering  that 
the  Jeannette  had  all  she  could  carry  on  board.     As  the   sea   moderated 
we  got  under  way  again  and  arrived  here  on  the  25th,  experiencing  very 
fine   weather  when  entering  the  harbor.      Skin  boats  (baidaras)"  filled 
with    dirty  looking,    skin-dressed  natives  of  the  Tchuktchi  tribe,  came 
alongside.     They  thought  we  were  a  trader.     From  these  we  learned 
about    Prof.    N-denskiold    what  I  sent    you    by    telegraph    from  San 
Francisco.     I  need  not  repeat  here  what  I  then  told  you,  as  it  was  sub- 
stantially as  the  native  chief  told    the    Captain  in  my  presence.     Our 
schooner  arrived  yesterday  (26th)  with  the  balance  of  the  coal  which  we 
could  not  take  at  St.  Michael's.     The  Captain  also  desired  to  have  a 
means  of  sending  the  very  latest  news  regarding  our  movements  and 
what  we   could   learn   about   Prof.   Nordenskiold.      All  before  us  now 
is  uncertainty,  because  our  movements  will  be  governed  by  circumstances 
over  which  we  can  have  no  control.     If,  as  I  telegraphed,  the  searcii  for 
NordenskiOld  is  now  needless,  we  will  try  and  reach  Wrangell  Land  and 
find  a  winter  harbor  on  that  new  land,  on  which,  we  believe,  the  white 
man  has  not  yet  put  hi.  foot.     At  the  worst  we  may  winter  in  Sibeiia 
<md  'go  for'  the  Wrangell    Land  mystery  next  spring.     1  a.71  in  cr,cat 
hopes  we  will  reach  there  this  season.     We  are  amply  supplied  with  fur 
clothing  and  provisions,  so  that  we  can  feed  and  keep  warm  in  any  event 
for  some  time.     Our  dogs  will  enable  us  to  make  explorations  to  con- 
siderable   distances  from   the   ship,  and  determine  the  character  of  the 
country.     Feeling  that  ^ve  have  the  sympathy  of  all  we  left  at  home,  we 
go  north,  trusting  in  God's  protection  and  our  good  fortime.     Farewell." 
The  following  ••.   Commander    DeLong's  dispatch  of  the  27th  of 
August,  from  St.  Lawrence  Bay,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  at  Wasli- 
ington:  "Arrived  25lh;  leave  for  Serdze   Kamen   to-night."  All  well. 


DE  LOXCrS  DISPATCH. 


7*55 


Natives  report  Nordenskiold  passed  south  three  months  a<ro,  stoppinjr 
here  one  day,  having  wintered  at  Kolyutchin  Bay.  Mentioned  one  otli'^ 
cer,  a  Russian,  who  spoke  the  native  hmj^uage,  as  named  '  Charpish/ 
possibly  Lieut.  Nordquist,  of  the  Russian  navy,  accompanying  Nordens'- 
kioid,  who  said  the  ship  was  going  home.  Leave  here  to  verify  account 
along  the  coast.  Hope  to  reach  VVrangell  Land  this  season."  To  the 
two  native  hunters  and  dog-drivers,  who  evinced  some  misgivings  about 
the  voyage  to  the  unexplored  north,  DcLong  said  that  himself  and  the 
ship's  company  were  not  bent  on  throwing  their  lives  away,  and  that 
they  would  be  entirely  safe,  as  far  as  human  energy  and  foresight  could 
preserve  them.  He  wiis  evidently  satisfied  with  the  completeness  of  his 
outfit,  and  the  ample  provision  wiiich  had  been  made  for  all  their  wants, 
as  well  as  for  a  successful  exploration  of  "the  great  blank  space  beyond 
the  71st  parallel." 


CHAPTER    LXXXIII. 

THE    JEANNETTE     ENTERS     THE     ARCTIC  —  ARRIVES    AT     KOLYUTCHIN 

HAY FIRST    BEAR    AND    SEAL    KILLED THE   JEANNETTE    FIRMLY 

FROZEN    IN— DANENHOWKR's     STATEMENT THE    WINTER    NIGHT 

BEGINS HERALD     ISLAND     IN      SIGHT THE      JEANNETTE     HELP- 

LESS     AND     CRIPPLED  —  CONJECTURES     AS     TO     THE    JKANNETTE's 
FATE CONTINUED    APPREHENSION. 

The  ship's  company  was  now  thirty-three,  oneof  tlie  Chinese  havin" 
been   permitted  to  abandon   the  expedition  at   St.  Michael's,  because  of 
ill  health,  while,  as  has   been  stated,  two   Indians  had  been  added  to  the 
crew.      With   the  whole   company  in  good    health  and   excellent  spirits, 
the  Jeannette    steamed    away    from    St.    Lawrence    Bay    on    the   eve- 
ning  of  the    37th,    at    7:30,  and    passing    East  Cape    on    the    28th,  at 
3  p.  M.,   reached   Cape   Serdze   Kamen,  that  is,  Stone  Heart— so  called 
from  a  large  heart-shaped  rock  off  the  cape— on  the  39th,  at  5  p.  m.    Here 
De  Long  deposited  papers  and  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  whicii 
came  to  hand  thirteen  months  later.     In  this  letter,  after  detailing  tiicir 
departure  and   arrival,  as  above,  and  the  confirmation  of  the  opinion  al- 
ready formed   that  the   Swedish  Expedition    had  passed  safely  south,  he 
adds,  "  The   officers  and  men   under  my  command  are  all   well,  and  vve 
expect  to  sail  to-night  for  Wrangell  Land  via  Kolyutchin."     It  was  now 
obvious  that  the  Vega  was  the  vessel  reported  by  the  natives  of  St.  Law- 
rence Bay  as  having  been  seen  in  the  outer  liavcn  or  roadstead  «  for  one 
day  three  months  before  "—in  reality,  for  a  few  hours,  about  thirty-seven 
days  before.     The  Jeannette  arrived  at  Kolyutchin  Bay  on  the  31st,  and 
it  now  only  remained   for   her  commander  to  push   forward  before  the 
close  of  the  season,  to  such   winter  quarters  for   his    vessel  as  fortune 
might  supply  on    Herald  Island  or  Wrangell    Land,  discovered  or  redis- 
covered by  Capt.  Kellett,  in  184.9.     Accordingly  they  pushed  northwest 

7(!(i 


i>*  1,11  ij 


il 


/^VJfSI'  BEAR  AND  SEAL  KILLED.  757 

at  4  P.  M.  the  same  day.  After  reaching  Serdze  Kamen,  they  had  sev- 
eral interviews  with  the  natives,  some  of  the  officers  making  two  trips 
ashore,  and  some  of  the  Tchuktchis  getting  to  the  Jeannette  in  their 
skin-boats.  Among  other  things  the  winter  quarters  of  the  Vega  were 
pointc^d  out,  and  they  found  the  natives  "hospitable,  stalwart  and  hand- 
some," warmly  clad  and  seemingly  contented,  though  the  visitors  had 
traversed  a  barren,  forbidding  tundra,  to  reach  them. 

On  the  ad  of  September  the  Jeannette  was  seen  about  six  miles 
ahead  by  the  whaler  Sea  Breeze,  in  about  70''  52'  by  174%  in  an  open 
channel -between  an  eastern  floe  and  a  western  pack,  with  another  pack 
to  the  north,  making  west-northwest  for  Herald  Island  or  Wrangell's  Land, 
hut  a  few  miles  nearer  southeast  of  the  latter  than  the  former.  On  the' 
forenoon  of  the  3d  she  was  seen  several  times— whenever  the  fog  lifted— 
by  the  same  bark,  which  was  following  in  her  track,  at  a  distance  now 
of  nine  or  ten  miles.  «  On  the  afternoon  of  the  4th,"  says  Capt.  Barnes 
of  the  Sea  Breeze,  "it  cleared  up  nicely,  with  nothing  in  sight  but  ice 
f.r  and  near."  This  was  the  last  see.i  of  the  Jeannette  by  any  one  out- 
side of  her    own  company. 

It  was,  however,  afterward  ascertained  that  they  sighted   Kolyutchin 
Island  on  the    ist  of   September,  and    Herald    Island  on  the  4th.     They 
saw  the   whaler   already  referred   to,  and   stopped  engines  in  the   hope 
that  she  would  approach,  exchange  courtesies,  and  take  home  their  mail. 
While   lying  to   they  killed    their  first   bear  and  seal  on  an  ice-fioe.     On 
the  6th,  with  Commander  DeLong  aloft  in  the  crow's-nest,  on  the  look- 
<.i.t,  she  entered  a  lane  which  he  supposed   was  the   continuation  of  the 
lead   between   the  east   and    west   packs  they   had  been    following,  and 
whicli  he  hoped  might  he  followed  in  safety  into  one  of  the  many  poly, 
nias  or  expanses  of  open   water,  so  often   referred  to  by  Russian  navi- 
gators   and    sledge-explorers  in    those    region..     Through  the  rapidly- 
forming  new  ice  the  iron   prow    of   the  Jeannette    rammed    her    slow 
way    until    4    in     the    afternoon,    when    she    became    immovable.      All 
efforts  to  push   forward  proved  vain,  and  no  lane  presenting   itself  on 
either    hand,  they    were    compelled    to   desist,   and    await    the    chances 
of  the  morning.     Her  fires  were  only  banked,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  push 


ir  n 


768 


77/ E   yEANNETTE   FROZEN  IN. 


m 


forward  at  a  moment's  notice.  The  night  proved  exceptionally  cold 
for  even  those  high  latitudes,  and  the  new  ice  could  be  almost  seen 
to  grow  tlnck  and  strong  as  they  helplessly  looked  on. 

On  the  morning  of  the   7th  the  Jeannette  was  found  to   be   firmly 
frozen  in.     A  full  examination  showed    that  she  was  surrounded  by  an 
accumulation  of  ice-floes  frozen  together  by  the  new  ice,  and  extending 
perhaps   four  miles.     The  old  ice  was  in  pieces  ranging  from  ten  square 
yards   to   several    acres,  with    narrow    veins   of  water   now   frozen   ovcm- 
with  new  ice.     In  that  one  unlucky  night   she  had  involuntarily  formed 
a  nucleus  around  which  the  moving  floes  were  arrested    long  enough 
to  be  welded  into  one  solid   mass  by   their   mutual  impact,  the  new  ice 
serving  as  an  effective  solder.      Herald   Island  was  in  sight  at  a  distance 
of  twenty-one   miles;  but  when  an  attempt  was  made  by  Chipp,  Dun- 
bar, Melville  and  Alexai,  to  eflect  a  landing  there  on  the  13th,  it  proved 
inaccessible  because  of  open   water  within  six  miles  of  land.     The  next 
day  the  party  returned,  it  being  deemed  inadvisable  to  prolong  the  effort, 
necessarily  attended  with   much  danger,  for  the  barren  achievement  of 
landing  on  the  island  while  there  was  no  chance  of  working  the  ship 
thither  into    harbor.     There    was  the  further  risk    that    such  exploring 
party  might  be  left  behind,  as    the  vessel  was    entirely   uncontrollable, 
and  might  be  carried  away  with  her  ice-dock  before  their  return.     Drift- 
ing northwestward,  they  sighted   Wrangell    Land   to  the   south,  on  the 
2 1  St  of  October,  and  indeed  saw  it  frequently  afterward,  to  the  south  aiul 
west,  and  on         28th  and  29th  of  October  were  so  near  that  they  could 
distinguish  some  of  its  mountains  and  glaciers,  which  eventually  grew  to 
be   like  familiar   acquaintances,  as   they  remained  so   long   beset  in  those 
waters.      The  whole  month  was  very  quiet, "the  nights  being  very  clear 
and   l)eautiful.     Even   in  September  there  were  no  equinoctial  gales  as 
anticipated. 

"About  the  6th  of  November,"  says  Danenhower,  "  the  ice  began  to 
break  up.  We  had  previously  observed  considerable  agitation  about  the 
full  and  change  of  the  moon,  and  attributed  it  to  tidal  action.  This  was 
observed  particularly  when  we  were  between  Herald  Island  and  Wran- 
gell Land,  and   when  the  water  was  shoaled — that   is,  about  fifteen  fath- 


'iU- 


DANENHO  WER  '5  ST  A  TEMENT.  ^^^ 

oms-tho  ice  began  to  break  roun.l  the  ship,  and  a  regular  stream  of 
broken  masses  gradually  encroached  upon  us.  From  aloft  the  floe  that 
had  appeared  so  uniform  a  few  weeks  before,  was  now  tumbled  about,  and 
.n  a  state  of  greater  confusion  than  an  old  Turkish  graveyard.  Tracks 
began  to  radiate  from  the  ship,  and  the  noise  and  vibration  of  .listant 
rammn.g  were  terrific,  making  even  the  dogs  whine.  Nov.  23  was  a 
calm,  starlight  night.  I  got  good  star  observations,  with  Melville  mark- 
mg  t,me  at  m  p.  m.  I  was  working  them  up  when  a  crack  was  heard, 
and  we  found  that  the  floe  had  split  and  that  the  ice  on  the  port  side  had 

drifted  off,  leaving  the  ship  lying  in 
a  half  cradle  on  her  starboard  bilge. 
The  water  looked  smooth  and  beau- 
tiful, and  there  was  no  noise  save 
that  of  four  dogs  which  had  drifted 
off  with  the  port  ice.     We  had  pre- 
viously   taken    in    the    observatory 
and   had  prepared  for  such  an  ac- 
cident, but  on  the  starboard  side  the 
steam  cutter  and  the  men's  outhouse 
had  been  left.     We  got  the  steam 
cutter  aboard,  but  left  the  outhouse 
standing.     This  was  Nov.  ^5," 

The  vessel  was  at  all  times  in 
more  or  less    imminent   danger  of 

LIEUT.  JOIIM   W.    DANENHOWBR.  \.^\„^  U       1        1 

bemg  crushed  by  some  violent 
movement  in  the  surrounding  ice,  which  drove  her  hither  and  thither 
u.ulcr  the  changing  pressure  of  winds  and  currents.  Engineer  Shock's 
iH'avy  truss,  with  which  she  had  been  strengthened  at  Mare's  Island 
alone  saved  her  from  being  crushed  on  the  21st.  After  a  week  of 
specially  severe  nipphig  a.ul  squeezing,  she  was  forced  into  open  water 
on  the  25th,  and  drifted  forty  miles  without  control  until  evening,  when 
she  was   made  fast  to   a  solid  pie,.    >f  floe,  where  she  was  soon  again 


fi 


rm  I V 


beset. 


■  Several  gales,"  conti 
49 


nues  Dancnhower,  "the   he 


aviesi  beine 


aboi 


It 


rro 


THE    WINTER  NIGHT  BEGINS. 


fifty  miles  an  hour,  occurred  in  the  fall  of  1S79.  The  long  night  com- 
menced about  the  loth  of  November  and  lasted  till  the  25th  of  January, 
i8Sc.  On  November  1  the  winter  routine  c()mn.enced.  At  seven,  all 
hands  were  called  up,  and  fires  started  in  the  galleys;  at  nine,  breakfast; 
from  eleven  to  one  guns  given  to  all  hands  to  hunt,  and  for  exercise  on 
the  ice;  at  3  p.  m.  dinner,  then  galley  fires  put  out  to  save  coal;  between 
seven  and  eigiit,  tea,  made  from  the  Baxter  boiler,  which  was  used  con- 
stantly to  condense  water,  we  having  found  that  the  floe-ice  was  too  salt 
for  use,  and  the  doctor  insisted  on  using  condensed  water.  The  boiler 
was  originally  intended  for  the  electric  light,  but  it  was  found  that  we 
could  not  afford  to  run  the  light,  so  we  used  the  coal  in  condensinij 
wrater.  Twenty-five  pounds  of  coal  per  day  was  allowed  for  heating 
the  cabin,  twenty-five  pounds  for  the  forecastle,  and  ninety  pounds  tbr 
the  ship's  galley  for  cooking  purposes." 

From  the  date  of  imprisonment,  the  story  of  the  ship  and  her  com- 
pany is  One  uniform  record  of  her  stout  resistance,  with  some  variation  in 
incidents,  and  of  their  good  conduct  and  sustained  courage.  The  dis- 
cipline was  excellent,  there  being  but  one  instance  of  punishnKMit,  for 
thoughtless  profanity,  during  the  whole  period  of  detention.  Officers 
and  crew  were  well  quartered  and  fully  provisioned,  and  the  gener;il 
health  was  unimpaired.  There  was  a  formal  medical  examination  on 
the  first  of  every  month.  With  a  school  of  navigation  and  occasional 
amateur  theatricals,  besides  the  routine  duties  and  the  special  labors  here- 
after mentioned,  the  weary  days  sped  on  with  greater  cheerfulness  and 
contentment  than  could  have  been  expected.  The  commander  was  care- 
ful to  have  religious  services  every  Sunday,  it  being  now  very  generally 
admitted  that  such  devotional  exercises  possess  a  very  specific  value  to 
persons  so  circumstanced.  Thanksgiving,  Christmas  and  New  Year's 
were  observed  aboard  the  Jeannette  with  subdued  festivity  befitting  iier 
perilous  position.  Unfortunately  the  opening  year  brought  them  only 
fresh  perils.  Nips  and  squeezes  from  the  besetting  ice  became  a<,niiu 
frequent  and  severe,  and  early  in  January,  1880,  the  fore-foot  of  the  ves- 
sel was  violently  wrenched  out  of  place.  On  Jan.  19,  after  several  days' 
anxiety  from  llie   crushing    strain   of   the    ice  on  the  ship,  and  the  noise 


I'll! 


MBAR    WRANGELL  LAND.  ,7, 

made  by  ,i,e  Hsing  and  burning  „f  .he  floe,  i,  was  finally  di«„vered  ,ha, 
.1-  sh,p,  after  receiving  several  severe  shocks,  was  leaking  badly 
Stean,  was  got  on  .he  engine  boilers,  and  both  s.eam  and  hand  pun,!: 
were  worked  day  and  nigh,  nn.il  .he  ship  was  freed  fro„  wa.er.  S.ore, 
werehc,s.ed  „u.of  .he  hold  and  all  preparations  made  .0  ™ake  good  .he 
re.rea.  .0  Wrangell  Land  if  forced  .„  abandon  .he  ship.     They  con.in- 

On  .he  .s.   of  February  .hey  were  dis.an.  about  flfty  „„,,  fro™ 
WrangeU  Land.    ..Abon.  .he  middle  of  February  we  were  foun.l  .„  be 
about  fitly  m,les  front  the  place    where  we   had   entered,  and    Heral.l 
Island  was  satd  .0  have  been  in  sigh,  during  one  .lay.     During  these  Hve 
■nonths  we  had  drifted  over  an  i^.nense  area,  approaching   and  receding 
from  the  ,80th   meridian,  but  I  do  no.  think   we  crossed  it  at  that  .i„,e. 
We  contmued  to  drift  in  this  unconain  manner.     We  noticed  that  the 
sh,p  always  took  up  a  rapid   ,lrift  with  ,.„,theast  winds  an,l  a  slow  drift 
w,th  northeast  winds,  owing,  doubtless,  ,„    Wrangell  Island  being  under 
our  lee.     .Southwest  winds  were  no.  frequen.."     On  .l,e  .^,1  they  dressed 
.1.0  ,h,p  u,  honor  of  the  day,  with  hearts  full  of  tender  .nemories  of  home 
.nd  kmdred  as  well  as  the  hallowed  associations  appertaining  to  the  fes- 
.".I.     The  coldest  weather  experienced  during  the  whole  peri«l  of  de- 
.™t,o„  occurred  in  th.s  ,nonth,  the  thermometer  sinking  on  one  occasion 
.  ,8    below  .ero.     In  March  they  lost  sight  of  land,  with  the  Jeannet.e 
helpless  and  crippled,  still  ai,nles,Iy  drifting  with  the  uncertain  and  dan- 
gerous pack.     April  followed  without  change.  In  the  n,eantime  a  water, 
ttght  t,ulkhea.l  had  been  built  into  the  forward  part  of  the  ship,  and  the 
,l»ces  between  the  ship's  frames  filled  in  with  nteal,  tallow,  ashes  and 
oakum,  to  keep  out  the  water.     "March  and   April,  ,880,"  say,  Dan 
cnhower,  "were  passed  quietly,  and  we  were  surprised  at  not  having  anv 
March  gales.     The  geese  and  wild  fowls  that  some  of  us  expected  ,0  see 
on  theirspring  migration  did  not  put  in  an  appearance.     One  poor  eider 
duck  fell  exhausted  near  the  ship,  and  one  of  our  sportsmen  shot  at  it 
and  after  administering  chloroform   it  succumbed.      There   were  some' 
b.nl,  seen  later  in  the  season  moving  to  the  westward,  but  they  were  not 


.^,^^ 


778 


co.yyECTUiiEs  as  jo  the  ship's  fate. 


numerous.     A   ^rcat  many   mussel   sliells   ami  (luantiiies  of  mud    weiv 
often  found  oil  the  ice,  which   indicated  that  it   had  been  in  contact  with 
land  or  shoals.     Our  hunters  ranjijed  far  and  wide  and  often  brouj^ht  -> 
small  pieces  of  wood — on  one  occasion  a  codfish   head,  and  on  anothir 
some    stuff  that    was  very    much   like    whale   blubber,  all  of  which  h.id 
been  found  on  the   ice."     Early   in    May,  under  the  influence   of  {rtiille 
south  and  southeast  winds  they  drifted  steadily  to  the  northwest.     After 
May  18,  1880,  the  water  was  pumped  out  ni<fht  and  day  by  hand  pump  or 
windmill  pump  until  the  ship  was  destroyed.     In  June  the  snow  meltni 
from  the  surface  of  the  Hoe,  but  it  would  have  required  a  carjjfo  of  torpc- 
does  to  set  the  ship  free,  so  firmly  was  she  embedded.  The  birthday  of  the 
nation  was  duly  celebrated  by  the  usual  display  of  bunting,the  vessel  beiii<r 
gaily  decorated  in  her  holida}-  attire,  and  by  a  festive  entertainment  forolli- 
cers  aiul  men.     The   thoughts  of  home,  which  they  had  now  abuiulaiit 
reason  to  apprehend  they  might  never  see  again,  must  have  mingled  pain- 
fully or  been  no  less  painfully  thrust  aside,  so  as  not  to  mar  the  current  of 
their  transient  merriment.     For   about   tiftecn  days  in  July  the  weather 
was  very  bright  and  pleasant;  but  the  latter  part  of  July  and  the  whole 
of  August  were   very   bad,  being  raw,  foggy,  and    unhealthy.     After  a 
short  release  from  her  immediate  ice-envelope  in  the  height   of  suinMioi, 
the  Jeannette,  which  had  in  the  meantime  drifted  far  to  the  northwest  of 
Wrangell  Land,  became  again  firmly  embended  in   ice  eight    feet  thick, 
on  the  6th  of  September,  just  one   week    before  the  relief  ship  Corwin 
relinquished  the  search  for  her  on  the  east  side,  as  related  in   the  next 
chapter. 

Meanwhile,  conjecture  as  to  her  fate  had  become  rife  at  home.  In- 
deed, the  public  alarm  developed  early,  one  might  say  prematurely.  It 
was  understood  theoretically,  that  the  vessel  had  got  beyond  the  channels 
of  regular,  or  even  occasional  communication;  but  even  this  did  not  pre- 
vent a  sort  of  instinctive  feeling  of  apprehension,  which  manifested  itself 
within  a  few  months  after  her  disappearance.  Attempts  were  made  bv 
press  and  platform  to  allay  the  public  alarm,  by  showing  its  unreasonable- 
ness, and  drawing  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  was  exactly  what  h;i(l 
been  anticipated.     "  No  news  is  good   news,"   was  repeated   ajj^ain  and 


■rfvr 


COSTINULU  Afl-UEimNHION.  „., 

i...  .  .Invcn  buck  ,„  Siberia,  ,.r  .l,r„„.|,  „„,„,„,..  «„„;,. 

U  ,„„s.  bo  „,„,l,,c,,  .b.>  lb.  ,.„a.„„i„«  „„,  fa„l,lc.ss,  .n,„l   wn,  „„. 

:'"'■'  t  • ,'"" """"  '^"  -" ■« "-.  „f  „S7,  ba„  ..„,.„„,  b, : 

b      ;-":  "-'  —Kl"  ..o  w„r„, ,  wbe„  U  was  funbcr  lean..,  .!« 

.w  .  ,f  .her  „,„„b.,  .be  M,„„„  W„lla,.„„  a,.,l   Vi,ib,„.   were  mi„i„,, 

a-..o„  ,„   wb,ch  .bcj„a„„c...  b- ,.  be.,  .e„,  .bo  pubbc  .i„<,  be 

f...    ,,.e  ha,l  bofalle,.  .he  .brae,  a,„l  .ha.  .hey  had  all  ...iserably  peri^he.! 
...     c  ,..e.     The  wl„.cr  pa,.,,  „.,ea,„,  h,  .hi,  regard;  a„„  in'be  ,pri„g 
pa,n„„,  were  f„rwar,le„  .„  .he  „aval  au.hori.ie,  .Mn,  .ha.  a  rehef  ex 
pe,b.,„„  be  ,e„.  forward  b,  seareh  of  .be   .i,,i„,  .,hip.,.     Appeal,  were 
al»  .nade.„Co,.gre.»by.he  Geographical  Socie.y;  and  le  of  .he 

.....ro  pro.,„e„.  „„i,er,i.i,,  „r,ed  i.,.e .e  a..e„.io„,  a,  delayed  expe- 

.lit.o„»  woald  be  very  likely  l„  prove  of  „o  value. 


%h 


^^t^&^-h 


CHAPTER    LXXXIV. 

JEANNETTE      RELIEF     KXPEDITIONS     IN      1880 THE      CORWIN  CAPT. 

HOOPER — AT  OUNALASKA — AN  IMPENKTRABLH  WAI.I A  FRIOHT- 

KUL  SCENE  OF  DESOLATION — A  SHIP  APPREHENDED — THE    LOTILA 

—  A  WRECK  —  THE  CORWIN  SIGHTS  WRANGELL  LAND  —  THE 
ENGLISH     RELIEF    VACHT     EIHA  —  FAILURE    OF    THE     EXPEDITION 

—  SECOND    AMERICAN    RELIEF    EXPEDITION,    THE     GULNARE AN 

ADVER},E  REPORT  —  REFITTED  AND  MANNED  —  A  DISASTROUS 
DELAY — FURTHER  HINDERED  BY  THE  ELEMENTS — AN  ABORTIVE 
EFFORT. 

Early  in  April,  1880,  the  steam  revenue-cutter  Thomas  Corwin,  was 
ordered  from   Astoria,  Oregon,  into  dry-dock  at  San  Francisco  to  be  re- 
paired and  strengthened  before  setting  out  m  search  of  the  Jeannette  and 
the  missing  whalers.    She  was  sheathed  with  oak  plank  an  inch  thick,  and 
was  furnished  with   an   adjustable  ice-breaker   made  of  boiler-iron,     A 
new    steam   windlass   was    put   in,   all    her   machinery  was    thoroughly 
overhauled  and  renewed.     The  Corwin  was  built  at  Albina,  Oregon,  in 
1876,  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  tons  Custom  House  measurement, 
one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet   long,  twenty-four  feet  beam,  and  eleven 
feet  depth  of  hold.     She  was  constructed   entirely  of  Oregon  fir,  copper 
fastened,  and  unusually  strong.     Capt.  John  W.  White,  one  of  the  most 
experienced  officers  in  the  Marine  Revenue  cutter  service,  superintended 
her  construction,  and  for  once,  at  least,  the   government  got   the   vessel 
that  was  ordered,  without  "a  steal."     She  is  a  beautiful  craft,  and  with 
steam  up  she   glides  through  the  water  "like  a  thing  of  life."     Her  j)io- 
pelling  power  is  a  vertical   inverted  cylinder,  steam  jacketed,  thirty-four 
inches  square,  with  a  surface  condenser.     She  has  an  expanding  pitch 
propeller  ten  feet  in  diameter,  and  is  capable  of  making  eleven  knots  an 
hour  under  steam — the  mean  pitcii  of  the  propeller  being  sixteen  feet. 

774 


7772^-  COR  W in: 


77» 


She   was  placed   under  the  comnmnd  of  Capt.  L.  C.  Hooper,  of  the 
Umted  States  navy,  a  ,nan  of  large  experience  and  excellent  training  in 
h.s  pr<,«essu)n,  and   in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  manhood,  being  not  quite 
torty  years  old.     Capt.  E.  H.  Smith,  long  familiar   with   Arctic   naviga- 
tion, took   service  as  ice  pilot;  and  the  ship's  company  comprised  thirty- 
e.ght   others,  officers  and  men-in   all  forty  persons.     She   was  provi- 
s.oned  for  twelve  months,  and  carried  one   hundn       ,ns  of  coal  in  her 
bunkers.     The  Alaska  Commercial  Company   f.unished  letters  of  intro- 
duction  to  their  agents  in  the  north,  commanding  them  to  render  all  pos- 
sible assistance  to  the  captain  of  the   Corwin.     Capt.   Hooper's  instruc- 
tions  .nchKled  attention  to  the  usual  revenue   service,  and  an  inquiry  into 
the  alleged  starving  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Lawrence  Island, 
besides   making  such  observations  as  to  currents,  tides,  temperature,  and 
the  hke,  as  circumstances  would   permit,  but  all  in  subordination   to  the 
main  purpose  of  the  expedition,  the  rehef  of  the  Jeannette  and  the  miss- 
ing whalers.     On  the  eve  of  departure   Hooper  thus  sketched  his  inten- 
t.ons,  which  were  substantially  in  accord  with  his  instructions: 

"  r  will  seek  the  whalers  first.  If  I  find  them  I  can  give  them  two 
months'  rations  at  least;  if  they  have  sick  who  need  to  be  taken  out  of 
the  Arctic  I  will  return  with  them  to  St.  Michael's;  load  up  again  wi'h 
coal,  all  we  can  carry,  and  go  back  again  after  the  Jeannette.  If  Capt. 
DeLong  has  taken  to  land  I  will  follow  him,  and  I  thmk  I  can  stand  a 
few  hundred  miles  in  a  dog  sledi>e." 

Arrived  at  Ounalaska,  the  Corwi.i  shipped  seventy  tons  of  coal,  and 
left  on  the  8th  for  St.  Paul's  Islands.     Here  they  procured  sealskin  cloth- 
ing for  ofiicers  and   men,  and   putting  the    ice-breaker  in  place,  started 
northward.      On   the    nth  they    first  encountered    the  ice,  at  60°   45' 
by    167°     50',   north  of   Nounivak    Island,  with    a    fresh    gale   blow- 
ing from  the  southwest.     Trying  in    vain  to  get  around  the^floe,    they 
entered  it  on   the    13th,  after  the   gale  had    subside..     Threading  their 
way   wherever  a  lead   appeared   in  the   ice  they    pushed  on    slowh-  fo 
the  north,    making  forty   miles  the   lirst  day,   and    twenty  on  tl       a.. 
on.l.     On   the   15th  and    i6th  they  made   no   progress,  and    were   ...  _ . 
iuiiy    occupied  in   saving  the   vessel   from  destruction   by  the  floe,  with 


770 


A   NATIVE  AfES^SEXaiiJt. 


which  they  drifted  helplessly  hither  ami  thither.      Under  ;i   tierce    north- 
cast  wind  and  snowstorm  on  the    17th,  they    sncceede..    in    anchoriipr 
in  ihe  shelter  of  Cape   Koman/oflf,  and  rode  there  in  comparative  safe- 
ty until  the   morninjjf  of  tlie  18th,  when   the  wiml  shiftinjf  to  the  north- 
west, they    were  in   dantjer    of  licinjf    driven   ashore   hy    tiic    returnin-r 
ice.     They  weij^hed  anchor   and   stood   out   to  meet  the  ice-pack   which 
presented  an  iinpenetrai)le  wall,  apparently   without   lead    or  openinjr  „f 
any  kind.     Driven  back  hy  this  formidahle  mass,  the  Corwin  soon  found 
herself  well  in  shore  in  only  sixteen  feet   of  water,  where  they    had  the 
good  fortune  to  spy  a  lead  into  which  they  hurriedly  shoi,  anchoring'  to  a 
piece  of  ice   which   was  aground   in  over  thirty-two  feet  of  water,  and 
covered  about  four  acres.     When  the  gale  subsideil  the  ice  began  to  drift 
away  from  shore,  giving  them  an  open  channel  to  Norton  Sound,  where 
they  anchored  on  the    19th,  but  at  a  distance  of  sixteen   miles   from  St. 
Michael's,  the  sound   being  filled  with  ice.     The  vessel  came  very  near 
losing  her  rudder  in  the  conflict    with  the  pack,  and  Capt.  Hooper  now 
devised  and  adjusted  a  contrivance  whereby  it    might    be   unshipped  in 
two  minutes.     The  ship  had   shown  good  power  of  resistance,  and  had 
come  out  of  the  ordeal  uninjured. 

They  were  soon  visited  by   a   native   messenger  dispatched   by  the 
agent  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  who  reported  that  the  win- 
ter  of  1879-80   had   been   terribly  severe,  with  an   unusual    number  of 
heavy  snowstorms  and  high  winds;    and  that  the  ice  had  broken  up  un- 
usually late.     A  break  occurring  in  the  ice,  they  were  enabled  to  reach 
the  harbor  of  St.  Michael's  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  the  19th  of 
June.     In  compliance  with  that  part  of  his   instructions,   Capt.   Hooper, 
on  the  23d  of  June,  steered  across  Behring  Sea  to  St.  Lawrence  Island,  a 
little  over  midway  to  the  Asiatic  coast,  where  they  found   the  reports  of 
destitution  fully  and  fearfully  confirmed.     The  inhabitants  had  been  in  a 
starving  condition  for  two  years.     The  first  village   visited   was  entirely 
deserted.     The  second,  some  miles  distant,  presented  a  frightful  scene  of 
desolation.     Not  .\  living  being  was  to  be  seen.     The  dead  lay  unbnried 
on  the  hillsides  n-.(  in  t\   ir  beds,  just  as  they  had  expired.     Further  west- 
vv-ard,  at  No^'u  «  lape,  a  similar  spectacle  was  witnessed.     At  first  it  was 


/I  amp  Al'l'h'EIIENDl£D.  ijj. 

.I...u,ht  tha.  tliere  ha.I  been  an  cpidcmi.-.  hut  there  is  no  doubt  that  there 
was  sheer  starvation,  fro.n  which  from  two  hundred  to  five  hundred  per- 
sons <lied.  Happily  a  whale  w.  cuujfht,  and  the  lives  of  the  remnant  of 
the  settlement  were  preserved. 

Procurino.  twenty-(ive  ions  of  coal   from   the  ajjcnts  of  the   Russian 
,ovcrnment    at    Plover    Hay,    Siberia,   Capt.   Hooper  proceeded  north, 
cntcrn.K  the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  38th  of  June.     Following'  the  icepack 
around  from  Cape  Senile  Kamen  on  the  Asiatic  side  to  Point    Hope  on 
tl,c  An.encan,  about  on  the  parallel  of  69%  and  comm.micatinf.  with  the 
n;mves  and  whalers  on  both  sides  of  IJehring  Strait  and  within  the  Arc- 
t.c  Ocean,   they    faded   to   learn  anything  of  the  Jeannette,  the   Mount 
Wollaston,  or  Vi,.ilant.     "  The  whalers,"  says  Hooper,  "without  an  ex- 
cepfon,  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  nothing  will  ever  be  heard  of  them  " 
TlK.y  also  reported  that  in  the  Arctic  Ocean  the  winter  of  ,879-80  had 
been  very  mild,  judging  by  the  year's  ice  which  was  exceptionally  thin 
Tim  showed  a  marked  difference  between  the   regions  north  and  south 
of  Uchring's    Strait.     Between    Kotzebue    Sound    and   Cape  Prince  of 
Wales,  they  fell  in  with  the  trading  bark  Leo,  and  finding  her  in  posses- 
s.o„   of  arms,    ammunition,   and  whiskey,  Capt.    Hooper  placed  her  in 
charge  of  Lieut.  W.  H.  Hand  on  the  4th    of  July,   with   orders   to   take 
her  to  San    Francisco  to    be    tried    for    violation   of  the    revenue    laws 
Hooper  continued  his  voyage,  but  finding  it  impossible  to  penetrate   the 
puck  to  the  north  and  reach  a  harbor,  he  returned  to  St.  iVIichael's  on  the 
7th,  for  coal,  supplies,  an.l  light  repairs.     The  Corwin  again  pushed  north 
on  the  ever.g  of  the  .oth,  keeping  to  the  American  shore  as  far  as  Cape 
L,slun-ne-68°  56'  by  163^  34'-whence  they  proceeded  along  the  ed^e 
ot  the  pack  to  the  northwest  toward  Plover  a.ul   Herald  Islands    reich- 
.n,  within  thirty  miles  of  the  latter.     Here  they  were  compelled '  by  the 
.cc  to  give  way  to  the  south,  as  n„-  as  09^^  30',  whence  they  struck  south- 
east toward  Kotzebue  Sound.     Making  another  effort  to   reach   Herald 
Island,  they  steered  once   more   to  the    northwest,    and    arrived    within 
twenty  miles  of  land  on  the  4th  of  August. 

Steaming  south  to  the  Russian  port  on  Plover  Bav  for  a  fresh  supply 
of  cuai,  the  Corwin  was  soon  headed  north  again  for  a  fourth   effort  to 


Jlinii 

m 


4 


iJ^ 

rn 


778 


THE  LOT  I  LA. 


reach  HeraUl  Island.  Driving  her  ice-breaker  through  fifteen  miles  of 
drift  ice,  she  was  within  three  miles  of  land  on  the  2ist,  when  her  further 
progress  was  stopped  by  pack-ice,  piled  forty  feet  high  along  the  shore, 
Unable  to  land,  they  closely  scrutinized  each  point  and  hill-top,  but  saw 
no  signal,  aiu!  inferred  that  whatever  else  the  barren  wastes  might  con- 
tain, the  missing  navigators  were  not  to  be  found  there.  The  coast  lint 
was  seven  to  eight  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  the  inland  hills  rose  'o 
about  1500  feet.  On  the  23d  Capt.  Hooper  pushed  to  the  east  toward 
Point  Barrow,  and  thence  southwest  to  Cape  Lisburne.  Four  miles 
from  the  cape  Capt.  Smith,  the  ice  pilot  of  the  Corwin,  discovered  a  vein 
of  coal,  of  which,  when  tested  and  found  satisfactory,  a  supply  was  taken 
on  board,  affording  a  valuable  saving  of  time.  Going  to  and  from  coal- 
ing stations  had  hitherto  consumed  an  important  portion  of  the  short 
cruising  season;  and  the  discovery  of  this  vein  at  such  an  accessible  point 
of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  will  doubtless  prove  of  great  advantage  to  future 
explorers. 

On  the  39th  of  August,  at  Point  Hope,  they  met  the  trading  schoon- 
er Lotila,  and  breech-loading  guns  being  found  aboard,  in  violation  nl 
the  revenue  laws  of  the  United  States,  Capt.  Hooper  placed  her  in  charge 
of  Lieut.  John  Wyckoff,  to  be  taken  to  San  Francisco.  She  carried  the 
American  flag,  but  was  owned  in  Honolulu;  and  had  been  seized,  in  1S79, 
for  carrying  whiskey. 

On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  September  the  Lotila,  during  thick,  foggv 
weather,  went  ashore  on  the  north  side  of  St.  Lawrence  Island,  ahuul 
fifteen  miles  to  the  east  of  Cape  Chebkak.  What  provisions  in  cask^ 
could  be  thrown  overboarti  having  been  washed  ashore  were  immediateh 
seized  by  the  natives,  and  with  ilitHculty  the  olHcers  and  crew  couM  ^el 
enough  to  provide  for  their  lengthy  stay  till  relief  might  come.  Lieut. 
Wyckoff  and  'nxc  o{  the  crew  volunteered  to  take  the  whale-l)o:it  aiui 
make  for  Plover  Bay  to  get  assistance  from  any  passing  whaler.  They 
reached  there  on  the  14th,  after  forty-eight  hours'  rowing,  l)alHn^  nioM 
of  the  distance.  Capt.  Owen,  of  the  Mary  and  Helen,  took  them  011 
board  on  the  evening  of  the  17th,  and  saile<l  for  the  wreck.  The  Lieu- 
tenant says  the  confusion  and  uproar  on  the  beach  were  frightful  beyond 


ririi  r^ELikF  iAcur  eira. 


770 


<lescnptio,K  All  the  natives  from  Sandspit  were  there,  and  had  taken 
possession  of  everythin^^  Capt.  Dexter,  of  the  wrecke<l  Lotila,  permit- 
tc-d  them  to  <lo  so.  The  steamer  sent  three  hoats  to  the  wreck  and  had 
liardiy  tune  to  j^et  their  dothin-  a.ul  what  could  be  taken  off  before  a 
tearful  gale  sprung  up,  that  threatened  to  engulf  everything.  The 
natives  got  a  large  cp.antity  of  ammunition;  the  Lieutenant  placed  the 
r;'.  .  oeyond  their  reach.  Capt.  Dexter,  two  mates  and  two  seamen  were 
placed  on  boanl  tiie  Julia  Long  hound  to  Honolulu.  Lieut.  Wyckoff 
and  the  others  proceeded  to  San  Francisco. 

Meanwhile,  a  fifth  trip  to  the  northwest  was  undertaken  by  the  Cor- 
win,  hut  her  progress  was  barred  at  a  distance  of  forty  miles  from  Herald 
Island.  On  the  nth  of  September  they  sighted  Wrangell  Land,  twenty- 
Hvc  miles  distant,  an<l  ro  surrounded  by  heavy  i,acK-icc,  with  new  ice 
rapidly  forming,  that  to  attempt  a  nearer  approach  was  to  endanger  the 
safety  of  the  vessel.  She  had  steamed  over  6,000  miles  within  the  Arc- 
tic Ocean  without  gaining  any  tidings  of  the  missing  vessels,  and  left  on 
the  13th  for  San  Francisco,  where  slie  arrived  in  safety  on  the  14th  of 
October.  The  ice  pilot  and  engineers  freely  affirmed  that  »  Capt.  Hooper 
made  the  Corwin  go  'for  all  she  was  worth.'  There  was  no  rest,  and 
she  had  traveled  over  every  inch  of  the  Arctic  Sea  between  Wrangell 
Land  and  Point   Barrow." 

ENGLISH     RELIEF    YACHT    EIRA. 

In  h:ngland,  also,  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  the  members  of  the  Amer- 
ican i'.lar  Expedition  of  1S79,  early  began  to  be  felt.  VV.  Leigh  Smith 
a  -t-Ueman  of  fortune  and  experience  in  Arctic  navigation,  left  Peter- 
hiad  on  the  lyth  of  June,  in  his  sleam-yacht  Lira,  of  360  tons  burden,  to 
search  for,  and  if  it  might  be,  to  succor  the  Jeannette.  Mr.  Smith  had 
made  his  first  Arctic  voyage  in  1871  Jn  his  yacht  Samson,  and  had  added 
some  valuable  contributions  to  the  stock  of  general  information  relating 
to  those  regions.  Again,  in  1872-3,  he  had  gone  in  the  Diana  on  a 
second  voyage  to  high  northern  latitudes,  but  the  results  were  not  as 
noteworthy  as  (,n  the  lirst  trip.  On  this  voyage  of  18S0,  arriving  at 
Franz-Josef  Land,  he  concluded   that  it  was  either  one  of  an   extensive 


^'m 


„»1tor-. 


780 


THE   GULNARE. 


group  of  islands  or  the  headland  of  a  continuous  stretch  of  land  extend- 
ing far  to  the  northwest.  He  also  discovered  in  the  portion  he  was  ahU- 
to  explore  a  desirable  harbor,  which  is  likely  to  prove  o.'  great  benetit  to 
future  explorers  in  those  remote  regions.  The  eminent  German  geo'^- 
rapher,  Dr.  Petermann,  had  broached  the  theory  that  an  archipelaifo 
would  be  found  to  surround  the  North  Pole,  and  Mr.  Smith's  impnjssioii 
of  Frauz-Josef  Land  tended  measurably  to  confirm  that  opinion;  but  it 
Is  almost  needless  to  repeat  that  theories  in  geography  have  proved  of 
little  value  in  the  history  of  mankind.  The  actual  has  ever  disproved 
the  theoretic;  and  nothing  can  be  regarded  of  value  that  has  not  been 
tested  by  actual  discovei-y.  In  this  work  the  reader  has  had  placed  before 
him  the  successive  stages  of  northern  exploration,  without  having  liis 
iittention  distracted  by  a  multitude  of  theories  which  might  or  might  not 
be  very  reliable.  Mr.  Smith  received  the  gold  medal  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society  in  appreciation  of  his  important  services;  but  as 
may  be  guessed,  his  course  was  far  away  from  the  scenes  of  the  Jtaii- 
nette's  weary  warfare  with  the  ice. 

A  second  American  relief-ship,  the  Gulnare,  sometimes  called  the 
Howgate  Expedition,  in  honor  of  Capt.  H.  W.  Howgate,  "the  father  of 
the  enterprise,"  is  scarcely  worthy  of  mention,  so  abortive  did  it  prove. 
The  vessel  had  been  disapproved  by  two  boards  of  examiners,  but  tlie 
persistence  of  Howgate  succeeded  in  over-riding  all  opposition;  and  she 
left  for  the  north  on  June  22,  1880.  She  was  permitted  to  carry  the 
American  flag  by  a  strained  interpretation  of  the  Act  of  Cons?ress 
authorizing  the  expedition.-  She  returned  on  the  24th  of  October,  hav- 
ing achieved  the  barren  result  of  making  a  voyage  to  Disco  and  back. 


B 

*'^Bfli 

■   kiil  * 

^H- 

r-~ 

-— _  —  --  --9 

HI 

iUMl 

Hi 

1 ' 

^ 

■ 

1 

CHAPTER    LXXXV. 

THK  .lEANNETTE  IN  TI.K  KXTREMITY  OF  PERU. —ANXIETY  ON  SHIP- 
HOAKn—  NEAR  WRANGELI.  LAND  —  ClIIPp's  SOUNDINGS  —  EX- 
TRACTS FROM  THE  JEANNETTE'S  LOG-THE  ICE  BORED— A  PARTY 
OF  EXPLORERS— DISCOVERIES— A  THICK  FOG— THE  LAST  ENTRY 
IN     THE     LOG. 

We  left  the  Jeannette  beset  in  the  ice  at   the  early  closing-in   „f  the 
Arctic  winter  of   ,SSo-i.      She  was  encircled,  as  stated,  by  ice  eight  feet 
thick,  besides  which  there  were  immense  masses  shoved  under   her  keel, 
and  her  bows  were  lifted  at  an  angle  of  about  one  degree,  while  she  wal 
also  keeled  to  the  starboard  about  two  degrees.     She  was  so  Hrmly  Ireld 
in  this  gigantic  vise  that  when  the  blacksmith  struck  his  anvil  in  the  fire- 
.oom  one  could  see  the  shrouds  and  sf^ys  vibrate,  and  they  were  not  very 
taut.     The  executive  officer  had  slackened  up  tiie  rigging  during  the  first 
winter,  and  tlie  contraction  of  wire  rigging  by   the   intense   cold  was  of 
course  very  great.      The  ice  was  piled  up  under  the   main   chains  and   as 
high  as  the  plank-sheer.      In  the  vicinity  of  the  ship  the  ice  was  tumbled 
about  in  the  greatest  confusion,  and  traveling  over  it  was  almost  an    im- 
possibility.    In  the  month  of  September  the  ship  was  put   in  winter 
quarters   for  the    second   time.      She  was    banked    up    witii    snow,    the 
deck  house  was  put   up  for  the  use  of  the  men,  and   the  awning  spread 
s"    that    the    spar  deck    was    completely   housed    over.     Economy  and 
atrcnchment    were     the     order    of    the    day    in     fuel,    provisions,   and 
clothing.      In  the  latter  part  of  the   month,  when  the  cracks  froze  over, 
came  the  best  time  for  travel,  but  the  outlook   was   poor.      There   was 
comparatively  little  snow,  and  what  there  was  was  constantly  blown  by 
the  wind  and  rendered  salt  by  attrition  on   the  surface  of  the  ice,  so  that 
It  could  not  be  used  for  culinary  purposes.       1  ho  captain  was  very  favor- 
able  to  fall  travel!  .g,  and  he  several  times  expressed  himself  to  the  effect 

781 


^1^) 


782 


CinPI'^S  SOUNUI.VGS. 


l! 


that  ho  would  not  ahamlon  the  ship  while  there  was  a  pound  of  pnni- 
sions  left,  and  it  was  frenerally  understood  that  he  would  hold  on  a  year 
lonj^er,  and  probahly  start  when  the  fall  traveling'  commenced,  a  year 
later.  It  was  considered  that  if  the  provisions  held  out  lonj^  enouj^h,  if 
they  were  not  attacked  by  scurvy,  and  if  the  ship  were  not  crushed  by  the 
ice,  she  would  eventually  drift  out  after  reaching,'  the  vicinity  of  Franz 
Josef  Land,  either  north  or  south  of  it.  The  morale  of  the  ship's  com- 
pany was  excellent,  yet  all  looked  anxiously  toward  the  \on\r  ni;^Hu  of  the 
second  winter,  whicli  proved  to  be  tiie  most  fearful  part  of  their  experi- 
ence. The  anxiety  and  mental 
strain  were  the  greatest  at  that 
time.  They  wero  so  completely  at 
the  mercy  of  the  ice  that  the  vessel 
might  be  cr-ished  at  any  moment 
by  the  thundering  agencies  that 
were  constantly  heard. 

The  old  winter  routine  of  meals,  x 
two  hours'  exercise,  and  so  on,  com- 
menced on  Nov.  I,  and  all  was 
going  well.  Novemb-jr  and  De- 
cember were  extremely  cold,  but 
there  were  no  severe  gales.  The 
metcorologL^d  oliservation^  were 
taken  every  hour  during  t!ie  first 
year,  but  every  two  hours  only, 
during  the  second.  They  were  very  thorough,  and  Mr.  Collins  was 
very  watchful  to  add  something  to  the  science  to  which  he  was 
thoroughly  devoted.  During  the  illness  of  Daneuhowcr,  from  weak 
eyes,  the  captain  and  Mr.  Chipp  look  the  astronomical  observations, 
but  each  otlicer  in  the  ship  had  a  round  of  duty  as  a  weather  ob- 
server, and  to  assist  Mr.  Collins.  There  was  a  (luartermastcr  on 
watch  all  the  time,  anil  steam  was  kept  on  the  Baxter  boiler  for 
distilling  purposes.  To  save  coal  li res  were  put  out  in  the  galley  at  3 
p.  M.,  being  used  only  from  7  a.  m.  til!  that  hour. 


UKUT.    CMAS.    W.    Cllll-F. 


HAS.    W.    Cllll'l'. 


DUNBAli   HOLE. 


788 


The  nmnth    of  January,   ,88i,  was  rcnarkable   for  its  chanj^eable 
tcm,,craturc,    and    as    beins    warmer    than    the    two    previous    ,„onths 
-About    the    middle    of  the    uiouth    the    wind    set  in   from  the  southeast 
au.i  subsequently  to  that  time  the  drift  of  the  ship  was  uniformly  to  the' 
northwest.      The  depth  of  the  water  be<,^au  to  increase  toward  the  north- 
west, but  woul.l  always  decrease  toward  the  southeast  or  southwest   as 
well  as  to  the  northeast.     The  vessel  seemed  to  drift  in  a  groove,  whicn 
Ihey  called  Melville's  Canal,  as  he  was  the    Hrst   to  call   attention  to  the 
(act.      Mr.  Chipp  took  the  soundings  every  morning,  and  bv   long  expe- 
rience could  judge  of  the  drift  so  accurately  that  his  dead  recUonin<^  gen- 
erally tallied  with  the  ..bservations.      He  adopted  a  scale  by  which  slow 
.Intt  meant  three  nautical  miles  per  day;  moderate,  six  miles;  rapid,  nine 
nnles;  very  rapid,  twelve  miles.      Ho  always   reckoned  the  direction   and 
speed   of  the   drift,   an.l  placed  the  ship  before   making  the  observation 
H,s.,udgment  was  excellent.      He  an<l  the  captain   made   frequent   lunar 
ol.servat.ons  lor  clironometcr  errors,  but  those  of  the  eclipses  of  Jupiter's 
.atellites  were  the  best.     February  was  the  coldest  month;  and  the  n.ean 
tur  Ihe  three  months  was  only  six  degrees  lower  than  that  for   the   ,ame 
nx.ntlis  during  the  previous  year.      The  soundi.igs  generally   ran  thu-ty- 
threej.ut  one  morning  Mr.  Dunbar  soumled   in    fortv-four;   some  called 
that   place   Dunbar   Hole.      They  drifte.l   over  this  spot  once   again  at  a 
laur  period.      The  absence  of  animal  life  prior  to  Mav  was  greater  than 
cluru.g  the  previous  year.      All  hands  hunted  every  ,iay,  especially  as  the 
doctor  wanted   fresh   n.eat   for   the    Imlian    Alexai,   who   began  to   have 
sv.npioms  of  the  scm-vy,  and  suffered  very  greatly  from  abscesses  on  his 
leu.     They  killed  in  all  two  hundre.I  an<l  liftv  seals,  thirtv  l)cars,  and  six 
walruses.     On  May  ,  Dr.  An:l,ler  reported  the  physical  condition  of  the 
cvu   rapidly  deteriorating,  and  six  or  seven  were  placed  on  whiskey  and 
<i'"""K'  to  tone  them  up.     The   weather  at    this   time   was   good,   in   an 
Aretic  sense,  and  there  were  no  spring  gales. 

The  result  of  the  <lrift  for  the  first  five  months  was  forty  miles.    There 
was  a  cycloidal   movement   of  the   ice.       The   drift   during   the   last    six 


months  was  very  rapid.     The  sound 


eighteen  fatii 


oms  near  Wrangell  Land,  which 


nigs  were   pretty  even.      They  were 


]Im 


was  often  visible   sevei 


'il 


784 


JEANNETTE  LOG. 


five    miles    distant.      The    greatest   depth    found    was    ei<^hty  fatlioins 
and  the  average    thirty-five.      The    bottom    was    blue  mud.      Shrimps 
and  plenty    of  algological    specimens  were   brought    up  from   the   bot- 
tom.    The  surface  water   had  a  temperature  of  30°   above  zero.     The 
extremes  of  the   temperature  of  the    air  were — greatest    cold,  58°  be- 
low" zero,    and    greatest    heat  44°   above   zero.      The    first    winter   the 
mean    temperature   was   33°    below   zero.      The    second  winter    it  was 
39°  below  zero.      The    first    summer    the   mean  temperature  was  40' 
above  zero.       The  heaviest  gale  showed  a  velocity  of  about   fifty  mi'es 
an  hour.      Such  gales  were  not  frequent.      Barometric  and  thennomot- 
ric   fluctuations   were   not  great.      There  were  disturbances  of  the   nee- 
dle coincident  with  the  auroras.     The  winter's  growth  of  ice   was  eight 
feet.     The  heaviest  ice  seen  was  twenty-three  feet.     The  teleplnone  wires 
were  broken  by  movement  of  the  ice.     The  photographic  collection  was 
lost  with  the  ship.     Lieut.  Chipp's  2,000  auroral  observations  were  also 
lost.     The  naturalist's  notes  have  been  saved. 

During  the  month  of  May  the  ice  pilot  was  almost  constantly  in  the 
crow's-nest,  and  got  blind  several  times.  He  was  looking  out  for  land, 
and  was  the  first  to  announce  it  in  sight,  being  then  by  a  round  estimate 
about  five  hundred  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Herald  Island,  with  the 
ship  still  beset,  and  drifting  in  the  pack-ice. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  LOG  OF  THE  JEANNETTE. 

Tuesday,  May  17,  18S1. — Latitude  by  observation  at  noon,  north  76° 
43'  20";  longitude  by  chronometer  from  afternoon  observations,  east 
161°  53'  45" ;  sounded  in  forty-three  fathoms;  muddy  bottom;  a  sliijht 
drift  northwest  being  indicated  by  the  lead  line;  weather  dull  and  gloomy 
in  the  forenoon;  close,  bright,  and  pleasant,  in  the  afternoon.  At  7 
p.  M.  land  was  sighted  from  aloft  by  William  Dunbar,  ice  pilot,  and 
bearing  south  78°  45'  west  (magnetic)  or  north  83°  15'  west  true.  It  ap- 
pears to  be  an  island;  but  owing  to  fog  hanging  partly  over  it  and  partly 
to  the  northward  of  it,  no  certainty  is  felt  that  this  is  all  of  it.  It  is  also 
visible  from  the  deck,  but  no  estimate  can  be  made  of  its  distance.  As 
no   such  land   is  laid  down  upon  anv  chart  in   our  possession,  belief  that 


liOlUXG  THE  ICE 

785 

we  have  made  a  discovery  is  permissible.     This  is  the  fir«.  1      ,     r 

-;   seen  h,  the  Ship  since  March    ,, .So,  at  :;-rr  ^sl:; 
the  la  .c  t,me  the  north  side  of  "Wranj^ell  Land  " 

Wednesday,  May   1 8,  1 88 1. -Latitude  north  76°  4,'    ,S"    Ion    •.    , 
east  161°  Z12'  c?n"    ,  T-u     i      1    .    ,  '       ^^      ^     )  lonfritude 

s    16      43     30  .  ,  The  land  s,,.hted  yesterday  remains  visible  all  dav 
nnd  wth    greater  clearness.     The   clouds  of  yesterchv   or    o     >      , 
then  called,  having  disappeared  from  th .  ^"''"'''^>''  °'    ^^^^  ^>a"k,  as 

ahie  to  see  apparc  u  ro  Ty       ^s  ^t  '"^'  "^'  ""^ T'  ''^"''  ^^  '^^^ 

back  to  the  westwardfr  L  t  1   an         -^""^  .^"^^^^'^^   ^^°P^'   ^^-'-^ 

fom  them,  and  termmating  in  a  conical  mass  like 

a  volcano  top. 

Thursday,  May  19,  1 88 1. —Lat- 
itude 76°  44'  50"  north,  longitude 
161°  30'  45"  east.    Crew  engaged 
in  digging  down  through  the  ice  on 
the  port  side  of  the  stem  in  an  effort 
to  reach  the  forefoot.     The  ice  was 
first  bored   to   a   depth  of  ten  feet 
two  inches  without  getting  to  the 
bottom  of  it;  next  a  hole  was  dug 
four   feet   i,i   depth,  and    from    the 
bottom  of  this  hole  a  drilling  was 
made  to  the  depth  of  ten  feet  two 
inches,  still  not  reaching  the  bottom 
of    the    ice    at    fourteen    feet    two 

inches;  but  water  now  came  oozin- 

to 


WM.    M     DUNBAR. 


.  ",   -"t  wcxici  now  cameo 

-  I    .„,    the   ,,ace   „„,,  „„.,    f„„,,,    ,„„,    „,^    „^,    , 

n  r  .0    „..u,„,   ,h„e    ,he    thickness    is    of  ,„o,-e    than    one    floe     .,„cl 
a    -He  wa.e.  fl„„,  „,  ,e..ee„  .He  Hock,  a,  .,e.  He  one  a  J'e 
other.     An  open.ng  occ„™l  in  .l,e  ice   about  five  lumdred  y„,ds  to  the 
e«wa.o   the  ship  and  pania.,,  closed  at  ,o  .  ..,  .he  ship  ,«ei  L^s 
ra.  ,l..h.  shocks  as  the  ed.es  of  the  ice  ca,„e  together.  The  island  reLins 
■n  plan,  v,ew  all  day,  and  a.  .i„es  after  6  p.  ,,  „  ,ery  stron.  app 
-  ..    I..her  land  Beyond  and  ,„  .he  westward  is  s.-en! see^i;,;:'::: 
«c.^,j  a  snowy  slope  with  what  wc  have  called  an  island.      ~   ' 


786 


JBANNETrE   LOG 


Friday,  May  20. — The  island  remains  in  plain  view  all  day,  thoiij;h 
nothing  can  be  seen  of  the  high  land  beyond,  the  strong  appearance  of 
which  is  noted  in  yesterday's  log.  The  center  of  tlie  island  now  hears 
west  (true),  but  as  no  observations  could  be  obtained  to-day,  its  position 
and  distance    cannot  be  determined  by  the  change  of  bearing. 

Saturday,  May  31. — Latitude  north  76"  52'  22",  longitude  east  161" 
7'  45".  The  point  of  the  island  which  on  the  i6th  inst.  bore  north  83" 
15'  west  (true)  to-day  bears  south  78°  30'  west  (true),  from  whicli 
change  of  bearing  it  is  computed  that  the  island  is  now  twenty-four  ami 
three-fifths  miles  distant.  The  position  of  the  observed  point  is  therefore 
latitvide  76°  47'  28"  north,  longitude  159°  20'  45".  From  measure- 
ment made  by  a  sextant  it  is  found  that  the  island  as  seen  to-day  subtends 
an  angle  of  3°  10'. 

Wednesday,  M.iy  25. — Latitude  north  77'  16'  3",  longitude  east  159" 
33'  30".  At  8  A.  M.  the  ice  was  found  to  have  opened  in  numerous 
long  lanes,  some  connected  and  some  single,  extending  generally  in 
north-northwest  and  south-southeast  direction.  By  making  occasional 
portages  boats  were  able  to  go  several  miles  from  the  vessel,  but  for  the 
ship  herself  there  were  no  ice  openings  of  sufficient  magnitude.  The 
strong  appearance  of  land  mentioned  on  the  12th  inst.  proves  to  have 
been  land  in  fact,  and  for  the  reasons  similar  to  those  herein  set  fortli  (in 
the  remarks  of  the  17th  inst.)  it  may  be  recorded  as  another  discovery. 
The  second  land  is  an  island  of  which  the  posiLion  and  present  distance 
are  yet   to    be    determined.      The    interval   between   the    two    islands  is 

49"  55'- 

Tuesday,  May  31. — No  observations.     Crew  engaged   in   digging  a 

trench  round  the  vessel,  and   after  4  p.  M.  in   getting  up  provisions,  etc., 

in   readiness  for   a  sledge  party   directed  to  leave   the  shi[i  to-monow 

ir.orning. 

Wednesday,  June   i. — No  observations.     At    9  A.   m.   a   party,  con- 

sistina:  of  Passed  Assistant  Engineer  G.  W.  Melville,  Mr.  William  Dim- 

bar,  W.  F.   C.  Ninderman  (seaman),  H.  H.  Ericksen    (seaman),  J.  H. 

Bartlett  (first  class  fireman),  and  Walter  Sharwell  (coal  heaver),  started 

to  make  an  attempt  to  land  upon  the  island  discovered  by  us  o\\  the  35th 


muster  an( 


7BA/VI\/BTTB  LOG,  ,  ^^^ 

ult.,  and  which  bears  southwest  half-west  (tvn.\  -n 

of  twelve  miles      Th.  ■    .  ^      ^       ''"  estimated  distance 

sacks  and  sleep  ng  batrs  and  arm«      ah  u      ,  P' 

witness  the  departure   'nd    h  '^  """^^^^  ""  ^'^^  '^  ^« 

At  6  .  ^^P'*'^"'-^'  -nd  <^heers  were  exchanged  as  the  sled  moved  off 

At  6  A.  M.  the  travelin-r   party  coulrl  K»  c  , 

™ncsdis..„,  f,.„„„K.:hip.  '  "'"  '"■"  ""■"  "  ^^°'"  «- 

Thum|„,,j„„„  ,._L,..tod=  77»  ,6'  .,.  „„„h.     Durin.  the  fore 

nr:!;  mr  ^-^ "  "^-  -™  -'-•  ---'-»^^  - 

.,-tl7'''p-'"""r''""'"''""°  "'  "•  north,  longitude  ,58"  „- 
45  cast.  Fro,„  th.  cr^Kkcd  appearand  of  the  i„  around  the  , tern  it 
-..M  see.  that  the  .hip  i,  endeavoring  .„  ri,e  fro™  her  ice  dock  T„ 
.»    ..ate  her  r..„,  „„  .„  ,„„,„„  ^,^.  ^^^^.  _         _  ^^___  ^      To 

ciler,  the  „,en  were  e„,,a«ed  forenoon  and  afternoon  in  di.,.inl   .'a 
*., CO  underthe  counters,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  pr'o^  rer  we  f 
The  s.d  .ce  .s  of  a  flinty  hardness  and  e.ings  so  closely  to  the  ship  Zl 
s  ow  the  gra,n  of  the  wo«,  and  to  tear  out  the  oaknn,'visible  wher    t 

..P  s  r,s.„g  ha,  left  open  spaces.  I3earin.s  of  the  island  toward  I  c h 
.he  travel.ng  party  was  ,ent=_So„th  end  S.  ,,'  „e,t  r.rue^  TT. 
end  .S.  6,  "west  (true).  "^       "ost  (true).     North 

.Su„dav,June5.-_No  observations.  At  ,,  ..  „.  „„„«,  „  ,,^  „„ 
.he  .ee  ahead  ot  the  ship,  adding  tar  and  oaku™  to  .alee  a  black  slke 
as  a  signal  of  our  location  to  the  absent  .ravelin.,    nartv      At  .T 

"jvhale  gnn  as  a  sbnilar  si.,,a,.     Carpenters  pushed   repairs  to  ste:: 

Monday,  June  6.-X0  observations.  At  ,0  a.  m.  called  all  hand,  to 
n>us.er  and  read  the  act  for  the  govern„.cnt  of  the  navy.  The  ," 
-".."..  ..hcer  then  inspected  the  ship.  At  .30  p.  „.  di.i„..  ^,Z. 
-a,  read  u,  .be  cabin.  At  6  ..  ...  ,ighted  the  traveling  party  „,aki  " 
™- >vay  bae  to  the  ship,  , cut  the  starboard  watch  o!t  I  LT!:: 
"•  At  9  A.  „.  the  sled  amved  alongside,  draw,i  bv  the  do-.,  and  ,c 
»n.pan,ed  by  Nindern,an,  IJricksen,  and   Bartle.t.   "Mr.  WiUian,   Du,,." 


Illli!!:: 


uf  -mi 


188 


J E ANNETTE  LOG. 


bar,  ice  pilot,  was  brouj^ht  in  by  this  party,  having  been  disabled  by  >.  dw 
blindness.  At  twenty  minutes  of  lo  a.  m.  Engineer  Melville  and  \/al. 
ter  Sharwell,  coal  heaver,  with  ail  remaininf  traveling  gear,  arrived  on 
board. 

The  party  landetl  on  the  island  at  half-past  5  i'.  M.,  on  'Vidav,  [line 
3,  hoisted  our  national  ensign,  and  took  possession  of  our  discoveries  in 
the  name  of  the  United  States  of  America.  1  lie  island  discovered  on 
May  17  has  been  named,  and  will  hereafter  be  known  as  Jeannctte 
Island.  It  is  situated  in  latitude  76*^  47'  north,  and  longitude  158°  56' 
east.  The  island  discovered  on  May  25  and  landed  upon  as  above  stated 
has  been  named  and  will  hereafter  be  known  "s  Henrietta  Island.  It  is 
situated  in  latitude  77°  8'  north,  and  longitude  157°  43'  east. 

Tuesday,  June  7,  1881. — Latitude  77°  11'  10"  north;  longitude,  no 
observations.  In  anticipation  of  our  floe  breaking  up  and  our  bein^ 
launched  into  the  confusion  raging  about  us,  hoisted  the  steam  cutter 
brought  aboard  the  kayaks  and  oomiaks  and  removed  from  tiie  ice  such 
of  our  belongings  as  could  not  be  secured  at  a  few  moments'  notice. 

Wednesday,  June  8. — No  observations.     So  thick  was  the   fog  until 

10  A.  M.  that  our  position  with  reference  to  Henrietta  Island  could  not  be 
determined,  but  at  that  hour  the  fog  cleared  away,  and  the  island  was 
sighted  right  ahead,  at  a  distance  of  about  four  miles.  As  indicated 
yesterday,  we  were  being  drifted  across  the  north  face.  The  large  open- 
ings near  us  have  closed  and  the  general  appearance  of  the  ice  to  the 
west  and  northwest  is  that  of  an  immense  field  broken  up  in  many  places 
by  the  large  piles  of  broken  floe  pieces,  but  with  no  water  spaces.  Con- 
siderable water  sky  is  visible  to  the  south  and  southwest,  and  several  un- 
connected lanes  of  water  are  to  be  seen  in  those  directions.  The  ice 
having  passed,  the  obstruction  caused  by  Henrietta  Island  has  closed  up 
again  and  resumed  its  accustomed  drift  to  the  northwest. 

Friday,  June  10. — Latitude  77°  14'  20'  north,  longitude  156°  7'  30' 
east.     At    II    p.    M.  the  ship  received  several  severe  jars.     At  half-past 

1 1  the  ice  eighty  yards  to  the  westward  opened  to  a  width  of  ten  feet, 
and  after  several  shocks  from  the  ice,  the  ship  was   found   to   have  risen 


an  inch  forward 


At  midnight  there  was  considerable  motion  to  oin  sur- 


i 


JEANNETTE  LOG.  ^g^ 

.oimcli,,.  fl„e,  and  strong  indications  of  a  l.reakinj.  »p  of  tiic  ice  alon-.- 
side  the  ship.  " 

Satunlay,  June  ...-Latitude  77"  .3'  45'  „onh,  longitude    ,55^    46' 
30"    cast.     At    ten    minutes   past    ,2    a.    m.   the    ice    suddenly    opened 
^.longs.dc,  and  the  ship  righted  to  an  even  keel.    Called  all  hands  at  once 
and  brought  on  the  few  remaining  things  on  the  ice.     The  ship  settled 
<lown  to  her  proper  hearings  nea.-ly,  the  draught   being  8  feet    . .    inches 
forward,  and  ,2  feet  5  inches  aft.     A  large   block   of  ice  could   be  seen 
ren.annng  under  the  keel.     At  the  first  alarm  the  gate  in  the  water-tight 
bulkhead  forward  was  closed,  but  the  amount  of  water  coming  into  the 
sh.p  was  found  to  decrease-a  small  stream   trickling   aft  being   all   that 
could  be  seen.  .  There  being  many  large  spaces  of  water  near  us  and  the 
.ce  havmg  a  generally   bn.ken  up  appearance,  it   was  concluded  to  ship 
the  rudder  to  be  ready  for  an  emergency  involving   the   moving  of  the 
ship.     After  some  trouble  in  removing  accumulations  of  ice  around  the 
gudgeons  the   rudder  was  shipped,  and    everything    cleared    away    for 
makn>g  sail.     As  well  as  could  be  judged  by  looking  down  through  the 
water  under  the  countei's  there  was  no  injury   whatever  to  the  afterbody 
<>t  the  sh.p.     As  soon  as  possible  a  bow  line  and  a  quarter  line  had  been 
,^ot  out  and  the  ship  secured  temporarily  to  the  ice,  which  rema.ned  on 
tlK.  starboard  side,  as  nearly  in  the  same   berth   as  she   could    be  placed 
By  looking  down  through  the  water  alongside  the  stern  0.1  the  port  side 
"uc  ot  the  iron  straps  near  her  forefoot   was   seen  to  be   sprung   off,   but 
-thcMwise  no  damage  could  be  detected.     It  was  assumed  by  me  tha't  the 
H.-avyce  which  all  along  bore  heavily  against  the  stern   had    held   the 
plank  ends  open  on  the  garboards,  and  that  as  soon  as  the  ship  was  able 
to  move  fro.n  this  heavy  ice  the  wood  ends  came  together  again,  closing 
nu,ch  of  the  opening,  and  reducing  the  leak.     The  water  line  or  rather 
-:.ter  level  being  below  the  berth  deck   no  difficulty    was   anticipated  in 
kccpmg  the  ship  aHoat,  and  navigating  her  to  some  port  should  she  ever 
ix-  i.berated  from  tho  pack-ice  of  the  Arctic  Ocean.     Sounded  in  thirty- 
ihree  fathoms,  bottom  mud,  rapid  drift  to  north-northwest.     This   is   the 
1^'sl  entry  in  the  log,  and  is  in  pencil,  and  with  the  rest  is  in   the   hand- 
writing of  De  Lontr. 


01 


70D 


JEANNaTTE  LO(,. 


The  ico  continuctl  in  motion,  but  no  serious  injury  occurred  to  the  ship 
until  the  mornin'4  of  thi*  12th,  when  ti.e  ice  commenced  to  pack  to'^etht-r, 
brinjjjinjj  a  trcmcmious  strain  on  the  ship,  heclinj^  her  over  to  sturhoard, 
and  forcinjj  the  deck  seams  open.  This  continued  ihirinj^  tlie  day  at  in- 
tervals  until  cveninj,',  wlien  it  was  i;vident  the  ship  could  not  much  loiijrcr 
hold  tofjetlicr.  The  boats  were  lowered  on  the  ice,  and  provisions,  arm*;, 
tents,  alcohol,  sledj^es,  and  all  necessary  equipment  for  a  retreat,  securely 
placed  on  the  floe.  By  6  v.  M.  the  ship  had  entirely  filled  with  water 
and  lay  over  at  an  an»;le  of  about  twenty-two  dcfjrees,  being  kept  from 
sinking  by  the  opposing  edges  of  the  floe.  On  the  morning  of  the  13th 
of  June,  about  4  o'clock,  the  ice  opened  and  the  ship  went  down,  with 
colors  flying  at  the  masthead. 


»^&3i5-3SI?--._v 


CHAPTER   LXXXVI. 

SECOND  VOYAGE  OF  THE  LORWIN  —  HHK  OFFICERS  —  ENTER  THE 
ARCTIC  —  STRUGCJLE  TO  REACH  WHANGELL  LAND  —  CRUISE  OF 
THE  HODOKHS  —  COMMANDER  HERRV's  LETTlCR  —  LANDS  ON 
HERALD  ISLAND — BURNING  OF  THE  RODGERS  —  THE  RODGERS 
PARTY  BOARD  THE  NORTH  STAR  —  THE  KIRA  AGAiN  —  THE 
ALLIANCE. 

On  the  2cl  of  M:iy,  i88i,  Capt.  Hooper  received  final  ins'tructions  for 
his  second  voyai^'c,  and  only  awaited  some  additional  stores,  including 
;i  large  supply  of  peminican,  which  was  delayed  in  transmission  from  the 
east.  These  having  arrived  on  the  4th,  the  Corwin  steamed  out  of  the 
(lolden  Gate  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  amid  the  tumultuous  applause 
iind  enthusiastic  cheers  of  the  spectators,  conveyed  to  sea  by  the  revenue 
cutters  Rush  and  Hartley. 

The  following  were  the  officers  of  the  Corwin:  C.  L.  Hooper,  cap. 
tain;  W.J.  Herring,  first  lieutenant;  E.  Burke,  second  lieutenant;  O.  B. 
Myrick,  Geo.  H.  Doty  and  Wm.  E.  Reynolds,  third  lieutenants;  Jas.  T. 
Wayson,  Clias.  A.  Laws  and  Fred.  E.  Owen,  engineer  and  assistants; 
;iiul  I.  C.  Rossc,  surgeon.  The  crew  consisted  of  thirty  picked  men,  in- 
cluding an  experienced  coal  miner,  whose  services  were  to  lie  utilized  in 
making  available  tlie  coal  mine  discovered  in  18S0,  near  Cape  Lisburne. 
After  parting  company  with  the  Rush  and  Hartley,  the  Corwin  headed 
north  and  west  for  the  Aleutian  Islands.  The  weather  for  the  first 
eight  days  was  delightful;  but  this  auspicious  opening  of  the  voyage  was 
soon  followed  by  high  winds  and  hail  and  snowstorms.  As  they  neared 
Ounalaska  a  very  heavy  sea  was  encountered,  owing  in  part  to  the  high 
tides  which  occur  there  at  that  season  of  the  year.  At  Ounalaska  they 
were  received  with  great  cordiality,  and  took  on  board  a  good  supply 
of  coal,  one  year's  extra  provisions,  and  the  customary  fur  clothing  for 
oliicers  and  men. 

791 


792 


REPORT  OF   TCIIUKrcmS. 


'I,    ! 


Reaching  St.  Lawrence  Island  on  May  38,  tliey  pushed  on  to  the 
north,  and  entered  the  x\rctic  Ocean  on  May  30.  In  hititude  68"  10' 
north,  by  longitude  173°  48'  west,  north  of  Kolyutchin  Island,  the  Cor- 
win  had  her  rudder  l^adly  shattered  by  the  ice,  and  for  several  days 
while  it  was  being  repaired,  she  was  steered  by  means  1 'f  a  jury  rudder. 
Lieuts.  Herring  and  Reynolds,  with  one  seaman  and  two  natives,  were 
landed  on  the  Siberian  coast,  with  instructions  to  explore  the  shore  as  far 
as  Cape  Yakan,  nearly  eight  degrees  to  the  west,  and  one  and  one-half 
to  the  north,  a  journey  of  about  300  miles,  and  with  the  necessary  wind- 
ings and  doublings,  likely  to  prove  considerably  longer.  They  were  pro- 
vided with  four  sledges  and  twenty-five  dogs,  a  tent,  a  skin  boat,  plenty 
of  fur  clothing  for  night  and  day,  and  sixty  days'  food  for  men  and  dogs. 
With  high  hopes  and  great  courage  they  proceeded  on  their  melancholy 
pilgrimage,  while  the  Corwin  returned,  through  much  tribulation,  June 
15,  to  Plover  Bay,  on  the  east  coast  of  Siberia.  Here  Capt.  Hooper  got 
the  first  tidings  of  the  missing  whalers.  The  captain  of  the  bark  Tom 
Pope  reported  that  some  Tchuktchis  had  boarded  the  Vigilant  at  Cape 
North,  or  Irkaipie,  about  longitude  180°,  and  found  the  dead  bodies  of 
her  crew,  and  vessel  stove  in  and  full  of  water;  and  that  the  Mount  Wol- 
laston  was  found  in  a  similar  condition  eighty  miles  further  to  the  north- 
west. On  the  wreck  of  the  Vigilant  were  found  a  telescope,  a  bomb- 
gun  and  some  lines.  This  would  be  on  Lieut.  Herring's  route,  and  con- 
firmation  might  be  expected  from  that  quarter. 

Accordingly,  his  party  had  no  sooner  reached  the  mouth  of  Waii- 
karem  River,  about  forty  miles  to  the  west  of  where  they  parted  com- 
pany with  the  Corwin,  than  they  fell  in  with  a  party  of  Tchuktchis,  in 
whose  possession  were  found  a  number  of  articles  taken  from  the  -wreck. 
From  what  could  be  learned  it  was  thought  probable  the  vessel  had  been 
wrecked  in  1879.  Herring's  party  finding  it  impossible  to  proceed  farth- 
er to  the  northwest,  retraced  their  course  and  pushed  east  100  miles  to 
Cape  Scrdze  Kamen,  having  made  a  sledge-journey  of  i  j.o  miles. 
Meanwhile,  the  Corwin  had  returned  from  her  coaling  trip  to  the  south, 
with  a  rudder  laken  from  the  wreck  of  the  Lotila,  and  picked  them  up 
on  liie  3yth  of  June, 


.      THE   COR  WIN-  m  DANGER.  793 

TheCorwin  continued  her  cruise,  making  corrections,  verifications 
and  additions,  of  more  or  less  value  to  the  discoveries  and  surveys  of 
prevous  navigators,  as  found  in  the  charts  of  the  Navy  Depart.nent;"  and 
on  the  17th  of  August  was  at  Point  Barrow. 

The  struggle  to  reach  Wrangell  Land  was,  it  appears,  verv  tar  from 
bemg  a  holiday  task.      It   involved   a   twelve   days'  conflict  with   the  ice 
king,  and  every  foot  of  the  approach  had  to  be  won  froni  the  long  array 
of  packs,  floes,  and  detached  masses  of  ice.     The  Corwin  stood  bravely 
to  the  task,  like  a  thing  of  life  struggling  for  a   mastery  that  she  seemed 
conscious  of  being  hard    to  win.     At   one  moment  threatened  with  de- 
struction, then  rising  again  with   almost  the  human  determination  of  the 
mmds  ,n  charge,  she  made  another  brave  effort;  and  so  worked  forward 
by  repeated  assaults  into  open  water  within  half  a  mile  of  land.    A  land 
ing  party  under  command  of  Lieut.  Reynolds   now  took  formal   posses- 
sion, planting  the  flagstaff  in  a  high  cleft,  and  depositing  at  its  foot  a  bot- 
tle containing  the   record  of  the  event,  and  a  tin  tube   containing  a  copy 
of  the  New  York  Herald  of  March  33,  18S1.     The  river  at  which  they 
landed    Capt.  Hooper  named    Clark    River,   in  honor  of  Maj     E    W 
Clark,  chief  of  the  Revenue  Marine  Bureau,  who  had  evinced  an  active 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  expedition.     The   Hag  was  saluted  bv  the 
cannon  of  the   Corwin,  and    by  three    heartv  cheers  tVom    her  companv 
w.th  answering  shouts   from    the   party  on   land.     They  sought   in  Nain' 
tor  traces  of  the  Jeannette,  and    loft  for  Herald  Island,  which,  however 
they  were  unable  to   reach,  because  of  the  l)lockading  ice.      The  Corwin' 
pushc.1  t.    the  east,  as  stated  in  Capt.  Hooper's  report,  to  the  relief  of  the 
Webster,  wrecked  on  July  3.     After  coaling  in  Plover  Bay  on  the  24th 
another  eflbrt  was  made  to    roach  Wrangell  Land  before  the  end  of  the' 
month,  but  they  wore  prevento.l  by  storms  of  wind  and  s.mw  from  net- 
ting  nearer   chan   twenty  miles.      During   tho   first   week   of  Septenrber 
they  encountered   a  furious   gale,  a    cold,  northerly  blast,  piercin..   in   its 
intensity,  and   by  its  violence   threatening  iho  yory  existence  of  tL  Cor- 
win.    The  ice-breaker  became  nnmanageai)le,  and   was  cast  aside;  and 
the   rudder  vvas   but  a  frail,  patched-up   substitute  for  her  own.  as  nroyi. 
ously    related,  nn<l  of  course  not  to  be  relied  on  in  so  dangerous  an  emcr- 


Ml 


wmi 


704 


THE   MART  AND   HELEN. 


I 


gency.  Most  of  the  ship's  oak-sheathing  h;id  been  torn  away  by  the 
jagged  ice,  and  taicen  altogether,  slie  was  fortunate  in  being  able  to  get 
away  without  serious  disaster.  Having  on  boartl  nine  shipwrecked 
whalemen  from  the  Webster,  already  referred  to,  and  with  his  own  ship 
somewhat  crippled,  Capt.  Hooper  determined  to  return.  Through 
masses  of  pack-ice,  which  threatened  to  be  soon  welded  together  l)y  the 
new  ice,  with  good  seamanship,  constant  soundings,  occasional  anclior- 
age  to  ice-masses,  and  unremitting  watchfulness,  they  reached  Kotzebue 
Sounil,  where  they  got  the  first  glimpse  of  the  sun  tliey  had  seen  in 
twelve  days.  Leaving  the  sound  and  proceeding  through  Behring's 
Strait,  she  encountered  extremely  rough  weather,  and  arrived  in  safety 
at  San  Francisco  about  midnight  of  Oct.  20,  1881. 

The  steam-whaler  Mary  and  Helen  had  been  bought  of  her  owners 
for  $100,000,  which,  with  $75,000  more,  had  been  appropriated  by  Con- 
gress to  tile  purchase  and  outfit  of  a  Jeannette  relief  expelition.  She  was 
dry-docked  on  the  23d  of  April,  1881,  at  Mare  Island  to  receive  some  in- 
ternal strengthening  and  an  outer  sheathing  of  oak  plank,  nearly  four 
inciies  thick.  She  was  carefully  inspected  by  the  naval  authorities,  and 
pronounced  well  adapted  for  the  untlertaking.  Public  opinion  declared 
her  to  be  "strong  in  everv  part,  of  about  four  hundred  tons'  burden,  able 
to  rest  upon  her  center,  and  be  lifted  fore  and  aft,  without  strain,  and 
would  present  the  greatest  resistance  to  ice-pressure  that  could  be  found 
in  any  vessel  on  the  Pacific  coast."  She  was  renamed  in  honor  of  Ad- 
miral Rodgers,  and  was  intrusted  to  the  following  officers  of  tiie  na\  v: 
Lieut.  Robert  NL  Berry,  commander;  Master  H.  S.  Waring,  executive 
officer  and  navigator;  Master  Charles  F.  Putnam,  H.  J.  Hunt,  and  G.  M. 
Storey,  ensigns;  A.  V.  Gano,  assistant  engineer;  and  W.  IL  Gilder,  who 
had  been  with  Schwatka,  pay-clerk.  Passed-Assistant  Surgeon  D.  M. 
Jones  and  Assistant  Surgeon  J.  D.  Costello,  were  tlie  medical  stafi';  and 
the  crew  consisted  of  twenty-seven  picked  volunteers  from  the  navy  yards 
of  the  United  States,  who  were  all  fully  up  to  the  requirements  of  the 
Jeannette  relief  board. 

On  the    1 6th  of  June,  at  fifteen    minutes  past  3,  the    Rodgeis   got 
under  way,  going  out  slowly,  and   passed  away  from  the  Golden  Gate, 


liEJi'/n'S    LETTER. 


7i)5 


All  the  officers  aii.i  crew  left  iu  excellent,  spirits,  a  hand  of  intrepi'l 
ineii,  vvorkinsr  together  in  perfect  harmony,  all  anxious  for  the  success 
of  the  expedition,  and  fully  determined  to  achieve  it.  Lieut.  Berry 
said  in  parting,  "I  shall  do  all  in  my  power  to  render  the  expedition 
a  success,  and  shall  thoroughly  explore  Wrangell  Land.  If  De  Long 
needs  help  I  shall  spare  no  effort  to  render  him  all  I  can.  I  feel 
that  the  nation  and  the  scientific  critics  of  the  world  are  watchin"- 
our  movements  with  deeji  interest,  and  we  shall  try  to  make  a  record 
worthy  of  the  nation  whose  fiag  we  hear." 

Commander  Berry  wrote  from  Petropaulovski,  July  34,  1S81  : 
"The  Arctic  search  steamer  Rodgers  arrived  here  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  19th  inst.,  after  a  stormy  passage.  All  on  board  are  well.  The  ves- 
sel showed  fine  sailing  qualities,  and  steamed  to  better  advantage  than 
was  anticipated,  developing  rive  knots  an  hour  without  the  assistance  of 
sails.  There  were  only  about  five  days  fine  weather  during  the  trip,  yet 
we  reached  our  destination  in  less  than  an  average  passage  of  sailing- 
vessels. 

"  We  found  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Alexander, 
Capt.  Sandman,  in  port.       Also  the   Russian   steam  corvette  Sterlock» 
Commander  Deliveron,  who  stated  that  he  had  received  orders  from  his 
government  to  aid  the  Rodgers  as  much  as  possible,  also  to  enter  Beh- 
ring's  Strait  and  the  Arctic  seas   in    summer,  and    search   for  the    Jean- 
nette.      He  tendered  us  as  much  as  we  desired   of  '^wc    hundred    tons  of 
coal  now  in  Plover  Bay,  and  said  he  would   meet   us   at   Serdze   Kamen 
and  send  a  dispatch  to  the  United  States  from  liie   nearest  telegraph  sta- 
tion   ii-,    Asia    in    the    latter    part    of    September.       We    have    secured 
forty-seven  fine  dogs,  and  a  large  (juantity  of  fur-clothing,  probably  suffi- 
cient for  the  entire  cruise.      The  Rodgers  sails  to-day  via   St.  Michael's, 
Plover  Bay  and   St.   Lawrence  Island  for  Serdze  Kamen,  Herald  Island 
and    Wrangell   Land,   where   we    expect  to  arrive    toward    the    last   of 
August." 

The  Rodgers,  after  leaving  St.  Lawrence  Bay  and  passing  through 
Behring's  Strait,  effecled  a  landing  on  Herald  Island  on  Aug.  24.  No 
traces  of  the  Jeannette  were  seen  at  the   northwestern  extremity  of  the 


I'l  I, 


A, 


'■  i,t: 


79(5 


NO    TRACE   OF    THE   JE ANNETTE. 


-i  'I 


'Mfi 


island,  and  the  Rodgers  left  its  own  record  of  visitation  oii  the  cres.t  of 
the  cliff.  The  next  day  the  Rodgers  steamed  for  Wrungell  Land,  and 
after  passing  through  a  dozen  miles  of  loose  ice,  effected  ;i  landing  on  its 
southern  side.  In  the  evening  of  the  next  day  they  entered  a  fine 
harbor  where  the  vessel  could  remain  witli  safety,  while  expeditions 
were  sent  off  to  explore  the  interior  and  the  eastern  and  western 
coasts  to  look  for  cairns  or  traces  of  the  Jeannette.  Capt.  Berry 
commanded  the  land  party,  accompanied  by  Dr.  M.  D,  Jones  anil 
four  men.  They  reached  a  mountain  3,500  feet  higii,  from  which 
they  saw  open  water  around  the  island  everywhere,  except  between 
the  west  and  southwest,  where  a  high  range  of  mountains  seemed 
to  terminate  the  land.  Master  S.  H.  Waring  went  around  the  eastern 
coast  and  northern  side,  until  blocked  by  ice,  which  was  packed  in  by 
the  northerly  wind.  He  had  to  abandon  his  boat  and  make  his  w:iy 
overland  to  the  ship.  Ensign  Hunt  went  by  the  western  coast  and 
readied  the  ice  that  blocked  Waring,  finding  it  impossible  to  penetrate 
it.  He  had  passed  most  of  the  northern  point  of  the  island  and  could  see 
Waring's  position,  so  that  the  entire  island  has  been  skirted,  and  its  insu- 
lar character  fully  established.  Though  the  ship  could  not  possiblv  sail 
or  steam  around  Wrangell  Land,  her  commander  proved,  by  his  oflicers 
in  boats,  that  it  is  an  island,  and  inferentially  that  the  Jeannette  had  an 
opportunity  of  going  northwest  toward  the  Pole,  anil  that  the  chancer  of 
De  Long's  success  and  of  his  returning  in  safety,  freighted  with  invalua- 
ble information,  were  brighter  than  ever. 

No  traces  of  the  Jeannette  were  found,  nor  any  traces  that  anv  Hu- 
man being  had  ever  been  there,  except  the  record  left  by  the  Corwin  on 
^\ug.  12.  The  harbor  where  the  Rodgers  last  anchored  for  this  land 
exploration  was  in  longitude  178^  10'  west,  latitude  70^  57'  north,  south 
and  west  of  Hooper's  Landing,  at  Clark  River.  Ensign  Hunt's  party 
were  provided  with  fifteen  days'  provisions  and  instructed  to  encircle  the 
island,  if  possible,  for  he  felt  pretty  certain  of  its  insular  character,  since 
making  our  observations  from  Herald  Island  of  the  variable  change 
of  currents  and  ice,  which  shovvs  tliis  to  be  a  remarkable  season  in 
the  Arctic 


^|ji^;!Sii!^;f"^^  '  '■ 


BUAW/Xa    OF    THE   RoDdERS.  -c,; 

Tlu>  (ict;.ilf<l  narrative,  ..r  lojr,  of  the  cruise  of  the  Roil-ror.-;   registers 
the  enbrts  of  her  officers  and  crew  to  make  in  boats   an    unbroken   tour 
around  wiiat  may  now  be  properly  termed  VVrangell  Island,  as  in  every 
sense  highly  creditable  to  this  relief  ship  expedition.     There  was  no  pro- 
longed suffering.     There  was  little  cold  and  hunger,  but  the  pluck  of  the 
officers  and  men  on  the  entire  voyage  will   doubtless  be  read  with  admi- 
ration by  Americans   everywhere.     On   Sept.    19   the   Rodgers    reached 
latitude  73°  44'  north,  the  highest  point  attained  by  an  exploring  vessel  in 
those  seas.    Observations  with  the  deep  sea  lead,  which  were  made  hourly 
after  entering  this  sea,  seemed  to  indicate  a  receding  from  rather  than  an 
approach  to  land  as  they  went  north.     The  water  continually  deepened  as 
they  advanced,  until  at  the  highest  jjoint  73^  44'  north  latitude,  171"  48' 
west  longitude,  it  was   found  to  be  eighty-two   fathoms.     The  character 
of  the  bottom  was  very  irregular— sometimes  hard,  at  others  black  sand, 
and  in  many  places  blue  mud,  which  was  at  the  deepest  soundings. 

Lieut.  Berry  repoi  ted  that  he  had   found  no  traces  of  the  Jeannette's 
people  on  Herald  Island;  that  he  had  tried  in  vain  to  find  suitable  winter 
quarters  on  the  Siberian  coast;  had  erected  a  depot  on  an  island  twenty 
miles  west  of  Serdze  Kamen,  which  he  had  put  in  charge  of  Master 
Putnam,  with  Dr.  Jones,  Mr.  Gilder  and  three  others,  and  arrived  with 
the  Rodgers,  on  Oct.  15,  in  St.  Lawrence  Bay,  where  she  was  to  winter, 
Lieut.  Berry,  accompanied  by  Ensign   Hunt,  left  the  Rodgers  on  the 
23d  of  December,  to  sledge  the  Siberian  coast  in  quest  of  possible  news 
of  the  Jeannette  in  that  quarter.     Master  Waring  was  left  in  command 
of  the  vessel  in  St.  Lawrence  Bay.     The  next  heard  of  her  was  throuo-h 
a  telegram  sent  from  the  interior  of  Siberia  by   Mr.  Gilder,  of  the  ship's 
company,  who  had  made  his  way  from  the  Tchuktchi  village  of  Tiapka, 
about  midway  between   Nordenskiold's   winter   haven  and  Cape  Serdze 
Kamen  to  Werchoyansk  on  the  Yana,  in  about  latitude  68°  by  longitude 
134''  east,  where  he  arrived  on  the  28th  of  March.     The  startling  intel- 
ligence was  that  "the   steamer  Rodgers  was  burned  on    the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary, 1882;  Master  Waring   and  the  crew  are  at    Tiapka,  where  they  get 
food  enough  from  the  Tchuktehis.      The  ispravnik   (Russian    local   gov- 
ernor) of  the  Kolymsk  district  had  sent  tobacco  and  tea  to  them  for  pur- 


|U 


708 


THE   CORWIN  ORDERED  FORWARD. 


701) 


poses  of  barter  with  the  natives.  They  needed  nothing  else.  Three 
months'  pn-visions  were  saved  from  the  ship.  Tiapka  is  near  Cape 
Serdze  Kamen," 

Mr,  Gilder,  with  commendable  energy,  had  made  a  long  and  weari- 
some journey  to  bear  this  news  to  the  confines  of  civilization.  He  ar- 
rived at  Srediii,  that  is,  Middle,  Kolymsk,  on  the  Kolyma,  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  its  mouth,  early  in  March.  The 
way  from  Tiapka  is  well  known  to  the  natives,  being  their  regular  trad- 
ing or  caravan  route,  but  was  none  the  less  arduous  and  dangerous  in  mid- 
winter, a  season  of  the  year  when  even  the  hardy  natives  seldom  tra- 
verse it.  Having  arrived  at  Kolymsk,  the  isprav.iik  accompanied  him  to 
the  southwest;  and  the  news  of  the  disaster  soon  flashed  to  tiie  ends  of 
the  earth.    The  following  details  were  afterward  ascertained: 

On  the  33d  of  April  the  Corwin  had  been  ordered  forward  to  St. 
Lawrence  Bay  to  the  rescue  of  the  crew  of  the  "Rodgers,  and  had  reached 
the  ground  soon  after  they  got  safely  aboard  the  North  Star. 

Master  Waring  intrusted  to  the  natives  at  Plover  and  Marcus  Bays, 
letters  to  be  delivered  to  any  whaling  vessels  which  might  visit  these  places, 
informing  them  of  the  condition  of  the  shipwrecked  crew.  Capt.  Owens, 
of  the  steam  whaler  North  Star,  of  New  Bedford,  got  one  of  these  let- 
ters, and  forced  his  ship  through  ice  opposite  St.  Lawrence  Bay,  reaching 
tlierc  on  May  S,  On  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  the  Rodgers  party  safely 
boarded  the  North  Star.  Before  leaving,  Mr.  Waring  issued  to  the  na- 
tives all  the  unexpended  trarle  goods,  prpvisions,  rifles,  ammunition  and 
boots  as  recompense  for  their  kind  treatment,  and  the  recompense  was 
eminently  satisfactory  to  these  iiarmless  creatures,  so  that  should  a  party 
of  wrecked  mariners  ever  again  be  cast  away  sn  that  vicinity,  they  can 
rest  assured  of  a  good  reception.  The  officials  and  men  all  unite  in 
speaking  of  the  generosity  and  trouble  taken  by  Capt.  Owens  in  effect- 
ing their  rescue.  Previous  to  their  being  transferred  to  the  Corwin  he 
offered  to  land  them  either  at  Fort  St.  Michael's,  Alaska,  or  San 
Francisco.  On  the  night  of  the  14th  the  Corwin  put  in  an  appearance, 
and  all  hands  were  innnediately  transferred  to  her  and  taken  to  Sitka, 
where  they  arrived  on  the  3d  of  June,  and  thence  to  San  Francisco. 


i!;';i::3i 


\m' 


..r 


800 


VARIOUS  PLANS   OF  RELIEF, 


THE  EIRA  AGAIN  TO  THE  RESCUE. 

On  the  13th  of  June,  18S1,  W.  Leigh  Smith  set  out  again  for  the 
north  in  his  steam  yacht  Eira,  in  the  hope  of  being  of  service  to  the  Jean- 
nette.  He  was  accompanied  by  Dr.  Neale,  Capt.  Lofley  and  a  crew  of 
twenty-two  men,  the  vessel  being  fully  provisioned  for  fourteen  months, 
with  a  flour  and  bread  supply  for  two  years.  On  the  13th  of  July  they 
were  steaming  tiirough  pack-ice,  and  on  the  23d  sighted  Franz-Josef 
Land.  Proceeding  toward  Cape  Ludlow,  close  to  tha  pack  to  the  north- 
ward, they  entered  Nightingale  Sound  on  the  2d  of  August,  and  arriving 
at  Eira  Harbor,  erected  a  storehouse.  On  the  i6th  they  proceeded  east- 
ward in  search  of  the  Jeannette,  but  were  unable  to  pass  Barenz  Hook 
because  of  the  ice  in  that  quarter.  On  the  21st  the  Eira  got  nipped  be- 
tween a  land-floe  and  pack-ice,  a  mile  to  the  east  of  Cape  Flora,  and  the 
leak  gained  so  rapidly  that  in  iwo  hours  after  it  had  been  discovered  it 
was  necessary  to  abandon  the  ship.  Hardly  had  the  last  man  left  her 
when  the  ice  eased,  and  she  sank  quickly,  before  they  were  able  to  save 
much  of  their  stores.  All  the  boats  were  saved;  and  most  of  the  men 
saved  some  clothing  and  bedding.  A  tent  was  at  once  erected  on  the 
ice,  and  for  sixteen  nights  they  slept  in  it,  and  were  at  times  almost  floated 
out  by  rain.  Meanwhile,  they  constructed  a  hut  of  stone  and  turf  at  the 
Cape  and  covered  it  with  sails.  Here  they  wintered  in  safety  from  Sep- 
tember 7,  18S1,  to  June  21,  1882,  and  during  the  whole  period  were 
happily  free  from  scurvy,  having  plenty  of  fresh  meat.  Thirty-six  bears 
and  twenty-nine  walruses  were  killed  and  eaten.  On  June  21,  1882,  they 
left  Cape  Flora  in  four  boats,  and  sailed  eighty  miles  without  seeing  any 
ice,  but  soon  had  enough  of  it,  arriving,  however,  in  safety,  at  Nova 
Zembla  on  the  2d  of  August. 

Meanwhile,  the  steam-whaler,  Hope,  under  Sir  Allen  Young,  was 
dispatched  from  England  in  June,  1882,  to  the  rescue  of  the  Eira,  the  ex- 
pense being  defrayed  by  the  family  of  the  missing  navigator,  with  contri- 
butions of  $5,000  from  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  and  $25,000 
from  the  Government.  Sir  Henry  Gore  Booth  and  W.  G.  A.  Grant,  the 
amateur  Arctic  photographer,  who  had   accompanied  Mr.   Smith  in  his 


THE  Al.LlANnE. 


8U1 


cnnse  of  iSSo,  fitted  out  the  s.nall  vessel  Kara  t<.  prosecute  an  independ- 
ent  search.  The  Dutch  exploria,^  schooner,  WiUiam  Barents,  also  svent 
.ntothe  work  of  searcn-under  direction  of  tnc  Government;  and  Nor- 
denskiold's  merchant  patron,  Dr.  Oscar  Dickson,  stimulated  the  Scandi- 
navian walrus  hunters  t.,  active  participation  in  the  search  by  the  ode:-  of 
liberal  rewards  for  news  of  the  Eira,  or  any  help  to  vessel  or  crew 
The  Hope  had  a  stormy  voya-e  to  the  north,  encountering  hi-l^ 
wmds,  ice  and  fo-,  but  arrived  in  safety  at  Karmahuld,  Nova  Zenibla,on 


■•AHMAMENT   MOUSE  AT  RFIKIAVIK. 

the  19th  of  July.  The  Kara  was  lyinjr  in  the  same  harbor.  On  the  3d 
or  August  the  IIo,)c  tell  in  with  the  boats  of  the  Eira,  in  Matotschkin 
Schar,  Nova  Zembia;  and  the  whole  party  arrived  safely  at  Peterhead 
on  the  19th  of  Auj,nist. 

THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  ALLIANCE. 

The  United  States  steamer  Alliance,  in  command  of  Capt.  Wadlci-h, 

left  Norfolk,  Va.,  June  i6,  uSSi,  for  the    rescue   of   the   Jeannette.      ShJ 

proceeded  to  Newfo.mdiand,  and  thence  to  Reikiavik,  Iceland,  bein-  the 

first  vessel  of  the  United    .States  navy  to   visit    that    port.     She    was   of 

course  received  with  effusive  cordiality  by  the    Icelanders,  who  entertain 

a  very  special  reorard  for  the  Great   Republic.     Reikiavik    is  situated  iu 
51 


SOS 


/.V  A   CUL-DESAC. 


I 


latitude  64'  8'  ^o",  and  west  longitude  zi  50',  and  is  tlie capital  ot' the 
island.  The  population,  however,  is  only  about  1,500,  hut  its  political 
pre-eminence  as  the  seat  ot" <;fovernincnt  makes  it  a  more  important  town 
than  tlie  ninnlier  of  its  inhaliitants  would  seem  to  indicate.  It  is  also  a 
bishop's  see,  with  ecclesiastical,  medical  and  'general  colle<^es,  an  observa- 
tory, and  public  libiMiv.  It  is  piite  an  old  place,  haviilj^f  been  founded  in 
874,  and  is  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most  interestin<j  places  in  the 
world.  The  history  and  character  of  the  inhabitants  are  as  remarkahle 
as  the  physical  characteristics  of  the  land  they  live  in.  liut  their  Ameri- 
can visitors  had  no  opportunity  to  induljije  in  sentimental  intercourse,  i)e- 
injif  anxious  to  push  forward  to  the  helpof  the  Jeannette.  Leaving-  their 
Icelandic  friends,  they  set  sail  for  Hammerfcfjt,  in  Norway,  whcne  they 
adjusted  to  the  cross-trees  of  the  Alliance  the  well  known  Arctic  contriv- 
ance, the  crow's-nest,  a  tub  about  five  feel  deep,  to  protect  the  lookout 
from  the  cold  blasts  of  the  north,  while  perched  aloft  on  the  watch  for 
icebergs,  leads,  floes,  and  whatever  else  :nay  heave  in  sight.  Losini^"  110 
time  at  any  point,  as  there  was  much  to  be  done,  and  but  a  short  season 
in  which  to  do  it,  the  Alliance  now  steamed  away  into  the  desolate  re- 
gions of  the  north  toward  Spitzbergen,  goin^  as  high  as  80 "^  10'  55", 
but  of  course  found  no  tiaces  of  the  Jeannette,  which  was  nearlv  lialf 
the  circle  to  the  east  of  thcnu 

Four  months  out  from  Norfolk,  and  having  already  made  her  tirst 
vain  tour  of  observation  and  re-coaled  at  Ilammerfest,  the  Alliance  was 
again  headed  north,  on  the  16th  ot  September,  tor  a  secoml  trip.  On  the 
23d  she  found  herself  inclosed  in  an  ice-pocket  ov  cuZ-dc-sac^  and  in  immi- 
nent danger  of  being  beset  tor  the  winter  in  the  midsl  of  the  sea,  if  not 
crushed  by  the  pack-ice.  Slowly  steaming  northward  by  the  way  they 
had  entered,  with  the  commander  in  the  crow's-nest,  anxiously  peerinjj 
through  the  haze  for  the  ever-changing  openings  or  leads  in  the  tloe, 
while  issuing  his  orders  to  the  ofHcer  in  charge  below,  they  had  the  good 
fortune  to  thread  their  way  out  of  the  labyiiuth.  As  it  was  now  late  in 
the  season,  and  the  chance  of  being  of  service  to  the  missing  ship  very 
slim.  Captain  VVadleigh  now  judged  it  prudent  to  return,  and  anived 
home  in  safety  toward  the  close  of  October. 


^^*^ 


ciiaptf:r    Lxxxvrr. 


THE  JEANNKTTE  OISAI-PKARS  KKOM  SIGHT  —  A  PLAN  OF  ESCAPE  — 
PARTIES  DETAILED  -KARDSIIIPS—  MAKING  FOR  THE  LAND — 
CAPE  EMMA  -THE  THREE  BOAT-LOADS  _  TH  A  DDEUS  ISLAND  — 
THE  ADVENTURE  OK  CHIPP  AND  KUEHNE-A  DEER-HUNT- 
DANENHOWKR'S  LAST  TALK  WITH  CHIPP  _  XO  OTHER  HOATS 
IN    SKiHT. 

The  last  direct  reference  to  the  voya-c  of  the  Jeannette   closed   with 
the  loss  of  the  vessel.     She  sank  ahout  4  a.  m.  of  June  13,   18S1,  in  lati- 
tude 76°  15'  and  lon-itude  156'  20'  cast-in  round  .lumbers,  ahout  150 
miles  northeast  of  the  New  Siberian  Islands,  300  from  the  .learest  point 
of  the  Siberian  coast,  the  headlands   west  of  the    Indigirka   River,   and 
nearly  600  in  a  direct  line  to  the   delta  of  the   Lena.     Seaman    Kuehnc 
and  Fireman  Bartlett-the  one  -oing  on  and  the  other  off  watch— were 
the  only  persons  who  actually  saw  her  disappear.     Dayli-ht   found  her 
company   encamped  on  the  ice  about   400  yards  from   where  she    went 
down.     Merc  they  remained  six  days,  since  takin-  their  last  meal  aboard 
the  doomed  ship  on   the  rvening   of  the    nth,   or-anizins   a  svstem  of 
travel,  determi.iin-  the  direction  to  take,  and  awaitin-   improvJment   in 
the  health  of  ..bout  on.-.fourth  tlieir    numbc.-,   who  we.-e  sufferino-    tVo.n 
stomach  disorders,  supposed    to   have   bee.,    occasioned   by    tin-polsonin- 
from  tomato  cans.     But  the  time   was  not  svasted,   the   well   bui.i.-   kep"t 
busy  in  distributing  and  packintf  ^'oods  i.i  the  sleds  and  boats.    They  had 
saved  eight  sled-es  of  all  ki.ids,  three  boats-H.st  and  second  cutte.-,  and 
one  whale-boat;  six  tents;  about  3,500  pounds  of  pemmican  in  forty-five 
pound  canisteis,  1,500  pounds  of  hard  bread,  .-ather  .noie  tea  than   they 
wei-e  likely  to  need,  and  a  considerable  qua.itity  of  Liebij^r's    Extract— 
an  important  element  i.i  their  diet.     There  was  also  some  can.ied  turkey 
and  chicken,  but  these  weie  disposed  of  in  thei-  first  encampment.    They 

803 


.•>"*■■. 


804 


A    PLA.V  OF  riSCAl'/'. 


hiul  a  liberal  supply  of  aU-ohol  for  fuel,  and  a  t;o(,.l  stock  of  lilk-s  and 
nmmunitioii.  The  ag<,'re^atc  wci<,'ht  of  the  five  loaded  m1c(Is  was  6,600 
pounds;  the  sixih  was  used  as  a  hospital  slcdj,a'.  The  three  boats  wiiv 
mounted  on  >!iip-made  sleds,  each  of  which  consisted  of  two  heavy  0:1k 
runners,  al)out  twelve  inches  hij,'h,  and  siiod  witii  wlialebone,  and  twelve 
feet  in  lenj,'th,  with  eij^ht  or  ten  cross-pieces  made  from  the  staves  of 
whiskey  barrels.  The  wei<,'lits  of  the  first  an<l  second  cutter  and  svhali'- 
boat,  with  the  sled  and  outfit  of  each,  were  respectively,  3,000,  3,300  and 


ARCTIC  SLBDGE. 

2,500  pounds — a  grand  total  of  15,400  pounds,  with  but  twenty-tv/o  men 
in  condition  to  work,  or  700  pounds  to  each  man.  The  doj^s  were  har- 
nessed to  two  light  Arctic  sledges  loaded  with  a  large  amount  of  other 
stores  in  excess  of  those  more  permanently  stowed  in  the  {\vc  sleds,  as 
already  mentioned.  In  the  boats  each  man  had  a  knapsack,  contaiiiinjr 
one  change  of  underclothing,  one  package  of  matches,  an  extra  pair  of 
snow-goggles,  a  spare  pair  of  moccasins,  and  a  plug  of  navy  tobacco. 

On  the  1 6th  Commander  Dc  Long  issued  an  order,  arranging  details 
with  a  view  to  insuring  as  much  method  as  possible,  distributing  the  oiH- 


'iAh'D    n  oliK 


s  r, 


ccis  a.Kl  .nen  in  (ive  tents,  the  sixth  W\n^  use<l    for   ;n.    u\^\^^   t,.„t,   ,ni.l 
'lirt-clin-  that  the  traveling  he  done  hy  ni-hl,  from  6:3^)  i-.    m.    t.,  6    a. 
M.,  to  avoid  the  intense  dayli-^dit,  and  thus  lessen  the  risk  oC  snow-hlind- 
ness.      The  tents  were  only  nine  hy  six  feet,  and   rc.,uired  close   stovva-c 
lor  six  <,r  seven  men.      ICaeh  tent  ha<l  a  (ire-pot,  a  heavy  -alvanizcd  iron 
kettle,  in  vvhici,  a  copper  kettle  was  snspende.l,  havin-  under  it  an  alco- 
hoi  lamp  with  a  circular  ashestos  wick  ten  inches  in  diameter,  and  on  top 
a  stew-pan.     A  cook  was  detailed  for  >  ,ch  tent  with  an  assistant  to  melt 
snow  and  draw  rations.     The  sleepin-  accommodations  were  a  Mackin- 
tosh rnhher  hlanket  of  the  size  of  the  floor,  a.id  the  usual  Arctic  sleepin- 
ba-s  of  fur,  covered  with  hairless  sealskin.     Each  boat  had  the  recjuired 
number  (,f  oars,  a  box  of  tools,  and  the  articles   needed    for  repairs,  and 
the  arms  and  ammunition,  as  they  had  been   apnortioned.     Havin-   bur- 
dened themselves  so  heavily,  the   rate  of  pro-rcss  w.s  necessarily  very 
-low.     The  ice  pilot  went  ahead  to  select  the  best  route,  and  at  intervals 
planted  a  black  fla-.     T<,  the  points  thus  indicated  all  the  workin-  force, 
except  four,  hauled  the  first  cutter,  the  second,  the  whale-boat  and   the' 
five  loaded  sled-es  as  rapidly  as  possihlc,  while  the  special  detail   of  four 
brou-ht  up  the  dojr-sledcres  and  the   hospital  slcdf,'e. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  at  6  p.  m.,  they   set  out  for   the  south,   having 
UKanwhile   begun  to  drift  to  lue   northwest.      Lieut.    Dancnhower,   who 
had  long  been  disabled  through  sore  eyes,  was  only  able  to  do  light  duty, 
and  I.ieut.  Chipp  had    not    fully   recovered    from  tiie   effects   of  the   tin- 
p>isoning.    So  the  active  superintendence  of  the  working  force  devolved 
ou    Engineer    \Jelvill...  under   the  directions   of  the   commander.     Each 
otlicer  a.ul  man  was  supplied  with   a   working  harness   shnilar  to   those 
use.l  hy  Parry  and  others.     Hitherto  all  had  been  preparation,   but   now 
the  downright  hard  work  began,  and  the  true  nature  of  the   task  betbre 
them  was  soon  vividly  realized.     Tl,e  snow  was  knee-deep,  the  road  very 
rough,  and  the  ice  full  of  fissures.     Through  the  slight  crust  of  the  snow 
their  feet  sank  easily,  making  even  unincumbered  traveling  very   weari- 
some.    Over  hummocks  and  huge  blocks  of  ice,  "  that  would  have  taken 
a  whole  corps  of  engineers  to  level,"  they  ha<l  to  haul  tiie  heavilv  loaded 
boats  and  sledges,  while  to  c:ross  the  more   narrow    fissures  tiiev    h.ul    to 


('■ 


»0G 


■S/VO IV-BL/NDNESS 


work  up  ;i  special  spurt  ;uiil  jump  thuni.  In  tliroc  hours  they  liad  taken 
the  ciiiter  to  the  second  hlaciv  (\.\'^ — a  (ii->tanee  of  ouly  a  mile  and  a  half. 
liy  6  o'clock  in  tiie  morniu;^  of  tiie  iStli,  after  the  hardest  twelve  hours' 
work  that  any  ol'  tiieni  had  ever  ])erformed,  thev  had  only  succeeded  in 
advanciu'^^  the  second  iiitier  tiiree-quarters  of  a  mile,  with  the  whale-ho^t 
loo  yards  in  the  rear,  ami  several  of  the  sledges,  more  or  less  disabled 
at  intervals  alonj^  tiie  road,  and  the  balance  of  their  stock  stMl  in  ij-je 
ori^-inal  eainj).  Lieut.  Chipp,  in  an  elFort  to  advance  the  hospital  sledtje 
drawn  by  seven  doixs,  fainted  iVoni  exhaustion,  and  was  only  restored  by 
the  lielp  of  Dr.  Amb'er. 

Two  days  were  now  spent  in 
repairing  damages,  anil  bringing 
up  the  rear.  On  the  191I1  Danen- 
hower  was  ordered  to  the  hospital 
sledge,  the  commander  doubtless 
being  apprehensive  of  the  danger 
of  his  falling  into  some  fissure  if 
allowed  to  go  with  the  advance 
party.  Apart  froin  his  jiartial 
lilindness  he  was  one  of  the  strong- 
est of  the  party,  and  anxious  to  be 
of  ser\ice  in  the  hea\y  work, 
which  now  fell  on  twentv-one  men 
out  of   the    thirtv-three.      On    tiie 

20ih  they  again  ))n>lied  to  tlie  south  '°'^-  y  ^'"  amli.er. 

in  the  same  slow  way,  making  cue  mile  of  advance  v*'hile  thev  traveled 
thirteen — seven  times  forward  witii  boats  and  sledges,  and  -^ix  times  back- 
ward without  loads.  On  tiie  2.|th,  after  a  week's  progress  of  thi'-  ^nrt. 
the  commander  found  that  tiiev  had  drifted  to  the  northwest  with  the  Hue, 
twenty-seven  miles! 

In  crossing  the  wider  ii-sures  or  lanes  of  water,  sometimes  a  liundred 
yards  wide,  they  got  everything  on  to  a  loose  block  or  cake  of  ice,  which 
they  proceeded  to  use  as  a  rough  ferry-boat.  When  still  wider  the  boats 
were  disinounted  and  rowed  across,  loaded  witii   the   sledges   anti   stores. 


^f  ,-iv.'tfw.giWH:ae3igm/r-a 


m 


A   A'/ili     ISLAM). 


807 


The  sick  .Meanwhile  hecaine  convalesce.U,  and  Chipp  ^vas  soon  able  to 
lcM,l  very  efficient  aid,  especially  in  superintending  the  ferrying  business. 
Danenhower  was  still  kept  well  in  the  rear,  and  carefully  watched  by 
Melville,  wh(.  repeatcdiy  helped  him  out  of  fissures  into  which  he  had 
stumble.1.  With  one  eye  bandaged  a.ul  the  other  protecte.l  by  colored 
glass  he  frequently  miscalculated  distances,  and  falling  short  of  the 
opposite  bank,  would  fall  in.  Altogether,  it  was  a  dreadful  retreat;  so 
slow,  so  discouraging,  with  about  a  fourth  of  the  company  able  to  give 
little  or  no  assistance  in  the  heavy  work,  which  was  thus  rendered  a  more 
intolerable  strain  on  the  energies  of  the  working  force. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June  the  snow  had  all  melted,  and  traveling  be- 
came better,  but  they  had  to  wa-le  thn.ugii  pools  of  this  thaw- water,  and 
their  feet  were  almost  constantly  wet.      They    were  now  able  to  advance 
tw.)  sleds  at  a  time;  but  had  frequently  to  jump  with  them  from  piece  to 
piece  in  crossing  leads.      Still,  the  re.luction  from   thirteen   to   seven  trips 
was  a  great  gain,  and  their  progress    was  aljout   twice   as    rapid.     Their 
course  had  meanwhile  been  changed  to  17  degrees  west  of  due  south,  and 
while  moving  in  this  .iirection,  on  the  1 3lh  of  July,  thev  began  to  perceive 
indications  of  laml  ahead.      At  the  same  time  they  could   notice  a  heavy 
"water-sky"  to  the  south  and  southeast,  showing  the  existence  of  exten- 
sive  bodies  of  open  water  at    those    points,    while    in    the    direction    they 
were  following,  the  ice  became  more  broken,  an<l    a    more   active  move- 
ment  ha.l  set  in,  .iiaking  travel   across   it    more   diiHcult   and   dangerous. 
A  week  later  it  took  twelve  hours  to  ativance  a  thousand  yards  over  this 
mass  of  broken  pieces,  which  inifortunately  were   not   separated   enough 
to  permit  the  floating  of  the  boats,  while  not  close  enough  to  adow  an'y- 
thing  biit  the  most  fragmentary  and  spasmodic  sledging.     At  times  they 
were  forced  to  desist  from  all  effort  to  advance,   so\uterly  impracticable 
was  the  road. 

Still  slowly  making  toward  the  land,  which  daily  grew  more  distinct, 
they  were  soon  able  to  note  some  of  its  glaciers,  mountain  ranges, 
anil  water  courses,  and  could  no  longer  doubt  that  they  had  discovered  a 
new  island.  On  the  34th  they  were  within  two  miles  of  land,  but  so 
utterly  exhausted  that  they  were  force.l  to  c-ncamp   ,.1;    the   ice.      On  re- 


808 


TAKIXG    TO    THE   BOAT^  S09 

suming  their  labors  they  found  that  the  drift  had  taken  them  three  n.ile, 
out    of  their    course.     Tiney    had   spent  four    days  skirtin,    its    eastern 
coast  wthout  bcin,.  able  to  effect  a  landin,.,  when,  on  the  39th  of  Tuly  the 
fo^^  lifted,  and  they    beheld   themselves  in  close  proximicy  to  th'e  prc-cip- 
itous  shore,   toward    which    the    current   had    driven   them.     Along  the 
shore    a    fnnge    of  ground   ice,  narrow,  rugged  and   broken,   made  tl,e 
landmg  difficult.     Getting  all  their  goods  on  one  floe-piece,  they  made  a 
great  effort  to  float  it  to  the  shore-ice,  but  it  drifted  off  before  all  could  be 
landed.     Ry  7  p.  m.,  however,  all  the  men  and  stock  were  collected  in  one 
spot,  when  De  Long  unfurled  the  silken  flag  presented  by  his  wife,  took 
formal  possession  for  the  United  States,  and  named  it   Bennett  Island    in 
bonor  of  the  patron  of  the  expedition.      The  southeast  point,  in  70    38' 
by  148''  20'  east,  was   named    Cape  Emma,  in  honor  of  Mrs.  De  Loner 
There  were   millions  of  wild   fowls  on  the  cliffs,  and  in  a  few  hours  the' 
men  knocked   down    several   hundre.l,  which    were   divided    an,ong    all 
hands.     Dnftwood  was   gathered,  to  save  alcohol;  and   thev    went    into 
can.p  for  a  week   to  repair,  recuperate,  and  explore.     They  divided   into 
sn,all  parties  to  examine  the   island,  and    collect  geological,  mineral  and 
other  specm>ens,  while  the  carpenters  were  busy  effecting  repairs  on   the 
boats  and  sledges. 

They  left  Mennett    Island   .n  the  6th  of  August,  by  the  three    boats 
with  a  fan-  prospect  of  making   good    progress   through   the  water-lanes 
between  the  floes.      The  distribution  of  the   officers  and  men  in  the  three 
boats,  and  the  description  of  the  boats  themselves,  is  here  subjoined  .--First 
cn-tter,   Lieut.   Geo.  W.   Do   Long,  Dr.  James    M.    Ambler,    Jerome    T 
Collins,  William  C.  F.  Nindern.an,    Louis  J.  Noros,   Hans  vi.^n^i^ 
Henry  II.   Kaach,  Adolf  Dessler,  Cari    A.   Gant.,   Walter    Lee,    Neils' 
Iverson,  George  H.  Boyd.  Ah  Sam,  and  Alexai-fourteen  persons      Ek- 
treme  length  of  the   boat,   30   ft.  4   in.;  breadth,  6  ft.;  depth,  3  ft   ^  in 
hon.topofgunwalctothetop   of   keel;  clinker    built,  copper  fastened 
■  asKlc  hning;  drew  28  inches  loaded,  and  had  the  greatest  carryin.r  capac- 
ity of  the  three;  fitted  with  mast,  and   one   shifting    lug  sail;  pulled  six    " 
oars,  and  was  a.,  excellent  sea  boat.      Siie  had  a  heavv  oak-    L.cl  niece    (o 
strengthen  her  in  hatding  o^•or  ice,  and  i^  -vas  retained  on  reaching  water 


810 


THE   BOMS'   CHEWS. 


In  the  second  cutter  were  Lieut.  Charles  W.  Chipp,  ice  pilot,  VVm. 
Dunbar,  Alfred  Sweetman,  Henry  D.  Warren,  Peter  E.Johnson,  Edward 
Star,  W.  Sharwell,  Albert  G.  Kuehne-eight  persons.  Extreme  length 
of  the  boat,  i6  ft.  3  in.;  ])readth,  5  ft.  \  in.;  depth,  2  ft. 6  in.,  from  top  of 
gunwale  to  top  of  keel;  clinker  built,  copper  fastened,  a  very  bad  sea-boat  j 
had  one  dipping  lug  sail  and  four  oars.  She  liad  not  sufficient  carrying 
capacity  for  Chipp's  allowance  of  provisions,  so  the  captain  had  two  extra 
tins  of  pcmmican  in  his  boat  when  they  separated. 

In  the  whale-boat  were  Engineer  Geo.  W.  Melville,  Lieut.  J.  W. 
Danenhovver,  William  Cole,  James  H.  Bartlett,  Raymond  L.  Newcomb, 
Herbert  W.  Leach,  George  Lauderbach,  Henry  Wilson,  Frank  Masisoii, 
Long  Sing  and  Aniguin — eleven  persons.  Extreme  length  of  boat,  35 
ft.  4  in.;  breadtii,  5  ft.  6  in.;  depth,  2  ft.  2  in.  from  top  of  gunwale  to  lop 
of  keel;  clinker  built,  copper  fastened,  drawing  about  twenty-foin-  inches 
when  loaded,  this  being  caused  by  the  heavy  oak  keel  piece,  similar  to 
those  of  the  first  and  second  cutters.  She  had  one  mast  and  one  dipping 
lug  sail.  The  master  boat-builder  at  Mare  Island  said  she  was  ^miz  of  the 
best  fastened  boats  that  he  had  ever  seen,  and  experience  pro  /eil  it,  for  the 
racket  she  stood  on  the  journey  over  the  ice  was  almost  incredible. 

Of  their  original  stock  of  dogs  some  !iad  died  of  starvation,  and  others 
had  been  killed  by  their  fellows.  There  were  about  twenty-three  left,  and 
eleven  of  the  poorest  of  them  were  now  killed,  the  remaining  twelve, 
enough  for  one  strong  team,  being  taken  aboard  the  boats.  Ten  of  these 
soon  disappeared,  jumping  on  the  pa>sing  floes  in  pursuit  of  game,  and 
were  left  behind  by  the  boats. 

From  the  6th  to  the  20th  of  August  they  advanced  at  a  fair  rate  be- 
tween the  floes,  sometimes  making  ten  miles  a  day.  They  would  have 
made  much  greater'  progress,  had  the  water-lanes  always  opened  to  the 
southwest;  as  it  was,  they  were  frequently  obliged  to  haul  the  boats  out 
of  one  lane,  make  a  portage  over  the  floe,  and  again  launch  them,  only 
to  soon  repeat  the  same  process.  On  the  20th  tiic  second  cutter  got 
jarnmed  among  a  number  of  floe-pieces  that  were  suddenly  driven  to- 
gether, and  they  had  to  make  a  portage  of  about  a  mile  to  get  her  atioat 
the  wake  of  the  other  two.     .Sometimes  a  passage  was  obtained 


a<raii 


THADDEUS  /SLA^VD.  g,j 

only  by  p.yin.  the  floe-pieces  apart;  hut  these  would  often   sprin-^  bick 

an<l  cut  <,fl  the  a<lvance  of  the  second  o,-  thinl  boat.     It  was  hanl^work' 

but  not  cp.it:e  so  hani  and  discouraging  as  dragging  boats  and  sleds  over 

htnn.nocky   ice.      The    Hnal   result  of  the   apparently  slight  detention  of 

the  second  cutter  was   .p.ite  serious.      The    twenty-five  n.en  of  the  other 

boats  encamped  on  the  ice   while  waiting  several    hours  A.r  Lieut.  Chipp 

and  h.s  companions.     The    wind   shifted,  and   during  the  ensuing  night 

he  ,ce  got   so  jammed  around    them  that  the  only    n.ovement  made  for 

the  next  ten  days  was  such  as  was  due  to  the  drifting  of  the  whole.  This, 

however,  brought  them  to  the  north 
coast  of  the  middle  one  of  the  three 
principal  islands  foiming  the  New 
Siberian   group,   known   as   Thad- 
deus    or    Faddeyev   Island.      Thev 
landed   on    the    south    side    of    the 
island  on  the  31st,  after  having  with 
diftkulty    made     their     way    south 
through     the     ice-blocked    sound 
which  separates  it  on  the  east  from 
the  island  which  gives  its  name  to 
the  group.    The  period  of  detention 
was  utilized  in  making  repairs,  and 
dividing  the  provisions  between  the 
boats  in  the  ratio  of  the  number  of 
men  in  each. 

They  found  tiie  island  composed  of  ,nu<l  hills  that  were  wearin- 
away  rapidly,  and  forming  shoals  off  the  lan.l.  Beyond  the  low  hilh 
there  was  a  wet,  mossy  tundra,  upon  which  they  ca.nped  for  the  nio-ht 
All  hands  ^.ere  then  sent  <,ut  hunting.  Ileindeer  tracks  and  traces  were 
numerous,  but  no  live  animals  were  seen.  Hartlett  reported  that  he 
found  footprints  in  the  sand  made  by  a  civili^ed  boot.  The  steward 
found  a  hut  about  two  miles  west  of  the  camp  ami  a  small  piece  of  black 
bread,  as  well  as  a  small  tusk  and  a  knee  piece  for  a  boat  fashioned  from 
a  deer   horn.     The   next   morning  they  proceeded  west  along  the  shore. 


KAYMOND   I..    NKWCOMH. 


If     > 


912 


C///P/'  Af/SS/A'd 


t!ic  water  beiii^  very  shoal,  of  which  reinauis  of  several  huts  ami  quan- 
tities of  driftwood  were  seen;  also  large  numbers  of  ducks  ami  wild  fowls. 
Newcomb  succeeded  in  getting  about  six  brace,  which  were  very  wel- 
come. That  night  thev  tried  to  himi,  but  after  several  ineffectual  efforts 
gave  up  the  attempt,  as  the  water  was  too  shoal  for  the  boats. 

It  was  how  determined  to  work  along  the  shoal  which  divides  Thad- 
deus  Island  from  the  third  of  the  gfoup  to  the  west,  known  as  Kolteuoi 
Island.  There  was  a  moderate  wind  from  the  eastward,  and  tlie  cap- 
tain tried  to  keep  close  in  about  four  feet  of  water.  The  result  was  that 
the  first  cutter  was  constantly  grounding  and  then  laboriously  getting  off 
again.  Thev  continued  on  their  course  to  the  southward,  the  captain's 
boat  getting  in  breakers  atone  time  and  calling  for  the  whale-boat  to  pull 
him  out.  There  wasnot  much  ice  at  the  time,  and  it  was  decreasing. 
One  day,  about  noon,  they  ran  through  a  line  of  drift  ice,  and  the  whale- 
boat  struck  on  a  tongue  that  was  under  water.  She  began  to  fill  rapidly, 
and  had  to  be  hauled  out,  but  not  before  she  was  two-thirds  full,  could 
they  reach  a  suitable  ice  piece.  The  plug  had  been  knocked  out,  bur 
she  had  sust;  'ned  no  other  damage.  Another  time  a  heavy  green  sea 
swept  over  the  whole  port  side  and  filled  her  to  the  thwarts;  she  stag- 
gered and  commenced  to  settl';;,  but  every  man  with  a  baler  in  hand 
quickly   relieved  her,  and  she  floated  again. 

Chipp's  boat  was  as  usual  astern  and  in  the  water-hole,  and  the 
others  became  anxioub  about  his  safety.  The  cutter  hauled  up  about  7 
p.  M.,  and  camped  with  the  whale-boat.  The  next  tlav  the  gale  was  still 
blowing,  and  Chipp's  boat  still  missing,  so  about  6  i'.  m.  the  commander 
hoisted  a  black  flag.  On  the  following  day  Bartlett  reported  that  the 
ice  was  closing  around,  and  that  if  they  did  not  move  thev  would  be  shut 
in.  Two  hours  afterward  all  outlets  were  closed.  Land  was  also  in 
sight  at  this  time,  being  Koltenoi  Island.  Ericksen  was  the  first  to  sec 
Chipp's  boat,  and  presently  two  men  were  seen  making  their  way  over  the 
floe,  and  jumping  across  the  obstructions.  It  was  Chipp,  with  Kuehiie. 
His  boat  had  been  nearly  swamped,  and  in  a  sinking  condition;  he  had 
reached  a  piece  of  ice,  and  managed  to  haul  up.  Starr  was  the  only  man 
with  his  boat  at  that  time  who   could   walk,  the  others  requiring  ten  or 


Mimwsf-iiiLi'iitiT^pi:. 


fhA 


/.A.ST    I  Ai.K    Wn  H  CH/rP 


818 


fifteen  minutes 


to  ^'ct  up  circulati.m  in  their  benumbed  limU      The  cnp 
ta.n  h.d  previously   given  written  orders   that  in  case  of  separation  each 
boat  should  mal<e  the  best  of  its  way  to    Lena  River,  but  he  had  recom- 
mended tonching  at  Koltenoi  Ishn.d.     Chipp  had  fortunately  decided   to 
follow  these  instructions,  because  he  had  not  his  allowance  of  food       All 
had  been  on  half  rations  for  some  time.     Chipp  had  remained  on  the  ice 
about   tvventy-four  hours,  and  then  got  a  chance  to  get  under  wav.     He 
sa.d  that  by  making  a  portage  of  about  two  miles  the  others  could^launch 
the.r  boats  and  fetch  the  land.     He  sent  his  men  to  assist,  and  after  six  or 
cght  hours  of  terrible  work  they  succeeded  in  getting  the  boats  to   the 
second  cutter.      That  night  they  reache<l  the  southeast  corner  of  Koltenoi 
Inland  and  camped   in  a  low  cape  extending  well  out  from  the  mountain, 
and  forming  a  beautiful  i.,v.     This  was  Sept.  6.     They  staid  there  about 
th>rty-s,x  hours.      Large  parties  were  sent  out  hunting,  as  numerous  deer 
tracks  had   been   seen.      Next   n.orning   they   got  under   wav  again  and 
worked  alongshore  until  about  noon,  when  they  had  to  make  a  lon<>-  and 
laborious  portage,  d^n-ing  which  Mr.    Dunbar  fell   down   exhausted"  and 
vvth  palpitation  of  the  heart.     They  continued    until  midnight,  and 'then 
camped  on  a  bleak,  desolate  spot.     Next  morning,  Sept.  y,"  thev  shaped 
a  course   for  the  island   of  Stoli,ovoi   from  the  south    point  of  Koltenoi 
fitty-one  miles  distant  to  the  southwest,  and  on  the  meri<lian  of  the  Yana' 
River.      They   had  fresh   breezes  the  first  day,  and  during  the  tught  <.ot 
mto  a  very  ba<l  place  and  came  very  near  being  smashed  up  by  drift  L 
They  passed  in  sight  of  Stolbovoi;  but  it  was  not  considered  worth  while 
to  land  on  the  barren  islan.l,  which  was,  besides,  too  distant. 

On  the  night  of  Sept.  9  they  iiauled  up  on  a  piece  of  ice  ofT  the 
north  end  of  Semenovskoi  Lsland,  and  there  slept.  On  Sept.  10 
they  rounded  the  north  end  <,f  this  island  and  came  down  the  west 
shore,  stopping  to  cook  dinner,  and  to  examine  the  island.  They  killed 
='  <icer,  and  remained  there  thirty-six  hours.  That  evenin-.  Chipp 
cauK.  over  and  asked  Danenhower  to  go  out  with  him  to  get  some  ptar- 
mi,^an,  ,f  possible.  They  can.e  upon  a  large  <-ovey,  but  could  not  get  a 
shot.  This  was  Danenhowcr's  last  talk  with  Chipp.  He  was  in  better 
health  than  usual  and  was  cheerful,  but  not  altogether  satisfied  with  the 


814 


LAST  ICE  SEEN. 


outlook.  On  Monday  morning,  Sept.  12,  they  left  Semenovskoi 
Island  and  stood  to  the  southward,  along  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
lying  to  the  south.  About  half-past  11  a.  m.  they  ran  through  a  lot 
of  drift  ice.  It  was  was  the  last  piece  of  ice  that  they  saw.  They  then 
started  on  a  southwest  course.  The  captain  kept  his  boat  almost  right 
before  the  wind ;  and  as  the  whale-boat  was  the  faster  sailor  it  was  hard  to 
keep  her  in  position.  The  orders  were  to  keep  astern  of  the  captain, 
within  easy  hail,  and  for  Chipp  to  bring  up  the  rear,  he  being  the 
second  in  command.  The  wind  and  sea  increased  very  rapidly,  and 
about  5  p.  M.  the  whale-boat  was  out  of  position  about  900  yards  off  the 
weather  quarter  of  the  first  cutter.  Melville  then  told  Danenhower  to 
take  charge  of  the  whale-boat.  On  the  morning  of  the  \  3th  no  boats 
were  in  sight. 


li 


CHAPTER    LXXXVIII. 

OK  .C.N.c;'s  CUTTKU  HKAC.KS  .ME  COAST-, „s  OIAHV  OP  MrSKOK- 
TUNHS-A.KXAI  SKKS  A  MUT-OM.v  A  MOU^n_THK  MOO  KOn 
SUPPKU-KKICKSKN'S  „ANOS  KUOZEN-K.UKO  DOG  MEAT  -TIHRD. 
HAND  TEA  -  OKLAHTmc;  OK  NmoEKM  ^^-  AND  NOKOS-tHE 
FOKTUNKS  OK  THE  VVHAUE-HOAt's  CHE  W-UOSITTAMTV  OP  AW 
EXILE -LOSS    OK    CmM.-OE    I.ONC's    mAUV    CLOSES  -  DEATH    OK 

MOST  OK   THE   kauty-danenhowek's   stouy. 

The  first  cutter  under  i.nm.diate  command  of  De  Long,  reached  the 
S.benan  coast  on  the  i6tl,  of  September,  but  could  not  reach  the  shore 
by   boat,  hc\n<r   compelle<l  t„    wade    vvaist-high   through  freezing  water 
and  broken  ice.     It  took  the  whole  day  to  get  their  things  ashore'iall  the 
company  being  worn  out  and  frcst-bitten,   Ninderman   and    Noros  only 
bemg  .„  anything  like  working  condition.       Unfortunately  th.^'   struck 
one  of  the  most  northern,  remote,  and  desolate  of  the  mouths  of'  the  Le- 
na.    It  seems  a  strange  fatality  that  first  inspired  De  Long  with  the  idea 
of  makmg  for  the  Lena.     One  can  see  of  course,  that  the  effort  was  to 
reach  L.koutsk  by  their  boats  tlirough   that   navigable  stream  before  it 
would  get  frozen  over  for  the  winter.     Still,  one  can   hardly  forbear  re- 
flecting on  ^'  what    might    haye    been  "    had    they    pushed   <lirectly   for 
the-  Siberian  coast.      In    half  the   tln-ee   months   they    had  consumed  in 
making  the  trip  by  way  of  tlie    New  Siberian  Islands,  tiiey   would    have 
rcache<l  the  mouth  of  tiie  Indigirka,  and  the  village  of  Schewelewo,  just 
above  its  delta.     Again,  had  they  on  leaving  Semenovskoi  Island  struck 
due  south,  they  wol.I.I  have  reached  the  Yana   River,  with    the   town  of 
Ustyansk  a  little  w.av  above  its  delta,  about  two  hundred  .nilcs  from  the 
sea.     Entering  the  Lena,  about  eight  hundred  miles   would    have   lo  be 
traversed  by  land  or  water  before  reaching  Bulun,  the  flixt  p  mu  of   uiy 
importance.      They  traveled   four   days,    and    the    Indian    Alexai    h.vin- 

■Si  ) 


8,  (J 


l)E   LUNd'S   DIAKV 


succeeded  in  killiii<^  two  deei,  the  Iburteen  men  ;ind  two  do-^s  fared 
sumptiiouViy.  Four  days  more  hrou;^lit  them  to  the  extreirty  of  a 
pennisuhi,  and  it  was  deciilcd  to  pass  over  the  river  to  the  western  side. 
Wliile  waitin<j  for  the  river  to  frc'"<',  Alexin  killed  a  deer  on  the  30th, 
and  thev  were  a;j^ain  ahle  to  ^et  niomentary  relief.  On  Oct.  I'-t,  they 
crossed  tlie  mouth,  or  lork,  alonj^  which  tliey  liad  traveled,  to  tlie  we^t 
side,  live  hundred  yards,  on  new  ice.  Lieut.  l)e  I^on^  left  tliis  account: 
"Saturday,  Oct.  t. — One  hundred  awA  eleventh  day  [from  the  aban- 
donment  of   the   Jeannettc  ],  and 


/^ 


V^ 


•rf  3 


a  new   month.     Called   all   liands 

as    soon    as   the   cook    announced 

boilin<j    water,  and    vX    6:45    '''"' 

our  breakfast,  half  a  pound  of  deer 

meat,  and  tea       Sent  Ninderman 

and  .Vlexai  to  examine  the  main 

rivi'r,  oilier   men  to  collect   wood. 

The  doctor   resumed   tlie  cutting 

away  of  poor  Ericksen's  toes  this 

morninsf.      No  doubt  it  will  have 

to  continue  until  his  feet  aie  gone, 

unless  death  ensues,  or  we  get  to 

some    settlement.     Only   one    toe 

left    now.      Weather    clear,    ligiu 

northeast  airs,  barouieter  30.13  at 

6:05.       The    tem[)eralurc    iS      at   7:30      Ninderman   and   Alexai   were 

seen   to  have  crossed,  antl    I    immediately   sent    men   to   carry   our   load 

over.      Left  the  following  record: 

"  'Saturday,  Oct.  1,  1881. — Fourteen  of  the  otVicers  and  men  of  tlu- 
United  States  Arctic  steamer  Jeannctte  reached  this  hut  on  Wcdiiesd.iy, 
Sept.  38,  and,  having  been  forced  to  wait  for  t!ie  river  to  freeze  over,  ;irc 
proceeding  to  cross  to  the  west  side  this  morning  on  their  journey  Id 
reach  some  settlement  on  the  Lena  River.  We  have  two  days'  pro- 
visions, but  liaving  bee.  fortunate  enough  tiius   far   to   get   game   in   our 


OEO.    W.    MKLVILLE. 


rcssm^'  needs, 


We  na\'e  no 


lear  tor  the  future. 


\ 


Tiro   //UrS  IN  SIGHT.  gj^ 

oeen  amputated   „,  consequence   of  frost-bite       Ofh 

"«" '"5:05.  Ac.,,,,,,,,„,,e,.,..J;;t;;-  ;^  ■ --  •*»" 

9:30(0  ,0:20,  .:5oto2Mo  4-,-,„  ,:'  "'»-'5'""  '-10,3:35 '<>  4- 

cokl.     Brc.kfisf  •.^  ^  ,  ■    ,.  already     iwakened   by   the 

iJrcaktastat5  A.  M.— half  poundofmeat   -indh^..      R-w     ,       , 
les.smornin-,li<,ht   northern.,;,.  '"^at,  and  tea.    Bright,  cloud- 

»'  "o'"-,  luirtnein  airs;  barometer  -in  on  ..f    - 
ate^c"       At  ^  .    ,       ,  "^'  30-30  at   -,:  32 ;  temperature 

«t<^'35-      ^^7  went  ahead,  following  the  fro^on    w,f  u 

could  find  it,  and  at  a- zo  I  frU       v  '   ^^^cever   we 

the  main  river      I    ,',; ,  ^^      ""  "'  '"'  -^"'"'  ^"'^'^  ^''^^^-^  - 

ti..e  under  :;  L^l^^T^  7/^  ^^^^  ^^  '^^'^  -  Hour,  and  our 
miles.  '  "^  ^"•''^''^   °"'"  ^^'•^"«""   --J^   at   least  six 

"Two  miles  an  hour  distance   make   good    ten  to    twelve  miles   and 
where  are  we?    I  think  it  the  beginning  of  the  Lena  River   at  1  a  t      7 

My  cha«  .  ..nplj,  „sclos..     I  ,„„3.  „o  „„  p,„„„i„„  ,<>  ,,:  ,„    !'"  7 
tra«,„g  i„  God  ,„  g„,,,  „^  ,^  ^  »     o  'h-     ouih„„d, 

f..l  .lay  b™,„.ht  ™„«l,!nc  ,o  cheer  A  bngi,,,  calm,  beau,.. 

rations  yet.     Boats  t 


lip.     An   icy   road  and   one  day', 
■•o^cn,  of  course,   and  hauled  up.     No   hut   in  si<.ht 


818 


MAIN'S    TRACK  ULES. 


and  we  halt  on  a  bliilF  to  spend  a  cold  and  comtbrtlcss  niyht.  Supper — 
half  pound  meat,  and  tea.  liuilt  a  rousing  fire.  Muilt  a  log  bed.  Set  a 
watch,  two  hours  each,  to  keep  I'lc  going,  and  get  supper.  Then  we 
stood  by  for  a  second  cold  and  wretclied  night  There  was  so  much 
wind  we  had  to  put  up  our  tent  halves  for  a  screen,  and  sit  shivering 
under  !ialf  blankets. 

"Monday,  Oct.  3,  1881. — 113th  day.  It  was  so  fearfully  cold  and 
wretched  that  I  served  out  alcohol  to  all  hands,  ami  on  this  we  managed 
to  live  along  until  5  A.  M.,  when  we  ate  our  dinner,  meat,  and  had  more 
tea.  Our  morning  meal  now  consists  of  4-14  of  a  pound  of  pemmican 
each,  and  .1  half-starved  dog.  May  God  again  incline  unto  our  aid!  How 
much  farthei  we  have  to  go  before  making  a  shelter  or  settlement.  He 
only  knows.  Brisk  winds,  barometer  30.23  at  i :  50  temperature.  Erick- 
sen  seems  failing.  He  is  weak  and  powerless,  and  the  moment  he  closes 
his  eyes,  talks,  mostly  in  Danish,  German,  and  English.  No  one  can 
sleep,  even  though  our  other  surroundings  permitted.  For  some  causr 
my  watch  stopped  at  10:45  ^^'^'^  night  while  one  of  the  men  on  watch 
had  it.  I  set  it  as  near  as  I  could  by  guessing,  and  we  must  run  by  that 
until  I  can  do  better.  Sun  rose  yesterday  morning  at  6:40  by  the  watcii 
when  running  all  right.  Total  travel  for  two  hours  thirty-five  minutes, 
say  five  miles. 

«Our  force  means  work.  I  put  as  above  five  miles.  Some  time  aiul 
distance  was  lost  by  crossing  the  river  upon  seeing  numerous  fox  traps. 
A  man's  track  was  also  seen  in  the  snow,  bound  south,  and  we  followed 
it  until  it  crossed  the  river  to  the  west  bank  again.  Here  we  were 
obliged  to  go  back  again  in  our  tracks,  for  the  river  was  open  in  places, 
and  we  could  not  follow  the  man's  track  direct.  Another  of  the  dozen 
shoals  that  infest  the  river  swung  us  off  to  the  eastv  ard,  too,  and  I  hast- 
ened to  get  on  the  west  bank  again,  reaching  there  at  10  minutes  to  I3 
for  dinner — our  last  four-fourteenths  of  a  pound  of  pemmican. 

"At  forty  minutes  past  i  got  under  way  again,  and  made  a  long 
spurt  until  twenty  minutes  past  2.  While  at  the  other  side  of  the  river 
Alexai  said  he  saw  a  hut,  and  during  our  dinner  camp  he  said  he  again 
saw  a  hut.     When    reached,  however,   after  a   hard    struggle,  '!.   was 


ii};lU.  Supper — 
I  log  bed.  Set  a 
)pcr.  Then  we 
e  was  so  much 
uul  sit  shiveriutr 

irt'ully  cold  and 
his  we  managed 
t,  and  had  more 
lui  of  pemmican 
to  our  aid!  How 
r  settlement,  He 
.^erature.  Erick- 
aoment  he  closes 
di.  No  one  can 
For  some  cans* 
!  men  on  watch 
nust  run  by  that 
:  40  by  the  waich 
irty-five  minutes, 

Some  time  and 
lerous  fox  traps. 
and  we  followed 
Here  we  were 
s  open  in  places, 
ler  of  the  dozen 
,  too,  and  I  hast- 
o  minutes  to  12 
mican. 

nd  made  a  long 

■  side  of  the  river 

he  said  he  again 

struggle,  't   was 


A   DOG  /'O/i  SLJ'PEJt.  g,y 

nothing  hut  a  mound  of  earth.     Sick  at   heart    I   ordered  a  camp  to  be 
made  .n  a     o  e  .n  the  blufT  face,  and  soon  before  a  roaring  Hre  we  we 

Mck       u  A  d   now  for  supper  nothing  remained  but  the  dog      I  or 
dercdhnn  killed  and  dressed  bv  Iverson    n.,!  ^ 

f       .  -^  ivtrson,  and  soon  after  a  stew  was  mado 

of  such  parts  as  could  not  be  carried    of  whi.h  ,     ■ 

TA     ..  ,  »-««Meu,   or  which  everybody  excent   Hn. 

m„  ,„,.,    r  I,  '         *^  ''""  therinoineltr   was  broken  bv 

my  ,na  ,y  falls  upon  ,he  iocs  but  I  think  I.  „„„  h„,,  ,„,„  „^,„^  J^ 

A  watch  was  .set  to  keep  the  fire  .oh,.,  and  we  bua,l,e.l  aron  dTt        ,' 
US  our  th,rd  night  without  sleep  was  passed.     Etleksen's  ^l' 

^rc  z :::;,::  :f '•'-■-"---— 

"Tuesday,  Oct. .,_,  ,,th  day.     At  the  fi,„  approach  of  .layn^h,  we 
.;U1  began  to  ,„ove  around,  and  the  cook  was  set  to  work  „,aki,;  ^ra 

hs  gloves  offdurmg  the   night,  and  that  now   his  hands  were  froztr 
Men  were  at  once  set  at  work  rubbing  the™,  and  by  6  ..  „  Z^oZ 
restored   c,rculatlo„  as  to  risk  n.oving  the   ,nan.     Each  one  has  hl^ 
swallowed  a  cup  of  tea,  and  go.  his  load  in  readiness.     Erick sent  s 
qmte  unconscious,  and  wo  lashed  him  on  the  sled      At  to   '         "  "" 

i~  ,r  "r  -'-"'' »' "-'  -•  '-"^  --:  :z^z 

ice  and  fallen  m  the  river      At  r^  u   ^,  ,  ^ 

necessarv  t.  M  •   ,     7  '''''  '°"''^'  "^^'  """"^  ^  considered  it 

:::::  firr  :i:::r. ,:'  r  t-  "''  - ''-'  °^  ^- 
--  "..r  aays  fo.,  buC::r ;:  :t:L;ibr::r::tr 

posed    o  the  ,„ercile,ss  southwest  gale  that  tore  around  us  th  .  we  Z 
not  m.„d  short  rations."    Ericksen  died  Oct.  6,  at  8-,,  T    ,      TH 

rative  of  the  intervening  .lay,  consists  of  th.  ,  '^" 

„o      ,         ,  '    consists  of  the  same  sicken  ng  account 

Sunday,  the  p,,,._AI,  hands  at  4:30.     Half  an  ounce  of  2ho, 
Read  divine  service.     Sent  Ninderinan  and  N'oros  ahead  for  relief' 


« 


r 


820 


MELVILLE'S   FORTUNES. 


They  started  at  7.  Noros  thus  records  De  Long's  instructions: 
«  If  you  find  game,  return  to  us;  if  you  do  not,  go  on  to  Kumak- 
suti."  "All  the  men,"  says  the  same,  "  shook  hands  with  us,  and  most 
of  them  had  tears  in  their  eyes.  Collins  was  the  last;  he  simply  said: 
'Noros,  when  you  get  to  New  York,  remember  me.'  They  seemed  to 
have  lost  hope,  but  as  wc  left,  they  gave  us  three  cheers.  We  told  them 
we  would  do  all  that  we  could  do,  and  that  was  the  last  we  saw  of  them. 
We  started  without  a  particle  of  food.  I  had  a  pair  of  sealskin  trousers. 
We  cut  pieces  from  these  and  chewed  f.hem  until  we  were  found  by  tlic 
natives.  We  were  so  weak  we  could  hardly  stand.  I  believe  that  if  we 
had  had  to  endure  our  sufferings  for  two  days  longer  we  would  have  shot 
ourselves.  The  natives  took  us  to  their  camp  and  gave  us  plenty  to  eat 
and  drink.  The  result  was,  we  were  both  quite  sick  for  some  time.  We 
were  taken  to  a  village,  and  from  there  to  Bulun.  At  Bulun  we  tried  to 
get  a  telegram  sent,  but  could  not  make  them  understand.  We  supposed 
that  we  were  the  only  two  men  alive  out  of  the  whole  expedition.  Then 
we  heard  of  a  boat's  crew  landing  at  one  of  the  mouths  of  the  Lena. 
The  boat  proved  to  be  Melville's,  and  as  soon  as  they  learned  of  our 
arrival  at  Bulun  they  joined  us  at  that  place,  so  there  were  thirteen  of  us 
alive." 

HOW   IT   FARED   WITH   THE   WHALE-BOAT'S  PEOPLE. 

Meanwhile,  the  whale-boat,  under  Melville  and  Danenhower,  with 
much  difficulty  and  through  great  dangers,  had  entered  the  eastern 
mouths  of  the  Lena,  landing  also  on  the  1 6th,— in  108  hours  from  Semo- 
novski,  and  three  months  from  their  first  camp  near  the  spot  where  tlie 
Jeannette  went  down.  Here  they  found  a  deserted  hut,  and  soon  buill  a 
fire,  and  wearied  as  they  were,  prematurely  huddled  around  its  grateful 
glow  before  the  circulation  had  been  restored  by  a  little  healthful  exer- 
cise. Danenhower  alono  had  sufficient  self-restraint  to  observe  this  pre- 
caution; and  he  was  soon  in  much  better  condition  than  his  comrades. 

On  Saturday,  the  17th  of  Se;ttembcr,  Melville's  party  proceeded  up 
the  river  in  the  whaie-boac,  making  about  thirty  miles,  when  they  en- 
camped for  the    night    on    the   bank.     On   Sunday,  about  1 1  a.  m.,  they 


rfv 


uaRttw' 


Fli/ENDS  INDEED. 

oil 

noticed  two  huts,  and  concluded  to  land,  and  devote  the  remainder  of  the 
day  to  rest.  It  was  the  only  day  of  real  repose  they  had  enjoyed  for  a 
l.^ng  tu.e.  The  very  next  day  they  fell  in  with  three  natives,  of  the 
lounc^ous  tnbe,  and  their  safety  was  assured,  though  there  were 
yet  many  delays  a:.d  annoying  hindrances  from  men  and  nature  before 
they  could  reach  the  confines  of  civilization.  On  the  3oth  they  made 
an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  push  up  the  river  without  a  pilot  and 
encountering  shoals,  they  returned  to  camp.  Meanwhile,  'their 
Toungous   fnends   had   summoned  a  man  of  some  prominence  in  the 


EXTERIOR  OF  COimcl-HUT  IN  SIBBRIA. 

tribe,  Vasili  Koolgiyork,  or  Basil  Cut-ear,  who  now  received  them  with 
great  kmdness,  and  volunteered  to  serve  as  pilot.  On  the  2  ist  they  again 
•set  ,.ut  with  Vasili  and  two  of  the  other  Toungouses  in  three  viatkas  or 
canoes,  sounding  the  way  ahead,  and  in  three  days  reached  the  camp  of 
one  Spiridon.  Here  Vasili  was  replace.l  by  one  of  Sp.ridon's  men  as 
pilot,  and  on  the  26th  reached  the  small  village  of  which  Nicolai 
^Shagra  was  chief,  where  they  also  met  a  Russian  exile  iiamed  Yaphem 
or  Euphemius,  KopellofT.     On    the  37th   they  set   forward  again,  with 


822 


.1   A'l/ii.S/AA'  ESI  I.E. 


these  two  as  pilots,  l)ut  were  comi)elle(l  hy  had  weather  and  new  iee  to 
return  to  the  vilhi<>e.  It  was  now  dechired  hy  Shajj^ra  that  their  ]>est 
course  wouhl  he  to  wait  lifteen  days  Cor  the  iVee/in-j;  of  the  river,  and  then 
perform  the  journey  hy  siedj^es.  In  point  of  fact,  the  river  was  frozen 
the  next  day,  and  in  a  week  the  iee  was  fit  for  sledj^nnj?  in  some  places. 
Another  Kussian  exile,  named  Dimitri,  or  Jeremiah  Kusmah,  now  vis- 
ited them,  and  took  Dancnhower  to  his  hut.  His  wife,  a  Yakut  woman, 
presented  the  visitor  with  some  tohacco,  a  small  ha^'  of  rye  Hour,  some 
suj^ar,  two  hricks  of  tea,  and  some  salt.  Kusmah  <>;ave  him  a  reindeer, 
weif?hin<;f  when  dressed,  ninety-five  pounds,  all  of  which  were  very  ac- 
ceptahle  additions  to  their  limited  stores.  Waitinj^  for  the  ice  to  jijrow 
stronjj,  the  trip  to  the  south  was  delayed  imtil  the  i6th  of  Octoher,  when 
Kusmah  and  Shaqra  started  for  Bulun,  to  acquaint  the  Russian  author- 
ities with  their  position  and  condition.  A  few  days  later,  the  enterpris- 
injj  Danenhower  made  an  effort,  with  the  help  of  the  friendly  Toun«ifouses 
and  Kusmah,  to  reach  Harkin,  at  the  extreme  northeast  point  of  the  Lena 
Delta,  which  he  was  assured  was  only  aliout  thirty-five  miles  away,  lie 
soon  found,  as  the  natives  had  asserted,  that  the  ice  was  not  strong  enough, 
and  returned,  disappointed,  after  four  days'  ahsence.  The  envoys  to 
Bulun  did  not  get  hack  until  the  29th,  hringing  hread  and  supplies,  and 
a  kind  letter  from  the  commander  of  Huhm;  also  a  very  startling  piece 
of  intelligence  to  the  Americans.  At  Hulkur,  on  their  return,  they  fell  in 
with  two  of  De  Long's  party,  Ninderman  and  Noros,  who  sent  a  letter 
to  Melville  acquainting  him  with  the  condition  in  which  they  had  left 
their  comrades.  Taking  Vasili  as  guide,  Melville  set  out  the  next  day 
for  Hulun,  and  passed  the  Commander  BaisholF  on  his  way  out,  liy 
another  route,  each  reaching  his  destination  on  the  ist  of  Novcmher. 

De  Long's  diary  continues:  "Thursday,  13.— \^'■"low  tea.  No 
news  from  Ninderman.  Went  down  in  a  hole  in  the  hank,  and 
into  camp.  Sent  hack  for  Lee.  lie  had  laid  down  and  was  waiting; 
to  die.  All  uniteti  in  saying  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  cried.  After 
supper  a  strong  gale  of  wind;  horrible  night.  Friday. —  Breakfast, 
willow  tea;  dinner,  one-half  teaspoonful  of  sweet  oil,  and  willow  tea, 
Alexai  shot  one  ptarmigan.     Had  soup.     Wind  moderating.     Saturday, 


CLOSE   OF  DE  LONG^a  DIART.  ^33 

Oct.  .5.-Hrcakfast,  wilh.w  tc-a,  and  two  old  boots.     Conclude  to  move 
.■a  sunrise.     Alcxai  breaks  down;  also  Lee.     Come  to  empty  ..ain  raft; 
iKdl  and   camp.     Smoke  at  twilij^ht  to  southward.      S  nulay   Oct    ,6- 
Alexa.  broke  d<,wn.     Divine  service.     Monday-AL-xai  .lyinj,;  Doctor 
bapt./od  hn„;    read  prayers  for  the   sick.      Mr.  Collins'  birthday-forty 
years  old.      About    sunset    Alexai    die.l  of  exhaustion    from    starvatio,' 
Covered  n»  the  ensign.,  and  laid  him  in  the  crib.     Tuesday-Calm  and 
mdd;  snow  fallinj,;  buried  Alexai  in  the  afternoon;  laid  him  on  the  ice 
and  covered  him   with  slabs  of  ice.      Wednesday-Cutting  up  tent   to 
make  toot  gear.     Doctor  went  ahead  to  find  new  camp.     Shifted  by  dark. 
rhursday-Hright  and  sunny,  but  very  cold.     Lee  and  Kaack  done  up. 
I-  nday-Kaack    was  found  dea.l  about  midnight  between    the    Doctor 
a.ul  myself     Lee  died  about  noon.     Read  prayers  for  the  sick  when  we 
found  he  was  going.     Saturday-Too  weak  to  carry  bodies  of  Lee  and 
kaack  out   on   the  ice.     The  Doctor,  Collins,  and  myself  carried   them 
aroun.l   the  corner  ot.t  of  sight.     Then  my  eyes  closed  up.     Sunday- 
Lverybody  pretty   weak;  slept  or  rested  to-day,  and   then  managed  to 
get  enough  wood  in  by  ,lark.     Read  part  of  the  divine  service.     Suffer- 
.ng    Ml    our    feet;    no    foot    gear.     Monday-A  hard  night.     Tuesday, 
Wednesday,  Thursday,  27th,  the  one  hundred   and    thirty-seventh  day 
Iverson  broken  down.     Friday-Iverson  died  during  the  early  morning. 
Saturday,  29th-Dressler  died   during   the   night.     Sunday,   Oct.  30.- 
One  hundred  and  fortieth  day.     lioyd  and   Gortz  died  during  the  night. 
Mr.  Collins  dying." 

This  is  the  end  of  De  Long's  diary.  De  Long,  Surgeon  Ambler, 
and  Ah  Sam,  the  cook,  must  have  died  soon  after  the  last  note  was 
written. 


I''. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIX. 


W  i 


rf-- 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    JEANNETTE    PROCLAIMED MELVILLE    STARTS    IN 

SEARCH    OF    DE    LONG HIS    PLAN MELVILLE    FINDS    THE    BODIES 

OF     DE    LONG     AND     PARTY  —  GILDER's     STORY THEIR     COMMON 

GRAVE NO    TRACES    OF    CHIPP THE    SURVIVORS    RETURN    HOME 

CASKETS      FORWARDED FORMAL      EXAMINATION     OF     DANEN- 

HOWER  AND    MELVILLE SCHEMES    TO    REACH    THE    POLE POLAR 

SC  ENTIFIC    CONGRESS. 

And  now,  on  the  19th  of  December,  the  news  of  the  disaster 
was  flashed  over  the  civilized  world,  the  first  telegram  from  St.  Peters- 
burg being:  "The  Governor  of  Eastern  Siberia  announces  that  the 
American  polar  ship,  Jeannette,  has  been  found,  and  her  crew  succored." 
Telegrams,  letters  and  interviews  followed,  and  the  main  facts  came  to  the 
knowledge  o(  their  countrymen  and  the  government,  which  took  speedy 
measures  to  do  everything  possible  for  the  comfort  of  the  survivors,  and 
gather  all  ascertainable  facts  relating  to  the  lost,  being  ably  seconded  by 
Mr.  Bennett  and  the  Russian  government. 

The  Governor-General  of  Eastern  Siberia,  who  happened  to  be  in 
St.  Petersburg,  when  he  received  information  of  the  arrival  of  the  ship- 
wrecked crew  of  the  Jeannette  in  the  region  under  his  command,  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  Gatschina  and  saw  the  Emperor,  who  personally 
ordered  that  all  supplies  that  were  necessary  for  food,  clothing,  money 
and  transportation,  should  be  placed  at  their  disposal. 

About  Dec.  29  Melville  arrived  at  lakoutsk,  from  his  first  trip 
in  search  of  De  Long.  He  had  found  a  larger  working  force  neces- 
sary, and  also  the  official  indorsement  of  the  Russian  authorities  at  that 
point.  He  had  been  gone  twenty-three  days  from  Bulun,  and  had  traced 
De  Long  as  far  as  a  summer  hunting  station  called  Sisteransk,  on  the 
v/est  bank  nf  the  Lena,  and  that  the  party  must  be  between  th.it  point 


mmmmm 


LE  STARTS  IN 
)S  THE  BODIES 
HEIR  COMMO>f 
KETURN  HOME 
N  OB'  DANEN- 
POLE POLAR 

»f  the  disaster 
am  St.  Peters- 
unces  that  the 
:rew  succored." 
lets  came  to  the 
ch  took  speedy 
;  survivors,  and 
ly  seconded  by 

lened  to  be  in 
al  of  the  ship- 
mmand,  imme- 
vho  personally 
othing,  money 

1  his  first  trip 
ig  force  neces- 
thorities  at  that 
and  had  traced 
eransk,  on  the 
^een  that  point 


835 


83(5 


MELVILLE    IX  SEARCH   OF   DE  LOXd. 


I    SI 


'  J: 


>i  f: 


and  Itulkur,  neither  of  which  places  is  marked  on  the  maps.  Tiiere  was 
no  hope  that  they  were  still  alive,  as  the  rejjfion  is  devoid  ot' j^ame  as  well 
as  of  inhabitants.  The  commandant  at  liulun  was  to  continue  the  search 
with  such  resources  as  he  could  commami,  while  Melville  went  forward 
to  headquarters  to  secme  the  co-operation  of  the  hi«^her  authorities  at 
lakoutsk.  Two  days  later  the  rest  of  the  men  arriveil  from  IJulun;  and 
on  New  Year's  DaV,  18S2,  the  thirteen  survivors  of  the  "American  Polar 
Expedition"  of  1S79,  were  at  lakoutsk,  the  local  capital  of  Northeastern 
Siberia,  in  latitude  62',  and  lon<^itude  129''  44'  east,  with  a  resident 
population— half  Russian,  half  Vakouts  and  others — of  about  5,000.  The 
most  of  the  company  were  in  good  physical  condition;  but  Danenhower's 
left  eye  was  completely  <lisableil,  ami  the  right  one  endangered  through 
sympathy.  Cole  was  mentally  affected — a  mild  type  of  insanity,  ami 
Leach  was  suffering  from  frozen  feet.  The  trip  from  Hulun  had  taken 
thirty-six  days. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  Danenhower  and  nine  others  procecdetl 
southwest  to  Irkoutsk,  the  capital  of  Eastern  Siberia,  latitude  52°  17' 
2",  and  longitude  104''  16'  21"  east,  with  a  population  of  about 
33,000  —  a  trip  of  over  1600  miles.  On  their  arrival  they  were 
received  in  the  most  courteous  and  hospitable  manner  by  citizens 
and  officials,  being  invited  to  social  gatherings  and  popular  festivities, 
at  all  of  which  they  behaved  with  great  care,  and  won  golden  opinions 
from  their  hosts.  They  were  all  lodged  together  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Strelofsky,  the  private  secretary  of  Gen.  Pedachenko,  the  vice-governor- 
general  of  Eastern  Siberia. 

On  the  27th  of  January,  1S82,  Melville  started  again  for  the  north  in 
search  of  what  he  felt  would  be  the  remains  and  relics  of  De  Long  and 
hi*  party.  He  was  accompanied  by  Ninderman  and  Bartlett  of  the  ship's 
company,  and  organized  three  searching  parties.  The  first  was  headed 
by  Ninderman  and  the  Russian  Lobokoff;  the  second  by  Bartlett  and 
Sergeant  Koliukin;  and  the  third  by  himself  and  Gronbeck — each  with 
a  dog-sledge  and  Yakout  driver. 

The  search  was  to  be  carried  on  by  the  three  parties  as  ibllows: — "I 
propose,"  he  says,  "to  establish  a  depot  at  Bulun  for  all  supplies— center  of 


TT" 


l)E   LONG' a  nop}-  J'OUNV. 


»a7 


ps.  Tlicic  was 
)f  f^amc  as  well 
tinue  the  search 

went  forward 
r  authorities  at 
jin  IJulun;  and 
Vinerican  Polar 
if  Northeastern 
vith  a  resident 
Mit  5,oo«.    The 

Danenhower's 
<^cred  through 
f  insanity,  and 
lun  hail   taken 

lers  procerded 
titude  52°  17' 
ition  of  about 
al  they  were 
er  by  citizens 
uhir  festivities, 
olden  opinions 
'.  house  of  Mr. 
vice-governor- 

:)r  the  north  in 
De  Lon;^  and 
!tt  of  the  ship's 
St  was  headed 
y  Bartlett  and 
ck — each  with 

s  follows: — "I 
slies— center  of 


operationsat'TwoCrosses',  near  Mount  Yai— one  party  to  j^o  as  far 
north  as  Sisteransk  and  work  back  to  Two  Crosses;  one  party  to  work 
south  half-way  to  Hulkur;  one  party  to  work  Ironi  IJulkur  north  to  Two 
Crosses.  These  three  parties  shonlfl  !  .•  ahi.  to  search  the  whole  of  the 
country  between  Sisteransk  and  Bulkur  in  twenty  days  after  leaving 
the  depot.  Thly.  bein^r  completetl,  the  depot  will  be  moved  to  Cathcotr. 
tec,  between  Sisteransk  and  Ouvina;  one  party  to  follow  the  northern 
and  western  branches  of  the  Lena  as  far  as  the  river  Olenek;  second 
party  to  follow  the  northwestern  branch  ..f  the  Lena  and  work  up  to- 
ward Upper  Bulun;  the  third  ^.arty  to  work  from  Upper  Bulun  on  the 
northwest  coast  southwest,  to  meet  the  second  party.  This  will  complete 
the  search  for  Lieutenants  De  Lon-  and  Chipp  as  far  west  as  the  Inner 
Olenek." 

All  supplies  were  to  have  been  at  Bulun  on  Feb.  15;  and  the 
searchers  were  to  be  in  the  wilderness  by  March  1.  "I  can  search 
all  the  coast,"  says  Melville,  "between  March  i  and  June,  when  the 
floods  set  in  so  badly  we  cannot  work,  and  everything  that  is  on  mod- 
erately low  jrround  will  be  sw -pt  away.  I  kept  all  useful  men  with  me 
and  have  hired  three  others  from  Yakutsk,  and  will  j^et  ad<litional  assist- 
ance from  the  Cossack  commandant  at  Bulun,  and  if  the  people  are  on 
the  jjround   they  will  be  found." 

March  \z,  1S82,  Mr.  Jackson  -a  correspondent  of  the  Herald,  who 
had  been  sent  forward  by  Mr.  Bennett  on  receipt  of  first  tidinjrs  of  the 
loss  of  the  Jeannette— started  north  from  Irkoutsk. 

Mr.  Gilder,  who  it  wil!  be  remembered  brou^^^ht  the  news  of  the  loss 
of  the  Rodgers  to  Verchoyansk,  and  tiien  turned  his  attention  to  the 
search  for  the  missing  members  of  the  Jeannette  Expedition,  forwarded 
from  the  Lena  Delta,  April  12,  the  following  account  of  the  finding  of 
the  bodies  of  De  Long  and  his  ten  companions,  and  their  burial:  "  Mel- 
ville found  the  bodies  of  De  Long's  party  March  33,1.  They  were  in 
two  places,  five  hundred  and  one  thousand  yards  from  the  wreck  of  the 
scow.  Melville's  searching  party  first  started  from  the  supply  depot  to 
follow  Ninderman's  nnite  from  Ustcrday  to  Malvcy,  and  afterward  from 
Malvcy  back  toward  Usterday.     They  stopped  at  the  place  which  Nind- 


.>! 


I  il'  i 


ulllpl 


l: 


liUIHAL    OF  1)E  LONG  AND  PAliTV.  829 

erman  and  Noros  passed  the  first  day  after  they  left,  Dc  Lc,.-  f,,ciin- 
sure  that  the  others  had  not  j^ot  much  further.  There  they  found  tlie 
wreck,  and  following  ah.no;  tlie  bank,  they  came  upon  a  HBe-barrcl  hung 
upon  four  sticks.  Tiiey  set  the  .latives  .liggi,,.  .>„  each  side  of  the  sticks, 
and  they  so<,n  came  upon  the  two  bodies  under  eight  feet  of  snow. 

"  While  these  men  Were  .ligging  toward    the   east,  Melville  went  on 
along  the  bank,  twenty  feet  above  the  river,  to  find  a  place  to  take  bear- 
ings.    He  then  saw  a  camp-kettle  and  the  remains  of  a  fire   about  a  thou- 
sand yards   from  the  tent,  and,   approaching,  nearly  stumbled  upon    De 
Long's  ha.ul,  sticking  out  of  the  snow,  about  thirty  feet  from  the  ed-e  of 
the  bank.     Here  un<ler  about  a  foot  of  snow,  tliey  found   ,he  bodie's    of 
De  Long  and  Ambler,  ai,out  three  feet  apart,  and  Ah  Sam  lying  at  their 
feet-all  partially  covere.l  by  pieces  of  tent,  and  a  few  pieces  <,f  blanket 
All  the  others  except  Alexai  they  foun.l  at  tlie  place  where  the  tent  was 
pitched.     Lee  and  Kaach  were  close  by  in  a  cleft  in  the  bank  toward  the 
west.     Two  boxes  of  records,  with  the  .ne.licine  chest   and    a  fla..  on  a 
staff,  were  beside  the  tent.     None   of  the  dead   had    boots.     Their    feet 
were  covere.l  with  rags  tied  on.     In  the  pockets    of  all    were  pieces  of 
burnt  skin  and  of  clothing  <,f  which  they  ha.l  eaten.     The  hands  of  all 
were    more  or  less  burned,  and   it  looked  as  if  when  dying   they  had 
crawled  into  the  fire.     Jloyd   was  lying  over  the  fire,  and   his  clothing 
burned  through  to  the  skin,  which  was  not  burned.     Collins'  face  was 
covered  with  a  cloak. 

All  the  bodies  were  "carried  to  the  top  of  a  hill  three  hundred  feet 
high,  about  forty  versts  to  the  southwest  from  where  they  were  found 
and  there  interred  in  a  mausoleum  constructed  of  wood  from  the  scow' 
budt  m  the  form  <,f  a  pyramid,  twenty-two  feet  long  and  seven  hi^h  sur- 
mounted by  a  cros.  twenty-two  feet  high  and  a  foot  scjuare,  hewn  out  of 
dnftwood,  and  conspicuous  at  a  distance  of  twenty  versts.  The  mauso- 
leum was  covered  with  stones,  and  is  to  be  sodded  in  the  sprin<..  The 
cross  is  inscribed  with  the  record  and  name  of  the  dead,  cut  \n  hy  the 
search  party." 

Toward  the  end  of  March,   Dancnhowcr,  Newcomb,  Cole  and  Lon.. 
b.n;,.  set  out  from  Irkoutsk  on   the   lonj   trip   for   home.     On  the  29th 


M 


^MimUfHHlMii 


880 


A   liKCEh>riON  IN  NEW   lORK. 


they  were  al  Krasnoyarsk,  making  easy  marches  to  the  west,  and  on 
the  1st  of  May  arrived  at  St.  Petersburg.  About  a  week  later  they 
left  Cronstadt  for  Hull,  En^jiand,  an!  on  the  28th  of  May,  1882,  they 
were  in  New  York — thi;  firsi  rrivals  from  the  Jeannette — where  they 
were  received  with  much  enthusiasm.  Similar  receptions  followed  at 
Philadelphia   and    Washington. 

Melville  wrote  from  lakoutsk  on  the  27th  of  March,  that  he  would 
leave  for  Buluii  on  the  39th.  He  ha'l  concluded  that  tne  stc.  r.er 
Lena — which  was  to  be  turned  over  to  him  as  the  representative  of  Mr. 


THE  JEANNETTB  SEARCH    liXl'iJJITION. 

Bennett,  by  the  representative  of  Mr.  Sibiriakoff — would  be  useless  for 
his  purpose.  He  preferred  to  engage  a  steam  launch  to  come  down  to 
Buhui  for  news,  or  to  take  him  back  in  June.  On  the  2d  of  April  he 
wrote  from  Karaga  Terinsky,  seventy  miles  north  of  lakoutsk,  that  he 
met  the  ispravnik  who  had  accompanied  Mr.  Gilder  to  Verchoyausk, 
and  that  the  latter  had  gone  in  search  of  the  survivors  of  the  Jeannette. 

On  the  Sth  of  April  Secretary  Hunt  cabled  Lieut.  Harber  authority 
to  draw  for  the  funds  necessary  to  hire  the  steamer  Lena  for  a  season; 
but  the  contract  was  not  completed,  and   another  was  purchased,  which 


MM 


831 


^^^fft^3SS^aW*H*^'i 


882 


OFFICIA L   EX.  1 MINA  TJO.y. 


was  to  be  found  on  the  Vitim  River,  a  confluent  of  the  Lena.  Subse- 
quent dispatches  told  of  the  severe  horseback  journey  of  Harber,  vSchcutze, 
and  their  party  over  the  mountains  from  Irkoutsk  to  Vitimsk,  the  post- 
road  along  the  Lena  beiu}^  imj)assable  through  water  and  ice.  They  ar- 
rived on  the  28th  of  April,  and  it  was  expected  the  Lena  would  be  free 
of  ice  on  the  ist  of  June,  and  then  would  commence  the  voyage  north 
in  search  of  the  remains  and  relics  of  (Jhipp's  parly.  Meanwhile,  the 
party  were  busy  building  boats  and  dories  for  use  with  the  vessel  in  ex- 
ploring the  mouths  of  the  river.  With  the  consent  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  the  six  well  men  of  the  Jeannettj,  still  remaining  at  Irkoutsk, 
volunteered  to  serve  under  Harber  and  Scheutze  in  the  search  for  their 
missing  comrades. 

On  September  3d,  eleven  hermetically  sealed  and  otherwise  specially 
constrnsted  caskets  were  sent  out  from  New  York,  to  be  used  in  bring- 
ing liome  for  permanent  burial,  the  bodies  of  De  Long  and  his 
companions. 

On  the  13th  of  September,  Engineer  Melville,  with  Nindermaii  and 
Noros,  and  Lieut.  Berry  of  the  Rodgers,  arrived  in  New  York,  where 
they  received  a  cordial  greeting,  followed  by  similar  demonstrations  at 
Philadelphia  and  Washington. 

In  the  months  of  October  and  November  a  formal  inquiry  into  the 
loss  of  the  Jeannette,  and  many  of  her  officers  and  men,  was  made  by 
a  special  committee  of  Congress,  appointed  in  advance  for  that  purpose. 
Lieut.  Danenhower  and  Engineer  Melville  were  orally  examined  with 
great  minuteness  of  detail,  and  each  submitted  a  formal  and  full  report- 
Nothing  different  from  the  foregoing  narrative  was  developed.  There 
has  been  no  serious  doubt  at  any  time  in  the  minds  of  reflecting  men  that 
they  all  did  their  duty  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  ability.  Nor 
is  there  any  evidence  of  serious  misunderstanding  between  the  officers,  as 
has  been  sometimes  alleged.  Mistakes  and  miscalculations  were  inevita- 
ble, and  they  began  from  the  first,  and  did  not  end  till  the  close  of  the 
ill-planned,  ill-fated  expedition.  The  careful  reader  of  this  volume  or 
voyages  will  have  no  difficulty  in  detecting  many;  and  it  would  serve  no 
good  purpose  to  more  definitely  point  ihern  out. 


Lena.  Subse- 
arber,  Schcutze, 
itimsk,  the  post- 
1  ice.  They  ar- 
a  would  be  free 
!  voyage  north 
Meanwhile,  the 
he  vessel  in  ex- 
he  Secretary  of 
ing  at  Iikoutsk, 
search  for  their 

erwise  specially 
e  used  in  bring- 
Long    and    his 

Nindermaii  :iiul 
w  York,  where 
■monstratinns  at 

inquiry  into  the 
n,  was  made  by 
T  that  purpose, 
examined  with 
and  full  report- 
eloped.  There 
ecting  men  that 
1  ability.  Nor 
1  the  officers,  as 
IS  were  inevita- 
the  close  of  the 
this  volume  or 
would  serve  no 


am 


STATIONS  FOR   OUHERVAT/ONS. 
POLAR  SCIENTIFIC  COLONIES. 

The  chain  of  international  scientific  stations  around  the  Polar  Basin 
suggested  a  few  years  ago,  was  completed  in  the  summer  of  ,882.  The 
observations  were  to  commence  on  the  ist  of  August,  1S82,  and  to  clo^e 
on  the  1st  of  September,  1883.  They  were  to  be  taken  hourly  cad)  day 
and  were  to  comprise  meteorology,  astronomy,  terrestrial  magnetism  and 
auroral  displays,  together  with  some  optical  investigations.  The  instru- 
mental  equip.nents  of  the  several    corps  of  observation,  as  v^ell  as   the 


i:4 


_1_  K: 


COMMANDRH   CUEY.VK's   PLAN   KOR    HEArtllNG  THE   POLE. 

abilities  of  the  practical  scientists  comprising  them,  insure  as  tnorough 
work  as  will  be  found  practicable  in  those  high  latitudes.  They  are  dis- 
tributed as  follows: 

The  United  States  has  two, both  established  in  August,  i8Si,to  afford 
ample  time  for  preliminary  observations  and  partial  acclimation  before 
commencing  the  preconcerted  work  nearly  a  year  later.  One  is  at  Lady 
Franklin  Bay,  under  Lieut.  A.  VV.  Greeley,  fully  provisioned  for  two 
years,  and  consists  of  four  officers,  besides  the  commander,  and  nineteen 
men  of  the  United  States  Signal  Service  Corps,  and  one  newspaper  cor- 


w 


884 


THE  EUROPEAN   STATIONS. 


respondent.  The  steam-whaler  Neptune  attempted  to  cany  forward  a 
relief  party  and  additional  stores,  leaving  New  York  July  8,  1882,  but 
was  stopped  by  pack-ict  in  latitude  79°  20',  or  about  160  miles  short  of 
her  destination.  She,  however,  established  supply  depots  for  the  use  of 
the  colony  on  their  return.  The  other  American  colony  is  at  Point  Bar- 
row, under  Lieut.  Ray,  with  a  similar  corps  of  assistants,  and  similarly 
supplied.  England  and  Canada  have  one  colony  at  Fort  Simpson,  inter- 
mediate between  the  two  of  the  United  States;  and  Denmark  has  one 
on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland,  the  four  covering  about  100  degrees  of 
longitude,  and  the  American  division  of  this  circumpolar  cor' on  of  sci- 
entific stations.  Denmark  has  also  a  Polar  expedition  out  in  the  Dympna, 
under  Lieut.  Hovgaard,  a  volunteer  subordinate  of  Nordenskiold,  in  the 
Vega,  in  1878-9. 

Austria-Hungary  has  a  station  at  Jan  Mayer  Island ;  France  one  at 
Spitzbergen.  Sweden  and  Norway  also  one  at  Spitzbergen,  and  one  at 
Altcrtgaard,  in  Finnmark;  and  Russia,  one  at  Nova  Zembla.  These 
five,  together  with  Hovgaard's  movable  station,  in  the  region  of  Franz- 
Josef  Land,  cover  eighty  degrees  of  longitude,  and  constitute  the  European 
division. 

Russia  has  her  chief  station  on  the  Lena  Delta,  under  Nicholas  Jur- 
gens,  an  ofiicer  of  the  corps  of  pilots,  with  Doctor  Bangs,  Mathematician 
and  Engineer,  nine  soldiers,  and  two  Cronstadt  marines,  besides  such 
additional  help  as  they  may  need,  to  be  supplied  by  the  government  of 
Eastern  Siberia.  The  Netherlands  have  one  at  Port  Dickson,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Yenisei;  and  a  movable  one,  the  steamer  William  Barenz, 
under  Lieut.  Hofman,  who  is  under  orders  to  make  a  prolonged  cruise 
for  purposes  of  meteorological  and  other  scientific  observations,  in  the  Arc- 
tic Ocean.  Germany  has  one  station  in  the  North  Pacific.  These  four 
constitute  the  Asiatic  division,  and  cover  very  inadequately  the  remaining- 
180  degrees,  or  as  much  as  the  other  ten.  Germany  has  a  second  station 
on  the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  but  this  of  course  is  in  no  proper  sense  a  Polar 
station. 


\ 


'w^^^ 


iny  forward  a 
y  8,  1882,  but 
miles  short  of 
for  the  use  of 
at  Point  Bar- 
,  and  similarly 
simpson,  inter- 
mark  has  one 
100  degrees  of 
cor'on  of  sci- 
n  the  Dympna, 
nskiold,  in  the 

France  one  at 
jen,  and  one  at 
2mbla.  1'hese 
jion  of  Franz- 
e  the  European 

Nicholas  Jur- 
Mathematician 
s,  besides  such 
government  of 
)ickson,  at  the 
'illiam  Barenz, 
^longed  cruise 
)ns,  in  the  Arc- 
c.  These  four 
the  remaining- 
second  station 
r  sense  a  Polar 


885 


I 


INDRX. 


Page. 

Absurd,  the  answer  of  ijrnorance 21 

Admiralty,  action  of,  in'Veafard  to  Franklin. ...3S1 
"  strike  the  name  of    Franklin    and 

men  from  navy  list 437 

Advance,  the,  in  command  of  De  Haven 44 1 

"  '   Kane 489 

Adverse  circumstances,  rising  aliove     196 

Alaska,  the  Jeannette  at 75 } 

Alert,  the 674 

.\llcn,  Capt.  of  the  Havenscraig 657 

Alliance,  the Sot 

Aleutian  Islands 222 

Alexui ..75,^ 

Alexander,  the 162 

Ambler,  J.  .M.  suriJ^eon  of  the  Jeannette  crew..74S 

America,  incidentally  discovered 27 

"         discoverv  of  1  by  Columbus 30 

"         results  of  discovery 32 

"         North  discovered .'. 2jr 

"  "       re-Jiscovered 35 

"         FVench  voyafjes  to 39 

Ancients,  ideas  of,  concerning  the  North 19 

Andrejew   221 

Aninj  Kiver,  the 250 

/\njou 254 

Annual  oil  boat 531 

.\nsel  Gibbs,  the 5"l,4 

Archangel,  voyages  prosecuted  from 136 

Arctic  voyages,  interval  in 105 

•*      iaeas,(irst  knowledge 19 

'♦      vovikfes,  early 71 

"  ■•  •ivst  English         71 

<h:e,in,  Sihi  rian,  explored 120,  125 

ntering  in  the...  62,  77,  92,  97,  501,  et.  al 

'    <  rland  e.'fiii'-dition 139,  150-  20S 

•lie  Grei  ■•    ship 20 

Aril  'irld,  lirst  voyage 3S 

Asi:i  '")ut  the  north  coast  of 42 

AtuK.  .,  Miction  of 5^^ 

Auk,  tin   luiiiir  tif 44S 

Auroral  ilisplays 725 

Austin,  Capt.,  commands  search  squadron. . .  .409 

Austro-Hungarian  expedition (1^9 

Avatch.i  Bay I'jfi 

Back,  F-ieut.",  with  Franklin 197 

"      voyage  in  the  Terror 3i;3 

"      overlind  expedition 516 

Baffin,  William,  voyages  of S4 

"       Arctjc  voyages  of ,% 

"       discovers  fJaffin's  IJiv S7 

"       scientific  ob.scrvations  of 88 

B:ink'='  r.iiii.l ..4^9 

FSaranicli  1  River 24901.  seq. 

Baranow  Kink 23^ 

Barentz,  William,  voyage."  of , 59 

"  reaches  Nova  Zembla 59 

"  locked  in  the  ice (V) 

"  ill  winter  iiuarters )',j 

"  death  and  Inirial  of ('14 

Barrow  Straits     333, 377,  4** 

Bears,  attacked  by 24* 

"       destru    ive  tendency  of g/gH 

Bcerhey,  Capt.,  in  search  of  Northwest  Pass- 
''.'•'*' jW 


Page. 

Becchey  Island 452  et.  a  I. 

Behring,  voyages  of .125 

"  discovers  Behring's  Strait 12.? 

Belcher,  Sir  Edward,  in  command  of  fleet (27 

"        abandons  five  ships ...t«^ 

Bellot,  Rene I \,l 

Bennet,  Steven,  voyage  of 71 

Bennett,  James   Gordon,   purchases  the   Pan- 
dora   7^7 

Bennett  fits  out  Jeannotte  Expedition 748 

Bessel,  Dr.  Emil,  in  Polaris .643 

Bienenkorb,  the  ship   ..^31 

Block,  Adriaen,  voyage  of ] ..  90 

Bloody  Falls,  on  the  Coppermine .394 

Booth.  Sir  F'elix,  fits  out  Boss  .331 

Buchan    in  Dorothea  and  Trent 161 

Buddington,  Capt.  Sidney  O.,  with  Hall ...54S 

Burial  at  sea 'jm 

liurnmghs,  Stephen,  voyage  of 42 

Biittertiies,  hunting ". •..3f'S 

Button,  Sir  Thomas,  voyage  of ["83 

Bylot,  voyage  of ". ]  ]   86 

Cabots,  voyages  of ce 

Cabots,   Sebastian,  theory  of   .Vortheast  Pas- 

si'KC   '. 40 

Cabot  s,  second  voyage  of 37 

Cannibalism,  supposed,  of  F'ranklin's  crew  . .  [440 

Carthage,  founded 20 

Cartier,  Jacques,  vovages  of 39 

Cator,  Eieut.,  in  Franklin  search ..436 

Cavendish,  Thomas,  voyage 51 

Chancellor,  voyage  of 40 

Charkinagne's  Franks  resist  the  Norsemen!. .   24 

Chippewyan,  Fort 204 

Cliipp,  Lieut.,  Chas.  W.  with  Jeannette.  .,..748 

Christian,  Hans,  witli  Kane 401 

withllaves '.".fii,? 

with  Hall  (-,43 

( 'hristmas  in  the  Arctic f/y'i,  723 

Church  in  Greenland 478 

Clavering,  with  Sabine,  explores  east  coast  of 

Greenland ?o6 

Clavering  Island '•'.'533 

Clerke,  Capt.,  takes  command  of  Cook's  ship..  148 

Coal,  on  Kidin  Ish'ud 6^5 

'•       discovered  bv  Hall cSo 

Cole,  William,  witti  je  mnette. , .      ••74S 

Cold,  intense,  pole  of  greatest 480 

Collins,  J  J.   in  Jeantutte  party ......y.^H 

C'olliiison,  Ca|)t,,  in  the  Enterprise 415 

<, Monies,  English,  in  Amia-ica T''.  9? 

C>»4onization  voyages 9} 

Columbus,  vovages  of 30 

Comments  on  Arctic  navigation   .739,  740 

Compasst'*.,  affn  trd  by  iron  in  ship .'.  ..476 

Coiv"    -■      'tionof,  regarding  F>anklinse;irch44i 

<-""  •'■ipe sii 

C"i'  '  »er 2o3 

C''f  'v^nelius  voyage  of   58 

Cor'  ,ir.  voyages  of 30 

Cor......  UK.  .ii  se.ircii  of  the  Jeannette 775 

Cro/ier,  Capt,  record  left  by 540 

Dalv.  judge,  furthers  Schwatka's  voyage 687 

D  incnhower,  Lieut..  John  W .".  .74S  ct.  seq. 


' 


838 


INDEX. 


Papfc. 

Danes,  voyages  of  91,  131 

Danish  hospitality 53^ 

Davis,  Ca^)t.  John 5.! 

"       arrives  in  Greenland 5,5 

"       importance  o£  his  voyages 54 

Deasc,  overland  journey  of Tfx> 

Dc   Haven,  Lieut.   K.  J.   in  command  of  first 

Grinncil  Kxpedltion 441 

Dc  Haven,  report  to  Secretary  of  Navv 471 

Do  Lon}?,  Lieut.  (Jeo.- \V.  in  comman'f  of  Jean- 

iiette  Expedition 74^ 

De  Long,  diary  of  Ss  1 6 

"  death  of S23 

"  found  and  buried  by  Melville 829 

"  g'ravo  of  S29 

Deshniev,  the  Cossack ii\ 

Du  Veer,  (Jerritt,  with  Barentz (» 

"  brcomes  historian  of  voyage 60 

Devil's  Nip,  De  Haven's  crew  escapes  from. ..4(19 

"        Thumb 46S 

Discovery,  the  ship 674 

Discipline,  Kane  com  pels 5-^'^ 

"Docto  Kayens" 529 

DojJ-s,  Esfiuimaux 257,  524,  499,  762 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  voyage  of 5° 

Drift  of  the  pack,  .vith  \IcClintock 5,36 

"        "  "       with  JL)e  Haven 456 

"        "  "       with  Tvson 655 

'  "  "       with  Wevprecht 664 

"        "  "      with  De  "Long 76S 

Ducks,  eider 514 

Ebierbing,Josv'ph,  with  Hall 560 

"  "  with  Schwatka 'iSS 

Kggs,  feast  on 530 

Eira,  voyage  of  in  search  of  Jeannette Soo 

Elberg,  Governor 551 

English,  Arctic  voyages  of 161,  s8<),  074 

Enterprise,  voyage  of  tlie 415 

"  Fort 209 

"         of  Muscovy  Company 40 

Eothen  the,  voyage  of ...6S7 

Erebus  and  Terror,  voyage  of 376 

Eric  the  Red 27 

Ericksen,  sufterings  and  death  of 819 

Esquimaux  193,  274,  3S6,  529,  SSS 

E werat,  a  sorceror 277 

Exile,  hospitality  of S23 

Expedient,  a  novel 4oi 

Expeditions,  Arctic,  early 71,  158 

"  first  of  nineteenth  century. ..  iJq,  370 

"  Franklin  search 373.  SS^ 

"  Recent 5%,  736 

Fanny  A.  Hyde 762 

Fiords,  of  Greenland "34 

Fiskernxs 47S 

Fotherhv,  Robert,  vtwage  of !>6 

Fox,  Luke,  voyage  ol. 95 

Fox,  McClintcicIvs  voyage  in  the 534 

Franklin,  Sir  John,  biography  of 190 

"        first  voyage  of,  to  Arctic  regions 19S 

"        second 288 

'<        last 374 

"        search  for 37i-.S*i 

"        record  of  death 540 

"        name  stricken  from  navy  list   437 

"        relics  of 439 

"        Lady,  devotion  of \^ 

Frank.s  resist  !*^orthmen 24 

Frederichstahl,  Hansa  crew  arrive  at 630 

Frobisher,  Sir  Martin,  voyages  of 43 

"        his  alleged  gold 45 

"        his  hopes  destroyed 40 

Fury  and  Hecla,  vovageof 266 

<'        "      "         Strait 2S1 

Geographical  Societv,  Kane  addresses 489 

George  Henry,  the  whaler     54'' 

Georgian!,  the  brig 559 

Cermania,  the  ship,  voyage  of f'31 

"  returns  honie 639 


Pasfc. 

Gorman  Polar  expedition  623 

Gibbons,  Capt.,  voyage  of 8ft 

Gilbert,  Sir  Humphrey,  vovage  of 47 

"        "  "  t;iki's     possession      of 

Newfoundliind 47 

Gilder,  with  Schwatka ...    688 

Gillam,  Nathaniel,  voyage  of i  u 

Glaciers '. 498,  (XX),  582 

Gold,  Frobisher's  load  of 45 

Gotthaah,  colony  founded iji 

Graah,  observations  of 629 

Grave  of  Franklin's  men   453 

"  Hal! 647 

"        "  Lient.,  Irving  discovL'red 690 

"        "  Oe  Long  and  partv S29 

Great  Fish  River .'. 348 

Greenland,  early  settlement  of '9,  27 

''  black  death  in 26 

"  piety 47S 

Gnnnell,  Henrv,  benevolence  of 441 

'■         expedition,  first  442 

"         expedition,  second ^89 

"        expedition,  third 545 

"         Land,  discovered 471 

"  "        otherwise  named  by  British.  ..472 

Guides,  procuring .20^ 

Gulf   Stream,    influence   on    waters    of    Nova 

Zembla tVir 

Gulnare,  cruise  of  the 780 

Hall,  James,  voyage  of 84 

"       Chas.  Francis,  receives  "call" 545 

"  "     sails  in  George  Henry 547 

"  "     returns  from  first  voyage 5S<) 

"  "     second  vovageof 640 

"  "     third  voyage  of 64a 

"  "     sickness"  and  death  of 64(1 

Hammerfest,  description  of  town 306 

Hansa,  voyage  of  German  ship 626 

"         wreck  of 628 

Hartstene,  Lieut.,  in  search  of  Kane 531 

Hawkins,  Sir  John,  vovage  of  49 

Hayes,  Dr.  L  L,  with  Kane   508 

''  "  in  steamer  United  States 589 

baffled  by  Smith's  Sound.... 6h 

"  '■         death  of 622 

Hearne,  Samuel,  sails  bj-  Hudson   Bay 139 

Hecla  and  Fury  Straits.' .' a8i 

1  lerjulf son,  Hiarne 37 

I lerodotus'  account  of  1  lyjierboreans 19 

Hesperis,  noticed  b)  Kaiie   ...498 

Hobson,  Lieut.,  discovers  record  of  Crozier. .   538 

Holsteinborg 552,  474 

Hood,  with  Franklin 197 

"        murdered  by  Indian  guide 218 

Horn,  Cape,  first  voyage  around 90 

Hudson  Bay  discovered 77 

' '       I  lenry ,  voyages  of 74 

"  "        attempts  North  Pole  route 74 

"  "        discovers  Manhattan  Island...  75 

"  "        mutiny  of  his  men 80 

Humboldt  Glacier ' 507,611 

Hunger,  exhaustion  from 210,  817 

Huts  of  Esquimaux 173 

lakoutsk 229,  2f)0 

Ice,  nipped  in 354,  405,  455,  530,  768 

"     rapid  motion  of 493 

"    Sea  of  ancient 677 

"Pala'ocrvstic 684 

Icebergs,  their  source   50S 

"         forms  of  662 

"         first  seen 199,  549 

"         blink 6()2 

"         floe 444 

"         field 627,651 

Iceland,  discovered  and  colonized  by  Norse- 
men  ' j6 

Iceland,  perhaps  discovered  by  Pytheas ai 

"         self-governing l6 

black  death  in 16 


: 


nwiilaiMi 


INDEX. 


Page. 

62  5 

8f) 

?c"f -47 

I     possession      01 

•::::::::::::::::| 

498,  <'«o,  582 

45 

;s' 

629 

453 

• (H7 

V'jred 6yo 

S29 

, 34H 

E 19.27 

26 

•••; 47H 

"f 441 

442 

fSy 

545 

47' 

meil  by  British.  ..472 

203 

waters   of   Nova 

661 

7S0 

H 

■•  "call" 545 

lenry 547 

t  voyage 5* 

f 640 

642 

ith  of 64(1 

;>\vn 306 

ip 626 

62S 

fKane 531 

L   49 

SaS 

Jnitcd  States 589 

mith's  Sounil . . .  .61^ 

622 

ison  Bay 139 

:;;;;::;:  ■.■;;;";;  27 

noreans 19 

...498 

ord  of  Crozier. .  538 

552.  474 

•••• '97 

mat' 218 

ind 90 

77 

74 

rth  Pole  route 74 

inhattaii  Island...  75 

5  men 80 

.507.  61 1 

21A,  817 

"73 

229,  2f)0 

354.  405.  455.  53".  768 

493 

^77 

684 

508 

66a 

■•::::::  ■■::::':^M 

444 

627, 651 

•ni/.ed  by  Norse- 
...     . j6 

ly  Pvtheas »i 

..." 16 

16 


517 
279 
379 

553 
1 10 

473 


Idols,  of  Sainoycds -,i , 

Ifi^loo  

Ijflooklik  Island 

Ili>(liuk,  intelligence  of '..,,.... 

Illusions  Arctic .'.'.'... 

India,  which  way  to?         .!.!! 

Inglefield,  Coinniander  E.  A.,  voyage  of]! 

Innuits,  .see  Ksquiinaux ' !!.... 

Instructions,  otfici.ll 382,  J97,'  490,445 

Intrepid,  II.  .M.S.  voyage  of. .... . .      '  ^^  IS 

Irkoutsk.........    .   '.229,' iS, 

Irving,  Lieut,  in  Franklin's  last  voyage.  176 

graveof '......'.  ..'..'.f&j 

Isabella,  the  steamer .'...."...  473 

,  , "  Cape '.'.'.'.'.'.'.bio 

Jakuts.         ^^g_  2'K, 

James,  I  hos.,  voyage  of 05 

"        discovers  James' Bay ...'......'.  97 

Jan  Mayen  Island " ..     ..  626 

Jeannette,  the,  fitted  out  by  Mr.  nenriett. ...!.' 1748 
"  leaves  San  Francisco  Bay   . . . .'.'.', . .  750 

"  arrives  at  Ounalaska '.773 

"  enters  the  A/ctic 706 

beset '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.ym 

"  sinking  of       ~nQ 

"  relief  expeditions '.'■  ....'.'idd.'iiio 

Jones' Sound,  explored  bv  Inglefield 4S0 

Kamchatka,  subjugation  of ' T2, 

Kane,  Ur.  K.  K.,  biography  of ....  ]..". ,182 

with  De  Haven ^.,, 

•'      receives  soubriquet  of  ".Mad  Yankee''  .'  !45i 
"       commands  Second  Grinnell  Expedition.. 490 

great  buoyancy  and  moral  power  of 509 

decides  to  abandon  the  Advance 527 

"      arrives  at  If pernavik .'...<\i 

"       last  siokness  and  death ......is'ji 

"       results  of  voyage r'ji 

Kara  Sea '.■.'.'.  ..■.!'.■. ■.■.;;7o4 

Kayak,  description  of Jg, 

Keflett,  in  Franklin  search  .'.'.!..]...!.. '4^ 

"        discovers  Wrangell  Eand .'.'. .".'.  .400 

Kendall,  Lieut.,  voyage  of,  to  the  Coppermine  205 

Kennedy  Channel c  ,„ 

King-aito _' 3.g 

King  William's  Land   ....'.".....'."./.! "518 

Knight,  John,  murdered  by  natives   .'..        "  "     73 
Koldewey ,  Capt.  Cai .,  eulogy  on '.'.'.' 624 

"  commands  German  Expedition!'. "624 

KoymaRiyer.. ^zg,  20 

Kolymsk  \ishni 220,260 

"  Wrangell's  visit  to.   ...'.'..'.'.'.,'    .'212 

Kuehne  with  Jeannette  ere w "748 

I.dibrador,  discovery  of .'.'.'..'.'.'...   27 

"  voyagesalong  thecoastof.V.V.V.iV,  46 

Lamps  of  Esquimaux 561 

Lancaster  .Sound !.'.".'.'i66,'409 

La  Plata,  voyr.geto ,3 

Laptew  Brothers. ".".'.'...."...!.!!'.       220 

Latitude  reached  by  Parry   .'............\'<<) 

"  '■  "   Kane ."."'"'40S 

Polaris .S, 

I       "  c      „     "  F'"""^ '-'-(^l 

Lawrence,  St.  Bay  of 7-? 

Licna  Kiver,  ascent  of ..!.'!!.'!.!!!.!!!!!!!  .716 

II        'I        Wrangell's  journey  down 251 

...       "        1^*= '^'J'i>f's  attempted  journey  to... Sbi 

Lichen,  trtpedt-roche ,  216 

Lotila,  the  ship '.."...".'.. 78 

Lyon,  Cai)t  .prayerfor  !       i. .*,!.."". (,2 

LVchius ■ ■ !.].'       49S 

*'acKenzie,  .\lexander.. .! ...    . ...'.!..'..!...  .[150 

"  Kiver,  descent  o"" '.,', ir, 

cClintock  Sir  Leopold .'         A, 

"  in  Belcher's  fleet ............   'ica 

"  in  command  of  Fox ""   c,e 

drift  down  Ballin's  Bay '.'.'.'.'.5" 

"  on  Kinir  Williams  Land 518 

I'  finds  relics  of  Franklin 5^9 

results  of  voyage 5^ 


Ma 
McCl 


4'7 
421 
429 
430 
70S 

3? 


McCiure,  Capt.  Robert  L 4,5 

"  in  command  of  Investigator!  I '..!.".. '416 

"  alone  in  the  Arctic 

"  predicts  a  .Xorthwest  Passage . 

'  m  search  for 

"  abandons  Investigator •  •  •  • . 

Magici.ins ! 

Magellan,  Ferdinand !...!...!!!!! 

"  'I'siovers  Magellan  Straits.!!.    !!"  ?8 

.Magnetic  Island ...m{ 

"  Pole  discovered !...!...  .'..'338 

Magnetism,  observations  on VTo'ili 

Mahue,  James,  voyage  of ■  --J/  /.  5^ 

Mariners' F;nterprise,  English "'  y, 

Markham  reaches  high  latitude !..!!."  "684 

Matmschkin 229,250 

Matolschkin,  Schar 220    260 

.Melville  Bay.... ^ t40,  46S 

''        Geo.  W.,  engineer  of  Jeannette 748 

'■  "      "      hnds  De  Long  and  crew... 826 

,,     '  "      "      official  examination  of 832 

Meyers,  Fred,  narrow  escape  of oto 

Miildendorf  in  Taimurland !.'!!!! 301 

"           saved  by  a  Samoyed  chief !!!!!! !!3()o 
Mock  Suns '^gj 

Morton,  William,  discovers  a  supposed  open 

sea *^      -,(, 

Munk,  Jens,  voyage  of !'!     91 

Muscovy  Company,  enterpri.se  of ..!!!! ! 40 

Mussel  Bay !!!325 

Nares,  Sir  iJeo.,  Arctic  journey  of '       674 

"        reaches  high  latitude !..!683 

"       conclusions rcf'arding  the  Pole !!.!685 

Newcomb,  Kavmond  L.  in  Jeannette. . .  74I 

Newfoundland  colonized  by  Gilbert  ' '     47 

Newspapers,  Arctic 'I's'j,' JA 

N.|M,ed  in  ice . .  354,  405.  455.  536.  768 

Nishni  Kolymsk 229,  260 

Nomenclature,  Arctic 444 

Nordenskiold,  Prof.  A.  E... !!!!!!!!! !!!692 

"  prep.'iration  of,    for  Arctic  ex'- 

ploriitinn ggg 

Nordenskiold  sails  in  the  Vega. , !.  !!!!!!!.'!''.yoi( 
"  accomplishes  Northe;is't'Pas'sa'ge7i3 

"  receives  ovations y,, 

"  results  of  voyage '7x6 

"  Noros,  sent  out  with  Ninder'man82o 

Norsemen,  origin  of 23 

"  sea-life  of ""  j, 

Norse  viking,  significance  of  name ..!.!!!!!!!!  24 

"        chief  pursuits  of .'.  "   "  23 

Northeast  Passage,  Dutch  attempts  to 'tind'71 '  ko 
North  Pole,  attempts  to  reach   ...321,  674,  7«',  835 
"  "       Commander    Chevne's    plan    ior 

reaching ' 3., 

Northmen,  see  Norsemen !.!.!!! 

Northwest  Passage,  early  attempts  "to  find'.' .'^o,  46 

"  "  M'Clure  discovers 421 

"  "  supposed     discovery     by 

Franklin _        "  ,»(5 

Northumberland  Inlet !!!.!!!!        51:8 

Nova  Zembla,  Barentz'  vovage  to!!!!  !!!!..'.'.*.  64 
"  "  Weyprechtand  Payer  sail' by. '.!662 

"  "  seas,    influence     of     the     Gulf 

Stream  on (^, 

Observations,    scientific   of    Arctic    exploiers 

Ommaney,  Capt.,  in  Franklin  search,  i*^^!.^.!^'.^ 

"                 "      discovers  first  relics  of  Frank- 
lin  ,-, 

Onman  Cape,  reached  by  the  Vega         . . ! !   ! ! !  71S 

Ook-gook,  weight  of.. .'.. ..  ^a 

Oomi.ik .'!!!!""!.'!293 

Open  Se.i,  supposed  discovery  of !!!!!!!.....   eio' 

Orange  Islands,  Bar.'utz' visit  to ..Cdl' 

Osborn.    Lieut.   Shorrard,  in  Pi^iicer'and 'lii- 

Ounalaska! ..'.'. .','.'.'.'.'.".'.'.'.".'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. tl*" 

Pains  of  luinger  and  cold '.'.'.'.'.'...,......'.' .'.'204 


840 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Parry,  dipt.  William  Edward •"■i 

"        first  voya^je  of K*'^ 

"        enters  Arctic  circle 170 

"        trials  and  pastimes  of,  in  winter l^(^ 

"        describes  native  dress  and  manners mj 

"        .secmid  viiyaf^e  o£ -'1" 

"        in  winter  (luarters '7' 

"        third  expedition ^fJ'j 

I'assajre,  Northwest,  discQvered 4J1,  37S 

"         Northeast,  accom|)lished. 713 

I'ayer,  I.ieil.,  with  Koldewey ",^4 

in  Tejrclthoir ''5'> 

"        tieset  in  pack  '"'H 

"        discovers  l<"ranz-Josef 's  Land 668 

Peahodv,  (Jeo.,  benevolence  of 491) 

Peel's  i^trait 377 

Pendulum  experiments 309 

Penny,  Capt.,  in  Kranklin  searcli 409 

Peteriuann,  Dr.,  af^encyin  Arctic investiffati-no.J3 

Petroi)aulovsky i^9i  -'«> 

Phipjjs,  voyage  of '4' 

Pirn,  Lieut  13" 

I'ole,  M;ijrnetic,  discovered MS 

I'lover,  Hrilish  steamer 40S 

Polo  of  greatest  cold 4*^^ 

Polaris,  voyage  and  v/reck  of 640,  o^S 

Pond  Hay." 4'^> 

Poole,  Joniis,  voyage  of S.J 

Portuguese,  voyages  of 2g 

Prayer  of  Lyon  for  help 3>- 

Prontschischtsctie w jji),  2'x) 

Pullen,  Lieut  ,  boat  iourney  of 409 

Pytheas  of  Marseilles 20 

Kae,  Dr  John i->i 

"    joins  Kichardson  in  search  party 3^3 

':     attempts  to  reach  W'ollaston  Land 391 

"     discovers  relics  of  Franklin 4,?S 

Ualeigh,  Sir  Walter,  voyages  of 54 

Uavcnscraig ^57 

Becords,  manner  of  preserving 039 

Refraction,  eflects  of ^5'i 

Reindeer,  travel  planned  by  Parry 323 

Reikiavik Soi 

Reliance,  Fort ;-.!5f 

Relics  of  Franklin (i*^.  .St" 

"  "  Frobisher S'-V 

Rensselaer  I  larbor 499 

Repulse  Bav 3M 

Rescue,  as  escort  for  the  Geo.  llenr> 5^S 

"        in  first  Orinnell  Fxpedition 443 

Richardson,  Dr.,  with  I'ranklin '97 

"  in  search  of  Franklin 38J 

"  his  adventure  with  wohes 214 

Riip,JohnC __<« 

Rodgers,  the  voyage  of 790 

"  burning  of 797 

Ross,  Sir  John,  vovage  in  Isabella 161 

"       alleired    discovery    of   Crok<r's    Moun- 
tains  >fr> 

"       second  vovage  of  in  Felix 33' 

"       in  Franklin  search 4"<) 

Ross,  James  C,  discovers  magnetic  Pole    3  iS 

"       search  for  l'"raiiklin .197 

Russian  Fxplorati<ms 2^9>  2U0 

Sabine,  F:dward,  experiments  of .3o'> 

"  Island         f'.V^ 

Sailors,  mutiny  and  desertion  of ."iJ'' 

Samoyeds  ./H.  37o.  7"".  7 '9 

Samoyed  chief  saves  Middcndorf VV 

Scenery,  Arctic ''''•' 

Schalarow,  journeys  in  Siberia 221 

"  failure  and  death ^'i 

Schelag.skoi  Cape 237 

Schwntka,   Lieut.,  voyage  of f>^7 

"        discovers  grave  of  Irving ('Ot) 

Scoresby,  Dr.  William '53 


I'agc. 

Scoresbv,  v.ivige  of,  to  Greenland     15$ 

"        ■    William  Jr  ,  begins  seafaring  life....  154 

"  vovage  of,  to  Spitzbergen 157 

"  pulilishes  account  of  voyages   1^5 

.Separation  of  Polari.-- 'rom  Hoe (i4.S 

"  of  Jeannette  boat- parties S14 

Siberia,  explorations  in 229,  2  o,  3  M.  ,37" 

Simpson,  iourney  with  Dease 31)0 

Sledges,  Arctic  ^ 23),  257,  321 

Smitl-.,  Leigh,  voyage  in  Kira   779 

Smith  Sound     . ." 49^ 

Snorri ^^^ 

Snow,  Mr.  W.  P 45' 

Snow,  phenomenon  of  red 165 

Sofia,  the  ship 'V 

Spanish  voyages 3" 

Sonntag,  loss  of '07 

.Spitzbergen '57 

Steller,  voyage  of,  with  Behring 129 

.Sviatoi-noss 7'7 

.Swavne,  Capt '  7 

Sweden,  in  Arctic  vovages 691 

Tadibes 7<>S 

Taimur  River ,1''+ 

Taiiiuir  Land •3''t 

"        "     good-bveio 368 

Tchuktchis,  habits  of 241 

"  dance 242 

"  visits  from  240 

Tegetthoir,  the     6^" 

"  abandoned '^7' 

Tennyson's  Monument 5"** 

Tessuisak,    harbor  of O43 

Terror,  in  command  of  Hack 351 

"         nipped  in  the  ice 35)- 

in  co'umaiul  of  Franklin 370 

491} 


.^57, 


.5S2 

•703 

205 


'riiermometers,  sensitiveness  of. 
■I'hule,  of  Pytheas... 

Tookoolito 

Trees  in  Siberia 

Tundras 

Tungasi 

Tyson,  Capt.  Geo.  M. t'47i  6.5^ 

I'nique,  Lsland,  a   ^^'^ 

United  States  in  Franklin  search (41 

"  "        in  command  of  Hayes 590 

Unprecedented  drift,  an 45'' 

Upernavik t79.  53^ 

Vaigats  Sound 59 

Van  Noort,  Oliver,  vovage  of 61,  6S 

•'  "      attacked  b'v  I'atagonians 07 

"  "      battle  with  Spaniards ^     (^ 

Vegetatior.  of  Arctic  regions 44S,  49*!,  703 

Vega,  the,  vovage  of 'V^y  7.^'' 

Victoria  Strait. .' 33" 

Victoria,  first  steamship  in  Arctic  seas 332 

' '         abandoned 34° 

Vikings 22 

\'oii  Wrangell,  see  Wrangell 

\'ovage,  tirst  search  for  lost  explorer S3 

Walruses,  encounter  v.  ith 639 

Weert,  Sebald  de,  vov.ige  of 6S 

Wellingtcm  Channel .' 453.  4'*' 

Wevmouth,  vovages  of,  to  Hudson's  Hay.... .  71 
Weyprecht,  in  command  of  Austro-  Hungarian 

Expedition ''59 

Whale  Sound 621 

Whale,  straiuied ^ii 

Willoughbv,  Sir  Hugh 40 

Winter  quarters "75.  2:0,  350,  501 

Wood,  John "5.  '1" 

Wrangell,  H.iron  von 2. '9,  260 

Venesei,  descent  of  the •  •  •,3°4 

Young,  Capt.  Allen 74' 

Zeiubla,  Nova 'H 

Zeni  Brothers '7 


IMiMi 


I'.iirr. 

iind     15  J 

•afarinK  life...  151 

rjfon 1S7 

v">"iKi-s  iSS 

•••. '-f^ 

.rtiu.s S14 

.2^9,  2  0,3.?.  ,^70 
,V>o 

^31.  257.3^1 

'TJ 

49^ 

22S 

45' 

■&.'; 

'V 

3" 

(x)7 

157 

? 'ly 

717 

'  7 

^x>l 

708 

3"+ 

3<>t 

i68 

241 

242 

240 

6^11 

^'T 

5"^ 

643 

35i 

354 

" 37" 

i 4W 

21 

5S2 

703 

^57,  -i'-S 

■ ;/H 

(MT.  655* 

22S 

ch H' 

Kiiyes S'>> 

45" 

t79.5,?2 

59 

, 61,  6S 

Diiians ()7 

rds ^7 

44S49''.  703 

''yi,730 

33" 

■lie  seas 332 

340 

22 

xplorur Si 

639 

6S 

453.4*' 

idson's  Hay 7' 

islro-  Hungarian 

"59 

621 

m 

40 

....■75.210,350,501 

115,  IK) 

229,260 

■ ...364 

741 

"4 

n 


